Butt’s on - Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

JohnEggGio

9#, first time brining - 18 hours loosely following AB’s recipe.  Rub of coffee grounds, course black pepper, kosher salt, garlic and onion powders, ground chipotle and chili powders, and a teaspoon of habanero death dust.  Cherry and apple smoke.  Doing a water bath because I want to catch the drippings to moisten the meat later.

JohnEggGio

I think i’ll finish with a glaze of apricot preserves thinned with a little apple cider vinegar, with a bit more habanero death dust mixed in.  

northGAcock

JohnEggGio said:

I think i’ll finish with a glaze of apricot preserves thinned with a little apple cider vinegar, with a bit more habanero death dust mixed in.  

All the best on the butt and the weather. Share looks great prepped. 

Woodchunk

Looks great. Snowing here also

SmokingPiney

For some reason, I really enjoy smoking in the snow. I guess it's my way of giving the weather the finger. The prep looks great, @JohnEggGio.

Have an awesome cook. 

It just started snowing here, and I'm putting two meat loafs in the Assassin this afternoon. 

JohnEggGio

@SmokingPiney - I totally agree about grilling/smoking in the snow.  I’m gonna wash it down this evening with a bottle of Beaujolais Nouveau - I like BN well chilled, so I’m gonna lay the bottle in the snow to get it nice and cold.

Enjoy the day!

Hawg Fan

Sounds like a fun day with an anticipated great meal!

lousubcap

As above, that going in shot is great.  
Regarding the water-pan; as you are aware, make sure you maintain some level of liquid during the cook or your temp will definitely rise if allowed to go empty while enjoying some adult supervisory beverages.
Go Navy!

JohnEggGio

lousubcap said:

As above, that going in shot is great.  
Regarding the water-pan; as you are aware, make sure you maintain some level of liquid during the cook or your temp will definitely rise if allowed to go empty while enjoying some adult supervisory beverages.
Go Navy!

Yup, added water about 30 minutes ago - boiled it in a teapot first so as to not pull the temperature down.  I’m with you - go Navy!

SmokingPiney

Don't forget some pics of the finished product. 

td66snrf

It's 83 here in SoCal. Tis the season. 

SmokingPiney

td66snrf said:

It's 83 here in SoCal. Tis the season. 

83 with a chance of Dante's Hell  fiery infernos? 

I hope you're safe. 

SSQUAL612

YES!  That looks like it's going to be AMAZING!   Please post finished pics.

bgebrent

You will enjoy the brined butt more than any other.

JohnEggGio

About mid-cook, the fat cap is pretty well rendered so just after the pic I flipped it.  I figure there’s not much point to glazing that blanket of fat.

GrateEggspectations

@JohnEggGio: So, what time shall I show up?

JohnEggGio

GrateEggspectations said:

@JohnEggGio: So, what time shall I show up?

We eat late, so about 8:30 - but cocktails start at 7!  Well, maybe 6...

JohnEggGio

Well, not sure when dinner will be - after about 10.5 hours on the Egg @ 250-ish, still in the 160s.  Fuel running low, so moved it to the convection oven at 280.  As a very wise man once said, let the meat rule the cook - so, dinner might not be until 10.  I’ll be spending time with my friend Tito till then.

GrateEggspectations

JohnEggGio said:

Well, not sure when dinner will be - after about 10.5 hours on the Egg @ 250-ish, still in the 160s.  Fuel running low, so moved it to the convection oven at 280.  As a very wise man once said, let the meat rule the cook - so, dinner might not be until 10.  I’ll be spending time with my friend Tito till then.

I used to move the meat to the oven whenever fuel was low as well. I've now modified my approach - I tightly foil the meat and let it continue to cook as I add new lump. The acrid smoke doesn't cling to the meat this way, and I can continue cooking on the Egg without interruption. 

JohnEggGio

GrateEggspectations said:

JohnEggGio said:

Well, not sure when dinner will be - after about 10.5 hours on the Egg @ 250-ish, still in the 160s.  Fuel running low, so moved it to the convection oven at 280.  As a very wise man once said, let the meat rule the cook - so, dinner might not be until 10.  I’ll be spending time with my friend Tito till then.

I used to move the meat to the oven whenever fuel was low as well. I've now modified my approach - I tightly foil the meat and let it continue to cook as I add new lump. The acrid smoke doesn't cling to the meat this way, and I can continue cooking on the Egg without interruption. 

I hear ya, but at this point I’m happy to have made my last trip outside - snow and all.

Check out the drippin’s - tell me that’s not worth saving!

JohnEggGio

It got to 10 o’clock and I just couldn’t hold out any longer.  The temp just tickled 190 - I knew it wasn’t fully “there”, but much of it did pull as it should.  Very moist and flavorful - the bark was quite delicious.

Now, being the next morning, I can tell you that the real issue here - when dinner is at 10 rather than 8 - is 4 hours of vodka drinks versus 2.



The diamond plate for the win!  Topped with some Carolina red I’ve had on hand about 5 years.

lousubcap

Great result and diamond plate for the win as you note. Congrats on restraining for as long as you could.  (Thermo calibrated?)
I'm surprised regarding your comment about running low on lump at the 10+ hour mark.  Don't know the size of BGE but you can fill well into the fire ring and should be able to easily run for 24+ hours (LBGE) in the 250-260*F dome temp range.  FWIW-

SSQUAL612

Good lookin Grub!!!  I’ve been wanting to try a brined Pork butt & your post has inspired me.  Thanks for sharing.  

JohnEggGio

@lousubcap - I’m running a large.  I thought I filled it, but perhaps not.  There wasn’t a lot of charcoal left, and the temperature was slowly slipping in spite of my attempts to boost temp.

A good cleaning might be in order, and as you suggest, a thermo calibration.

Carolina Q

FINE lookin' plate there! Makes me want some Q tonight, but it's 2:30PM, a little too late to start now.

I've gone 18 hrs at 250° with my large and Wicked Good lump. Not even close to filled up - or to running out. You can fill to the top of the fire ring if you like, though I never have.

You might consider cooking butts at about 320° dome. I start an 8 pound butt at about 9-10AM and it's done (200°+) by 5-6PM. I can't tell the difference in taste or texture.

JohnEggGio

Well, looks like I have no choice but to try again - soon!