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boston butt crispy bottom

I've cooked several butts, and the bottom gets crispy every time unlike when I cook on other smokers with indirect heat. I noticed from pics that many eggheads use a water pan. Seems like that would solve the problem, so where do I find one for the egg? Any other suggestions? Also, I cook low and slow. 225 is my temp. The rest of the butt is great, just a crispy bottom. 

Comments

  • MrCookingNurse
    MrCookingNurse Posts: 4,665
    edited May 2013
    My wife recently looked through my account for Father's Day ideas. What she found was the majority of my post were laden with bathroom humor and crude comments.

    So I'm sit out of the post labeled "crusty bottom butt"

    :-h


    _______________________________________________

    XLBGE 
  • dkeel41
    dkeel41 Posts: 1
    Just looking for some cooking help. Wasn't meant to be crude in any way. But I understand
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,665
     cook fat side down. if you see the top getting to dark for your liking lay some foil over the top. no water pan needed
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • MrCookingNurse
    MrCookingNurse Posts: 4,665
    dkeel41 said:

    Just looking for some cooking help. Wasn't meant to be crude in any way. But I understand

    Just a joke boss.

    A water pan isn't really needed in the egg. But I have used just tin foil throw away caserole pans as gtt pans and water pans.

    Also, what's your cooking technique? Time and what temp are you cooking the butt to? Might wanna look Into some foil.

    Fat side up or far side down is a split decision on in BBQ.

    Fat side down can protect your butt and create more bark.

    Fat side up can render fat juices to keep your butt moist.


    _______________________________________________

    XLBGE 
  • Charlie tuna
    Charlie tuna Posts: 2,191
    You mentioned "other cookers with indirect heat", so i am assuming your egg cooked butts are also being cooked indirect.  I started cooking butts "low and slow" on my egg using a water pan.  For the first year i went thru three cheap cake pans while following suggestions found here on what to put in the pan while egging!  I can't remember any with a "crispy bottom"??  I then started using a single thickness of foil placed on top of the platesetter with the sides turned up to catch the drippings and allowing them to burn up.  For the past two yeats i have used the turbo method of cooking butts, and of course there is little chance of forming any crispy part of the butt while wrapped in foil...
  • tazcrash
    tazcrash Posts: 1,852
    +1 do you have a platesetter or other method for indirect heat (AR, PSwoo) in your egg? Sounds like you just have it above the fire. 
    Bx - > NJ ->TX!!! 
    All to get cheaper brisket! 
  • I use a 14" round cake pan and it sits perfectly on my large placesetter.  I'll line it with foil, but haven't put any water in it, just use it as a drip pan.  I read in a post somewhere recently about someone using beer and sliced apple in theirs and thought I might give that a try sometime, just to see if I can notice a difference.

    Damascus, VA.  Friendliest town on the Appalachian Trail.

    LBGE Aug 2012, SBGE Feb 2014

  • yzzi
    yzzi Posts: 1,843
     cook fat side down. if you see the top getting to dark for your liking lay some foil over the top. no water pan needed
    agree
    Dunedin, FL
  • SmokeyPitt
    SmokeyPitt Posts: 10,490
    I was thinking the same thing as @tazcrash.  Are you cooking with direct heat?  The most popular way to create an indirect set up is with the plate setter


    With the plate setter in place you don't really need a water pan, but most folks use a drip pan or foil just so the pork dripping don't get the plate setter all nasty. 

    Note that is just one option...there are many more options.  The Cadillac of options is something like:

    A DIY, less expensive option would be to use fire bricks...something like:



    Which came first the chicken or the egg?  I egged the chicken and then I ate his leg. 

  • Lit
    Lit Posts: 9,053
    I did a 4 lb shoulder on my mini once when we were camping fat cap down and the bottom came out this perfect crispy piece where almost all the fat rendered and just a crispy slab came off in one piece. Needless to say it never made it to the foil stage. It was like a slab of bacon I just stood there and ate it. Have never been able to do it again.
  • Charlie tuna
    Charlie tuna Posts: 2,191
    Had the same experience one day using a weber kettle.  Started my cooking of a butt on one side of the kettle and the butt on the opposite side.  A buddy had a problem and called me to come help him.  I thought, "worse case, i'll be back in four hours"  --  "the meat will be fine!"  Well, four hours turned into nine hours, and i thought "i'll just throw the butt away, and go out to eat!".  Best butt i ever made on the weber !!  Way over cooked, but "wonderfully crispy"! >:D<
  • Fred19Flintstone
    Fred19Flintstone Posts: 8,168
    Aren't happy accidents a wonderful surprise?
    Flint, Michigan