Flame Boss & Butt Bark

EasyBeinGreen

Hey everyone.  I have done two 8lb pork shoulders in the last few months with the Flame Boss (one for 14 hours @ 225º and another for 9.5 hours @ 250º).  The results have been hugely successful in terms of tenderness and flavor, but I am still not getting that thick ass, hit it with a hammer bark that everyone seems to be getting here.  I make my own rub (2:2:1 Salt/Pepper/Brown Sugar with a little of this and that on top), and I am applying fairly liberally with olive oil for a binder.

For the fire, I am using fist size chunks of apple and cherry, two at the back and two in the front, both on top of the lump. Butt goes in fat side up.

My question is this:  do you think the fact that the daisy wheel has to stay almost completely closed for proper Flame Boss operation might be affecting the way air & smoke circulate around the meat?  Would this affect the maillard reaction?

When I take the meat off the egg, it has a nice color to it, but I have to FTC for a few hours and it gets darker and stickier while resting that way.  Attached are pics of the finished product and my cook stats.

Any help to a better bark would be much appreciated!

Photo Egg

IMO, using the same set up and same rub, the crust will not be as good using a fan driven temp control device. You need to almost close down your top vent and the fan on the controller forces air out of your cooker as it stokes the cooker.
This closed up condition of the cooker keeps more moisture in the Egg.
This has been my experience when using Guru, Stoker and Flame Boss.
I'm sure others will chime in with better ideas.

StillH2OEgger

Is the bark satisfactory after taking off the BGE? I don't think you'll ever get the crunch you desire after FTC. Have you tried turbo? It's not my preferred method, but it does seem to add some bark. Looking at the top photo, I also wonder if a little more rub or using a more course grind of the spices you are using might not contribute to more/better bark. I don't know if it makes one bit of difference, but I might also try mustard instead of oil as a binder.

EasyBeinGreen

Thanks for the replies, guys. @Photo Egg, I am wondering the same exact thing.  Does the top vent being almost closed cause too much moisture or not enough circulation around the meat!  Hopefully some experts will chime in! 

@StillH2OEgger, good thoughts.  Interestingly enough, the bark is less satisfactory right off the BGE.  It gets better with time in the FTC!  I am using kosher salt and 16 mesh pepper in the rub, fyi.  Maybe the mustard would help?  

lkapigian

Looks fine to me...personally I like the softer bark ,it is a matter of preference . My Egg will never duplicate the bark I get in my offset...If you like it, run with it...To me, that looks spot on

tymaier

EasyBeinGreen said:

Thanks for the replies, guys. @Photo Egg, I am wondering the same exact thing.  Does the top vent being almost closed cause too much moisture or not enough circulation around the meat!  Hopefully some experts will chime in! 

@StillH2OEgger, good thoughts.  Interestingly enough, the bark is less satisfactory right off the BGE.  It gets better with time in the FTC!  I am using kosher salt and 16 mesh pepper in the rub, fyi.  Maybe the mustard would help?  

I mix in a little honey with the mustard. I feel like the sugar in the honey helps the bark form a little. Can't prove it, just a hunch.

EasyBeinGreen

Thanks for the compliment @lkapigian.  It certainly did not taste bad.    Good idea on the honey, @tymaier.

Photo Egg

EasyBeinGreen said:

Thanks for the replies, guys. @Photo Egg, I am wondering the same exact thing.  Does the top vent being almost closed cause too much moisture or not enough circulation around the meat!  Hopefully some experts will chime in! 

@StillH2OEgger, good thoughts.  Interestingly enough, the bark is less satisfactory right off the BGE.  It gets better with time in the FTC!  I am using kosher salt and 16 mesh pepper in the rub, fyi.  Maybe the mustard would help?  

I believe it's a moisture issue, though not big difference. Same result getting crispy skin on chicken. The Egg hold lots of moisture compared to many other grills. The superior insulation needs less airflow to hold any given temp. Less airflow means your protein holds more moisture. You can call it less airflow around your meat but it's really less airflow moving through the Egg. I think using a temp device that pump air into the Egg and forces you to almost close your top vent will keep even more moisture in the Egg. Again, there are some very intelligent people on this forum who I'm sure have better ideas or can better explain what I'm trying to say.

da87

If you have the flavor profile you want then you've got the big piece handled!  To thicken the bark I'd raise the sugar content (look at meathead's Memphis dust as a guide) of the rub, apply one coat the night before and then "re-rub" a second coat right before putting it on the egg. I don't have a fan assist, so I'll defer to the experts here on that, but I do find that a foil wrap softens the bark; more so than butcher paper (yes, for butts too) as the brisket whisperers on the site taught me when I did my first packer.  I've also just let it rest unwrapped until cool enough to pull - that was the best bark so far. Enjoy!!

JohnnyTarheel

What grill device are you comparing your bark too?  It will not match a offset ...

EasyBeinGreen

@da87 as soon as I get my timing down better I'll try letting it rest unfoiled!  Doing the rub the night before and then again right before the cook is a great suggestion... that might help meld things in better and set up for more crust.

@JohnnyTarheel Good point, though I am looking at other butts posted here that have been cooked on the BGE.  Take a look down this page at a post by Carolina Q http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1112998/pork-butt-question-wheres-my-bark

JohnnyTarheel

Then I think you need to go heavier on your rub....  just keep trying to find that sweet spot...  I get good bark when I use Bad Byrons Butt Rub. I use mustard as base and apply rub liberally...

EasyBeinGreen

Cool thanks @JohnnyTarheel.  Next step is definitely more rub.  Gonna try Byrons or Dizzy Dust.  After some searching, seems those two are good for bark health.

TN_Sister_State

I used bad Byron's and brown sugar equal ratio last pork butt with my flameboss, thick coat, and it came out perfect. 

EasyBeinGreen

Holy holy.  That butt looks slammin!  Well that settles that debate pretty quickly.  Thanks for chiming in, @TN_Sister_State!  The rub it is!  I am guessing I just haven't been liberal enough with it. Just curious, what temp did you smoke that puppy?

lkapigian

TN_Sister_State said:

I used bad Byron's and brown sugar equal ratio last pork butt with my flameboss, thick coat, and it came out perfect. 

Very nice...Naked or Wrapped

TN_Sister_State

225 for most the cook, long story but I needed it done at 7am no matter what so I bumped the temp to 250 at one point and at 3am I woke to my alarm and noticed internal wasn't there so I wrapped and bumped to 275. Done at 6:30ish am for me. If I had no time constraints I would of let it ride at 225 unwrapped till done.

TN_Sister_State

TN_Sister_State said:

I will say I laid one coat and let it sit in the fridge overnight and added another coat before I put her on. Just like the others mentioned. Best butt I've ever done and a nice welcome home stateside for my father and family who were working overseas for 8 years.

dstearn

The last time I cooked a pork butt I used Meat Church all purpose rub and it was the best bark and color compared to the other rubs that I have used. Next cook I will use the Honey Hog rub which worked well on my last batch of spare ribs. 

Photo Egg

dstearn said:

The last time I cooked a pork butt I used Meat Church all purpose rub and it was the best bark and color compared to the other rubs that I have used. Next cook I will use the Honey Hog rub which worked well on my last batch of spare ribs. 

We really like the Honey Hog and have used it for many months. Picked up a jar of the all purpose 2 weeks ago and it's another winner.
Have not used them on a pork butt yet but I'm sure both will be equally as good.

TN_Sister_State

I keep hearing about this honeyhog on this forum, instagram, and from friends. I may have to give it a try. 

SmokeyPitt

Another tip is to trim the fat on the outside of the butt off completely. A butt has plenty of fat inside. I think there is some debate on this, but many believe the outer fat just runs off anyway so it doesn't add anything to the cook.  One more tip is don't use any liquid in the drip pan.

More sugar in the rub + less fat on the butt and I think you will find what you are looking for. 

SSQUAL612

Hi...I'm a NOOB to the BGE, but I did a cook over Memorial Day Weekend with the FB 300 at 225 and pulled my shoulders at 201 then FTC.  Used a couple of lumps of Cherry with a few chips.  I used John Henry's Pecan Rub and seasoned over night in Fridge.  Here's a couple of pics of the whole shoulders...didn't take one after I pulled...NOOB mistake. 

  

DaveRichardson

This is just my opinion..... I always do butts fat side down.  My reasoning is that if anything is going to stick to the grates, I'd rather the fat be sacrificed than any meaty goodness.  This way your non-fatty side is exposed to the radiant heat that is being circulated by the fan inside this moisture-rich environment.

EasyBeinGreen

Nice job @SSQUAL612!  Damn I didn't even know there was a FB300 model.  I guess it lets you probe multiple meats now? Are there any other upgrades to speak of?

SSQUAL612

@EasyBeinGreen Correct on the multiple meat probes...you have to daisy chain y cables, but it's nice if doing a brisket and some shoulders.   Word is they will have the IPhone App soon then Android, but the Web Interface works fine for me.   I like the FB's  variable speed fan is why I chose this over Digi Q.

Eggdicted_Dawgfan

DaveRichardson said:

This is just my opinion..... I always do butts fat side down.  My reasoning is that if anything is going to stick to the grates, I'd rather the fat be sacrificed than any meaty goodness.  This way your non-fatty side is exposed to the radiant heat that is being circulated by the fan inside this moisture-rich environment.

This is the first thing I would change. I had same issue and this fixed it.