A couple of curious questions regarding butt technique...

ChucktownEggHead · July 2015

I plan on doing my first butt on the egg this weekend and I have read a ton of great info on the forum but some of it did leave me wondering why or why not to implement some of the techniques discussed here.

Why or why not to use a liquid in the drip pan? I can understand that adding a liquid could introduce some moisture but I wonder why some would say no liquid?

Why raise the drip pan from the plate setter? To keep it from getting too hot?

Why rub and refrigerate overnight while some say just rub before hitting the grill? What is the refrigerating doing for you?

Also I am kind of perplexed as to when to start my cook. I have read plenty of comments regarding cook time and it seems to be pretty split. Some say 2 hours per pound and some say 1.5 hours per pound. On the other hand my egg dealer said about 1 hour per pound. I picked up an 11 pound bone in butt so there is a huge swing even between 1.5 and 2 hours. I am having a get together so timing is somewhat critical. I don't mind holding for a couple of hours FTC style but I don't really want to do this for 4 plus hours which is the difference between the two (16-20). I realize that all pieces of meat will cook a bit different but I need to figure out when to get this puppy going so it will finish close to an ideal time. Do I need to subtract a bit of weight for the bone when I am figuring this? I think that makes sense.

Thanks!~

theyolksonyou · July 2015

1. Liquid is not necessary as the egg hold moisture well. And I'm lazy and don't want to replenish to keep the temp from spiking.

2. Raise the drip pan to keep drippings from scorching and giving off nasty smoke and taste.

3.i see no difference in overnight in the fridge or not. You just want to give the rub time to start dissolving. I rub while the fire is stabilizing if I've procrastinated.

4. Unless you're cooking turbo, no way in hell is it an hour per pound. The tiling is temp dependent. I plan 1.5 and cook between 250-275. Bump temp up if behind schedule, FTC otherwise.

ChucktownEggHead · July 2015

I plan on 250 dome/225 grid temp

TexanOfTheNorth · July 2015

Your questions all seem to have the same answer... personal preference.

A 4-6 hr ftc is not a problem and cook terms can vary by quite a bit. I'd suggest planning to finish a couple of hours before you want to serve. You can ftc or push your temp up as needed.

good luck

theyolksonyou · July 2015

Plan for 1.75/# and react accordingly.

I find on my large with no pit control, I'm much more stable closer to 270. YMMV.

nolaegghead · July 2015

...for a second, I thought this may have been posted on the wrong forum.

Scottborasjr · July 2015

Liquid in the drip pan is used in other smokers to keep the environment from getting to dry. The egg doesn't have that issue. Elevating drip pan keeps the droppings from scorching which could impart a bad taste to the meat.

Timing completely depends on temp but each piece of meat is different. I'd say for that large a piece of meat allow yourself 90 minutes per pound.

tailg8ers · July 2015

I'll give you what works for ours and we've never had any complaints! - wash your butt -dry it off - slather in yellow mustard and apply rub -wrap and put in fridge for at least an hour or so - overnight is fine - done both ways and don't really note any difference. We use applewood chunks -seems to have more intense flavor - with some jack daniels whiskey chips added in. We put up to a gallon of apple juice in the drip pan - it evaporates but does keep the butt moist. If you keep the grid temp around 250 it will most likely take at least 1.5 hours/pound - we leave the butt on until it hits 205. We wrap in foil and go for about 1 hour FTC then its pull/chop city!!!! Either way you choose to go - I'd factor it to take longer than you anticipate and if it sits in the cooler for a few hours it will still be hot!

Good luck!

Ladeback69 · July 2015

theyolksonyou said:

1. Liquid is not necessary as the egg hold moisture well. And I'm lazy and don't want to replenish to keep the temp from spiking.

2. Raise the drip pan to keep drippings from scorching and giving off nasty smoke and taste.

3.i see no difference in overnight in the fridge or not. You just want to give the rub time to start dissolving. I rub while the fire is stabilizing if I've procrastinated.

4. Unless you're cooking turbo, no way in hell is it an hour per pound. The tiling is temp dependent. I plan 1.5 and cook between 250-275. Bump temp up if behind schedule, FTC otherwise.

I agree with above except I have cooked a lot of pork butts at 275 for the whole cook and it was about 1 hour per pound. At turbo method 300 and above less then an hour a pound.

theyolksonyou said:

Plan for 1.75/# and react accordingly.

I find on my large with no pit control, I'm much more stable closer to 270. YMMV.

Agreed .

DaveRichardson · July 2015

I'm leaning more to the turbo side as well here recently. 300 to start, and once I get around the stall, I'll bump 325-350 to blaze thru it. Typically averages out at an hour per pound.

Stopped using pans pans full of whatever when I started with the egg. It does a superb job of keeping things moist on its own. Elevating the pan simply keeps the drippings from scorching.

As as far as prep goes, I've used the cheap yellow mustard, EVOO, and most recently Peanut Oil as a rub binding assist agent all with good results. I've refrigerated and not; can't tell much of a difference. Now a frozen butt is a whole other beast!!!! Not fun trying to handle 11 pounds of frozen piggy goodness!

Mickey · July 2015

I use only salt in the pan

Mickey · July 2015

TURBO BUTTS

· Hot'n fast, 350 for 5 hours to internal to 200. Falls apart and oh so good! Have fun!

· Be sure you only get a 7lb butt or so for the time (or a couple ((same amt of time)) or more for more protein )

. Note: The butt box is not required unless holding for dinner.

I use mustard & Bad Byron's Butt Rub (both not required). I put on the rub, then mustard,

then rub once more. Ps: I do not foil. Also good with the coffee rub.

DaveRichardson · July 2015

+1 on NOT FOILING!!! Go for a good bark and egg it nekid! Foil will make it soggy and slough off when you go to pull it out of the egg and foil.

Thanks for for catching that one @Mickey !!

jtcBoynton · July 2015

Why or why not to use a liquid in the drip pan?
This is a holdover habit from cooking in other styles of cookers. Komodo cookers hold moisture better. It really isn't needed. Doesn't hurt though.

Why raise the drip pan from the plate setter?
Yes, keeps the drippings from burning if there is no liquid in the drip pan.

Why rub and refrigerate overnight while some say just rub before hitting the grill? What is the refrigerating doing for you?
If there is salt in the rub, the salt will act as a dry brine. No advantage of putting the other ingredients on ahead of time.

Also I am kind of perplexed as to when to start my cook.
As for cooking time, there is a good amount of variability between individual pieces so take all times as rough. If you are cooking at say 250°, you can always bump up the temp midway through the cook if it is not getting done as fast as you want. Don't bother subtracting for the bone. Times are too rough to make the bone weight adjustment meaningful.

225º: 2 hours a pound

250º: 1.5 hours a pound

280º: 1 hour per pound

350º: 45 mins per pound

dldawes1 · July 2015

Have you started yet ????

Here another 2cents worth to ponder....

Why or why not to use a liquid in the drip pan? I can understand that adding a liquid could introduce some moisture but I wonder why some would say no liquid? I always use liquid even though some people say it is not necessary. It's just what I started out doing and still do. I like my results...so why change?

Why raise the drip pan from the plate setter? To keep it from getting too hot? I space my drip/water pan about 1/2 " off PS with small pcs of angle iron. Keeps drippings from scorching (even though I use water...might make water last longer ).

Why rub and refrigerate overnight while some say just rub before hitting the grill? What is the refrigerating doing for you? I don't use mustard anymore...I couldn't tell the difference. I rub my butt immediately before going on the egg. Also did not tell any difference in refridgerating overnight.

Also I am kind of perplexed as to when to start my cook. I have read plenty of comments regarding cook time and it seems to be pretty split. Some say 2 hours per pound and some say 1.5 hours per pound. On the other hand my egg dealer said about 1 hour per pound. I picked up an 11 pound bone in butt so there is a huge swing even between 1.5 and 2 hours. I am having a get together so timing is somewhat critical. I don't mind holding for a couple of hours FTC style but I don't really want to do this for 4 plus hours which is the difference between the two (16-20). I realize that all pieces of meat will cook a bit different but I need to figure out when to get this puppy going so it will finish close to an ideal time. Do I need to subtract a bit of weight for the bone when I am figuring this? I think that makes sense. I have an XL...my 'sweetspot' for L&S seems to be at 260-280. I use a Maverick for insurance, but the egg normally hold a stable temp overnight. I was taught to buy 8-9# butts and that is what I do. I consistently get 9.5 hr cooks with these conditions. I cook to 200F IT.for pulled pork. I always FTCTCYB (Foil Towel Cooler To Cover Your Butt ). after cooking just because I don't ever want to be standing in front of a hungry mob and the food not be ready. My final doneness check is a little twist on the bone to make sure it pulls loose from the meat...it's done .

ChucktownEggHead · July 2015

Thanks so much for everyone's input!

A couple of curious questions regarding butt technique...

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