First time Pork Butt

Mole351

Cooking first butt tomorrow. Getting up at crack of dawn to put on - hope to have ready for dinner.

Any insight or good/easy prep, recipes, or pointers appreciated.

Can't wait!

Ragtop99

Prep the grill tonight so all you have to in the morning is lite it.

The Cen-Tex Smoker

how big is it? You have an indirect setup, right? (platesetter or equivalent) 

Mole351

Yes - have the plate setter. Is 6.5 lbs - not a monster.

Got some pallet cider vinegar and brown sugar. Gonna poke some holes in and rub vinegar in...then coat with brown sugar. Anything else I should add?

lousubcap

Figure about 2 hrs/# at 250*F (+/-) (on the calibrated dome thermo)  for the cook-so fire it up accordingly-if running short on time dial in "turbo butts" to get you to the finish line on time.  Pork is quite forgiving-welcome.

The Cen-Tex Smoker

Do you have a BBQ rub of any kind? 

stike

No need to poke any holes

There. Just saved you two minutes. BOOM

The Cen-Tex Smoker

I would have that thing on the egg by 5am latest if you are looking to eat it for dinner. So like ragtop says, have it all ready to go tonight. I would even load it full of lump and light it before I went to bed late tonight. that way you are assured of stable temps and can throw it on and go back to bed if you want. 2 hours of prep at 3 am sounds no fun to me. It will only burn $1 or $2 workth of lump if you lite it tonight. I've done it plenty of times, but I'm not 3 am kind of guy (unless I'm just getting home

stike

C-T: if they were small, or we were eating early, i used to start them overnight at 215-220, and then bump to 250 in the a.m.

Now i sleep in and toss them on at 300

The Cen-Tex Smoker

Good advice Stike. I don't do 3am for anything. I've never done one that hot but I think it's a good idea for an occasion such as this.

Mole351

Now thinking may do dizzy dust instead if brown sugar. Thoughts?

And using pecan chips I think. How heavy/light should I go in the chips? Wanna get chunks but don't know that I can get any this late (going to wally world in a few...)

Thanks for all the cooking advice. Think will get grill started before going to bed

Duganboy

I'm curious Mole, where did you get the idea of coating the butt in brown sugar?

The Cen-Tex Smoker

Dizzy for sure. I would skip the vinegar too. You can add a nice vinegar sauce on the finish after you pull. I'll find a link for you and post it. Chips are fine. I do chunks but no biggie either way. I think Stike is a chip man. He should be along shortly and can give you some help.

stike

Stike is a "as long as it is wood i dont care what shape it is" man

Sticks, twigs, chunks, branches, grapevine, leaves, whatever smells good

I'm really a bronze-age man living in your world. It's all good, except for the giant shiny metal birds.

Mole351

How heavy/light should I go on the dizzy?

Dugan - my brother told me about the brown sugar. I'd also read about people doing it online

Little Steven

I tried cinnamon tonight. Freekin awesome!

stike

Oh and hey, C-T. How old are you, anyway. Because i can think of at least one thing every man is up for at 3am. Actually. I can think of three things every man is up for at 3am. Unless he's 72.

And then still he's gotta be up for the one thing out of those three where he doesn't have to do any work.

The Cen-Tex Smoker

I'm nag saying its bad but dizzy has a lot of sugar and other really good spices as well. Very safe bet if it's your first.

Stike- forgot about your penchant for odds and ends as far as wood goes. I dunno, couple of fist fills of chips mixed in ok for this cook? I haven't used chips in years.

grillinmike

try this link for sauces when ready to serve

The Lexington Collection

Mole351

Dumb question - does it matter if the plate setter is legs up or legs down?

The Cen-Tex Smoker

I do it legs up and put a drip pan under th butt.

Mole351

Thanks cen-tex. been a huge help!

They_Call_Me_Biscuit

Legs up. I use a drip pan with Apple Juice/Apple Cider Vinegar mix and place it on the P.S. I also add some sort of spacer under the drip pan (3 stacks of 4 pennies  work just fine).  I don't think everybody uses a drip pan with fluids in it though.  Enjoy...it'll turn out great.

The Cen-Tex Smoker

No prob. Do you have a v-rack or a roast rack lying around? I can help you with set up.

Mighty_Quinn

I do it legs up and put a drip pan under th butt.

Kinky

The Cen-Tex Smoker

Ha! Funny Quinn! Well played.

Mighty_Quinn

Couldn't resist...

The Cen-Tex Smoker

I busted out laughing.