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need small butt help

JohnB
JohnB Posts: 183
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
I'm going to cook a small butt -- 2.5 lbs. -- tomorrow. This basically looks like a big, really thick steak with a ring of fat one one size (the skinny side).

Is there any thing to keep in mind doing a low and slow with a butt this small as opposed to the larger butts?

thanks in advance.

Comments

  • WessB
    WessB Posts: 6,937
    You're gonna end up with about 1# of pulled pork.....3 maybe 4 sandwiches....get a couple more butts and cook em all together..wont take any longer and you'll at least have some leftovers....you will be using up a fair amount of lump..not to mention your time...for a pound, maybe 1 1/2# of finished product....If your just doin it as an experiment or something by all means go ahead...when I do pulled pork I fill the egg up with meat..
  • Wessb and I are on the same page (hey, might be a first Wess :) ) - a 2.5# butt will cook down to just a few sammiches. I know because I tested a 3# one the mini a while back and the dang thing almost disappeared! :laugh: Good eats though -

    LJ
  • If I could see a pick of it, you might consider cutting into country style ribs.
    Mike
  • WessB
    WessB Posts: 6,937
    LJ..the times they are a changin...who knows what may be next....Personally never seen one that small..pork butt that is..LOL.....whole lot of effort for what would be a small reward..
  • Common practice Wess in grocery stores to cut off the pork steaks. Then package the end as a pork butt. I am sure it was not a whole one.

    Mike
  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    Hmm, since I have yet to enjoy reheated butt, maybe I'll start buying 2-3 pounders, have one delicious meal and not wind up throwing the rest out. I tried it on pizza, but won't do that again. Threw some in a pot of baked beans and didn't care for that either.

    Say what you want about all the ways there are to reheat pulled pork, it's just not very good. Not for me anyway. I have not yet tried coke so maybe I'll give that a shot, but I'm seriously leaning toward a smaller butt. I would rather waste half a load of lump than 4-5 pounds of pork.

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

  • JohnB
    JohnB Posts: 183
    yeah -- I picked it up because it looked like a quick and easy meal (quick in the prep, not the cooking time).

    If anyone has any other suggestions I'm all ears!
  • gdenby
    gdenby Posts: 6,239
    I tried to slip into making Pulled Pork by doing small portions of butts. In part, this was because I was having some trouble keeping a steady temperature. Nothing under 4.5 lbs was good. Dried out well before the collagen melted. When I did a 6 pound piece, I had semi-success.

    I'll suggest 2 options. Do a faster, hotter cook for your piece. Maybe marinade it overnight to soften it up, then an hour and a half and 350 dome.

    Or, do it for 2 hours at 250, or an internal temp of 165, then wrap it tightly in foil for 45 min., or until temp is 190+. Unfoil at end, ramp up the temperature, and crisp it up some.

    Don't worry too much. Most likely it'll be food, just maybe not spectacular.
  • Hey Wess - you guys getting back to normal yet or still under 8' of snow! Man - I've been watching the weather on the east coast and those folks are getting it scary bad. I say we move to Key West and just worry about storms with a name! :)

    LJ
  • WessB
    WessB Posts: 6,937
    It's called a "foodsaver"....tastes as good a freshly made even months later..I have no idea why anyone wouldn't like pulled pork in baked beans.....everyone I know loves em that way..to each his own I spose....none of this went to waste...If I remeber correctly this was 78#.. and we weren't even havin a party...LOL

    buttop.jpg
  • WessB
    WessB Posts: 6,937
    It's stopped snowing finally..but the way the wind is kickin you wouldn't really know it..believe we ended up somewhere above 36"...sposed to have wind chill of -10 tonight...this is rare for here, and I don't think I would trade that for "named" storms...hopefully by the weekend we can get things back to a somewhat normal state...
  • I agree. I like to add some form of meat in my beans. Pulled Pork is the easiest thing to keep moist for reheating.

    beans003.jpg

    Mike
  • WessB
    WessB Posts: 6,937
    No pic....do I need to show you the Whiz's guide to pic posting... :laugh:
  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    Yeah, I have a vac sealer. Tried that too. None of it is awful, just not as good as fresh. As for the beans and pizza... meh.

    As you said, to each his own.

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

  • JohnB
    JohnB Posts: 183
    Thanks for all the advice. I think I'll brine this overnight, put some rub on it, smoke it for 2 hours, foil it for 1-2 hours and then crank up the heat to get a little bark.

    fingers crossed.

    thanks for all the tips.

    j
  • WessB that picture is like Bo Derek I never tire of seeing it. It justs makes me sick that when I did six at once on my black ceramic cooker I didn't take any pictures. I did serve 75 people the same day and was pretty busy.
  • WessB
    WessB Posts: 6,937
    Just keep on keepin on..it's all good....guess that means ya just need to do it again so you can take pics.....I would prefer Farrah over Bo...but wouldn't kick either...well..nevermind that last part..
  • Hoss
    Hoss Posts: 14,600
    CW had a GREAT idea,break it on down into Countrystyle ribs!..Good Eats! :)