First port butt - need a little advice

Clusterbuster

Hello All from Louisville,

This is my first post here though I've been lurking for a bit. I've had a large BGE for a few weeks and had pretty good luck with pork loin, baby backs, some chickens, etc. Anyway, getting ready to do my first pork butt and I had a few questions/thoughts.

First, I got the pork butt at Sam's last night. It was bigger than I wanted but I was too lazy to go to Kroger's for a smaller one. Anyway, the one I got was about 17 pounds. Seeing estimates of 1 and 1/2 hours per pound, I'm not really into doing an all-nighter on it. I don't know anything about pork butt (first one I ever bought), but the one I got seemed to go real thin in the middle and you could almost close it up like a big fat book. One half has a bone, other doesn't seem to. It looks like it would be pretty easy to slice it in two at the thin spot and do half of it. So, assuming I do about half my pork-butt (7 lbs.), about how much cooked meat should I expect that to produce. I'm getting the idea it may be about 50% (3 and 1/2 lbs.) and that doesn't sound like much but I have no idea if that is accurate. On the other hand, this turbo idea seems to have merit, but I'm wondering how much difference there is in taste, texture, etc. if you do it that way. If I can cut the cook time way down, I may just do the whole thing, but I gotta admit it looks a bit scary.

Also, to be honest, the more I read, the more confusing it gets. Brine vs. no brine, foil v. no foil, slow cook v. turbo, etc. I'm also starting to get the idea that if internal temp is about right, it's hard to screw up a pork butt. I'm wondering if I'm not overthinking it and I just need to slap that sucker on with heat and time and let 'er rip. That's no so much a question as just an expression of anxiety. I just re-read this and think I sound crazy.

Thoughts?

Clusterbuster

Make that "pork", not port!

tikigriller

Are you sure there are not two in there already?  I know when I bought my first one, I thought it was one, only to find out it was two as someone pointed out here to check!  =0)

I was nervous doing my first one as well...doing my second one Sunday...and it is incredibly easy to do.  I have not done any turbo intentionally on anything yet, but for some reason, when I do something like a Pork Butt or a Brisket, I want it to take along time to cook.  makes the meal feel more special to me.  Probably lame, but true for me at least!

Set it at 225-250, let it go until the bone pulls out freely.  Should be 195-205 based on what I have read around here.  I don't think I wrapped mine, but I get seriously drunk when I cook these long cooks.   I FINALLY started using the stupid notes app on my phone to start taking notes!

many will chime in, but if you just search a little, you will find all the info you need quickly and have a great road map to go by and get it done.

Florida Grillin Girl

You have 2 butts there. If you don't want to babysit overnight at 235 degrees, put them on early in the AM at around 300 dome and let them go til they get to 200 or so, or are about to fall apart. For the amount of time it takes for this cook, you might as well cook both and freeze what you don't eat. It freezes very well. 

I egged 12 lb. bone-in picnics that took 10 hours at 300 dome. I don't brine, or foil, just rub with rub, put some wood chunks in with the charcoal and let it go.

Don't keep opening the dome. Make sure your have clean smoke before putting the meat on. This is one of the easiest cooks you can do. Don't overthink it.

bhedges1987

^ what they said. You have two pork butts in there. 

tikigriller

So glad I am not the only one making the one vs two butt mistake!

abpgwolf

Here is the recipe I used for my first pork butt. http://amazingribs.com/recipes/porknography/perfect_pulled_pork.html  Still use it (for the most part). Probably more information than you need, but will answer most of your questions and concerns.  Don't worry too much about temps (pork butt is very forgiving). No much difference between low and slow and turbo results.

Good Luck, Have Fun, and don't worry, even if you mess up here and there, it will be the best pork butt you've ever tasted.

abpgwolf

Corrected web site: http://amazingribs.com/recipes/porknography/perfect_pulled_pork.html

tikigriller

http://amazingribs.com/recipes/porknography/perfect_pulled_pork.html

That link will work.  Looks like link about got attached to the next sentence.

Great read,....but there ingredients are off....there is no way in hell one 6 pack of beer is enough!!!!!!

SmokingPiney

17# sure sounds like 2 butts. As long as they're separated, they will cook more or less like 1 butt.

I plan on a 8# butt taking around 9 hours to reach an IT of around 200, cooking at 275 where I can start probing it.

This is important.........regardless of IT, it needs to "probe like buttah" all over and have some wiggle in the bone. Some butts take longer, some are ready faster.

When it does, I like to FTC it for about 2 hours before I pull it apart. 

Butts are a very forgiving cook. Don't overthink it. Relax and let the Egg do its thing.

JustineCaseyFeldown

SmokingPiney said:

 As long as they're separated, they will cook more or less like 1 butt.

even crammed together they will cook in the same time (roughly) as a single butt....

SmokingPiney

JustineCaseyFeldown said:

SmokingPiney said:

 As long as they're separated, they will cook more or less like 1 butt.

even crammed together they will cook in the same time (roughly) as a single butt....

I disagree. I think you will need the air space between the butts to properly circulate the heat. 

JustineCaseyFeldown

This is not the case. 

tikigriller

It's your first butt....I would cook one, freeze the other one, learn from your first one and then cook the second one with your new knowledge next time you want some butt!

KC_Steve

• Give your Egg a quick vacuum/cleaning.
• Have enough lump at the start. (I did not)
• Be patient while the dome temp stabilizes after putting the butt on.

SteveListello

pork butt has so much fat that it is hard to make a mistake cooking it.  my philosophy is if I am going to make the effort to fire up the big green egg, then I am going to fill the grill with meat.  You can always freeze into portion bags for future meals.  cook to 190 degrees no matter how long or short it takes.  usually after 12 hours at 225 to 250 degrees I start to creep up the temp to get it done.  sometimes on large quantities of brisket or pork, it's come on already with the time to 190.  so I increase the heat to get it off by 15-18 hours. 

Smokin_Trout

If it's your first one, clean out the egg, mainly the ash. Fill it up about 1" away from the bottom of the platesetter. Light it about 60-90 min ahead of putting the meat on. Do not put the platesetter in yet. Get the temp dialed in where you want it- I go about 250-275 dome. 
Meat prep- I remove all of the outside fat. There is enough marbled in the meat to keep it moist and juicy. This will give you the most bark possible. Rub that sucker with as much as it will take. I don't see a difference between 24hrs ahead or 24 min ahead of putting it on. I have tried mustard, but don't see a need for it. 
Time to put it one- add your wood, a couple fist size chunks should be plenty.
Install platesetter and grid. I like to put foil over the top of the platesetter to make clean up easy. Place your meat on the grid, leave space between them if you can, gives a better bark.
You will see your temp drop, don't worry, you just put in a hunk of cold meat and your platesetter. It will come back in about an hour or two.
Good luck!!  

Clusterbuster

I'll put it it this weekend and see how it goes. I can't thank you all enough for your many kind and patient comments. I'll let you know how it goes.

SaintJohnsEgger

Smokin_Trout said:

If it's your first one, clean out the egg, mainly the ash. Fill it up about 1" away from the bottom of the platesetter. Light it about 60-90 min ahead of putting the meat on. Do not put the platesetter in yet. Get the temp dialed in where you want it- I go about 250-275 dome. 
Meat prep- I remove all of the outside fat. There is enough marbled in the meat to keep it moist and juicy. This will give you the most bark possible. Rub that sucker with as much as it will take. I don't see a difference between 24hrs ahead or 24 min ahead of putting it on. I have tried mustard, but don't see a need for it. 
Time to put it one- add your wood, a couple fist size chunks should be plenty.
Install platesetter and grid. I like to put foil over the top of the platesetter to make clean up easy. Place your meat on the grid, leave space between them if you can, gives a better bark.
You will see your temp drop, don't worry, you just put in a hunk of cold meat and your platesetter. It will come back in about an hour or two.
Good luck!!  

Good advice. The only thing I would change is to put a pan of water below the grid for droppings. If the fat renders and drops onto a hot surface like the plate setter then it could burn and add a bad taste to the meat.

I don't have an Egg yet but this is my experience from other grills.

BikerBob

The egg is not some other grill. Drip pans especially with water are not needed. I bought a 8 plus pounder this week and because there are only two of us, cut it in half and cooked it last night. The lunch sandwich was good too.
I don't wrap my platesetter, but others do. I cook low and slow and have never had a bad taste from burned drippings. By the way without a water filled pan the meat was not dry.
IT WILL BE GREAT!

RedSkip

For the sake of cleaning, use an empty drip
pan.  

tikigriller

Drip pans and wrapped plate setter here.  Probably over kill since the drip pan catches the mess, but I hate cleaning.....

JethroVA

I use a drip pan for less mess.  I do not foil unless I need to press through the stall (meat temp refuses to rise for quite a while) in order to make a deadline.  I use Turbo method cooking at 300-not more than 350-wherever the egg decides is her sweet spot that day. 

JethroVA

@tikigriller it's time to edit your signature line and remove the comment about stupid questions. You're already offering a newbie advice!

tikigriller

You should go back and see some of the questions I still ask!!!  Definitely still applies!!!  :LOL:  Can I burn lump in a charcoal BBQ?

Carolina Q

SaintJohnsEgger said:

Good advice. The only thing I would change is to put a pan of water below the grid for droppings. If the fat renders and drops onto a hot surface like the plate setter then it could burn and add a bad taste to the meat.

I don't have an Egg yet but this is my experience from other grills.

@SaintJohnsEgger, water pans are not needed with an egg as it already provides a moist cooking environment. Also, the water acts as a heat sink and when it evaporates, the cooking temp you thought was stable, can rise. If you are having trouble with burned drippings, just crumple up some foil balls and place them between the platesetter and the drip pan. The air space will take care of the problem.

Ladeback69

SaintJohnsEgger said:

Smokin_Trout said:

If it's your first one, clean out the egg, mainly the ash. Fill it up about 1" away from the bottom of the platesetter. Light it about 60-90 min ahead of putting the meat on. Do not put the platesetter in yet. Get the temp dialed in where you want it- I go about 250-275 dome. 
Meat prep- I remove all of the outside fat. There is enough marbled in the meat to keep it moist and juicy. This will give you the most bark possible. Rub that sucker with as much as it will take. I don't see a difference between 24hrs ahead or 24 min ahead of putting it on. I have tried mustard, but don't see a need for it. 
Time to put it one- add your wood, a couple fist size chunks should be plenty.
Install platesetter and grid. I like to put foil over the top of the platesetter to make clean up easy. Place your meat on the grid, leave space between them if you can, gives a better bark.
You will see your temp drop, don't worry, you just put in a hunk of cold meat and your platesetter. It will come back in about an hour or two.
Good luck!!  

Good advice. The only thing I would change is to put a pan of water below the grid for droppings. If the fat renders and drops onto a hot surface like the plate setter then it could burn and add a bad taste to the meat.

I don't have an Egg yet but this is my experience from other grills.

@Smokin_Trout, I like having the plate setter and grid in when getting the egg to stabilize.  The temp doesn't drop as much this way when you put the meat on.

@SaintJohnsEgger, You don't need to add a water pan with the egg, also when the water is gone the egg will spike and you will be chasing the temp.  What I do is wrap the plate setter with foil and maybe make a foil drip pan.  I have had no problems with a bad taste on any of the pork butts I have done.

@Clusterbuster, as others have said the pork butt is pretty forgiving and is not a complicated cook.  For you first one, I wouldn't worry about brining or injecting, but I like injecting apple juice mixed with my rub if you want to that. If you cook around 225 it could be around 1.5 hours per pound, at 250 to 275 it is closer to about 1 hour per pound.  If you want to try Turbo go with 300 to 325 and I have gotten 8 lb ones done in about 6 hours this way.  

What I will also do is start our at 250 and take to about 150 to 160 then crank it up to 300 to 325 to get it done a little quicker and to get through the stall faster.  The stall usually happens around there and can take awhile to get through.

If you decide to do both, you do one regular and the other one into pork burnt ends. When they get to about 165, let one ride and pull the other one to let it rest for about 20 minutes wrapped in foil.  Then slice it into cubes, place in a foil pan, add a little more rub, pour on your favorite sauce, stir and put back on the egg for at least a couple more hours.  Stir it a few times during the cook to get them good an mixed up.  This is my new favorite now.

Clusterbuster

It's a lot to take in but I'm looking forward to it. 

tikigriller

@ladeback69 I am doing a Butt Sunday.....your burnt ends idea sounds like something everyone in m y house would like.  Would I be destroying my cook if I cut the butt in half at 160 and then finished everything up per your description?

Ladeback69

tikigriller said:

@ladeback69 I am doing a Butt Sunday.....your burnt ends idea sounds like something everyone in m y house would like.  Would I be destroying my cook if I cut the butt in half at 160 and then finished everything up per your description?

I wouldn't think so, sounds like a good idea to me.  It may cut your cook time down a little as well. I would put some rub on the side you cut it off from to get some bark back and I would make it out of the side without the bone.  Sounds like a good way to get both pulled and chunks, wish I had thought of it.  I may be try that next time as well.  Let me know how it turns out.  

tikigriller

@ladeback69 it turned out okay. Cutting it in half definitely seemed to change the timing. Everything was still really good and the burnt ends were awesome, so it was worth the change, but doing to butts would be better IMHO.