First Pulled Pork-Advice?

wolfetone

Got a 5 lb Boston Butt bone in.

can you overdo it? I’m reading some posts that say 5 hours, then wrap and another 3 hours, another saying 6 and 6 for a total 12....

just with table delivery time I want it done for maybe 2-3 pm but don’t fancy getting up at 2am
or 5am....so what do you guys do? Can leaving it in a cooler wrapped overdo it if you leave it for hours resting?

let me know what you guys do so it doesn’t interfere with your life 

GrateEggspectations

Yes, you can overdo it. You need to cook by temp and not time. The cook is over when you hit an internal temperature of 200 or so. Once cooked, use the FTC method (Foil, Towel, Cooler) to hold the meat up to 6 hours of so (debatable) until you are ready to pull it apart and serve. 

WeberWho

I wouldn't wrap it during the cook and take it off when it probes like butter. 

Always go by temp and not time. Time is just an estimate.

You can always wrap it when it comes off and carry it to the time you're serving it. 

wolfetone

So does cook for about 5 hours (for a 5lb) sound right, take to 165F internal, then double wrap in foil and take to 200F internal, (probably about another 3 hours) then rest 30
mins sound about right?

can the rest part be done by just leaving it in foil and toweling it and putting it a cooler for a few hours until served ....would that bit be ok? Or is there such a thing of ‘overdoing it’ once it’s off the heat and just sitting in foil/towel In a cooler for a few hours until ready to serve?

im just trying to figure out if I want to serve it for 3pm what are my options 

Kent8621

i always do the Turbo style that is where you are seeing the 5 hour stuff.  

i typically inject mine, apple juice, cider vinegar, salt and honey.  

set up your egg for indirect, to 350, put the butt on, when it hits 160 internal, wrap it in foil and finish it to 195-205.  wrap it up in a towel in a cooler for at least 30 minutes but you can leave it for a few hours if you need to plan timing for the meal.  it should fall apart and be tasty.  

WeberWho

No need to foil during the cook. Just let it ride. 

You can start it early and foil it after the cook and hold the temp 2-3 hours no problem. Every pork butt is different for time. Better extra time than short on time. The stall is different on everyone of them. 

If you foil and wrap in the towel make sure you let it rest on the counter first for a little while or your pork is going to keep cooking in the foil.

wolfetone

So if I need to serve for 3pm say....what is the schedule?

ColtsFan

Put it on at 8 A.M. turbo method at 350*. Once the bone pulls free it's done. FTC if it's done more than 2 hours before you want to serve

wolfetone

Here’s what I’m thinking after all the input and videos watched

apply mustard and rub, and cling wrap overnight (12h). Soak cherry/hickory chunks.

8am, place on the egg which is at 300-320F until internal temp is165F, this May take about 3 hours?? Smoke with cherry/hickory, and place over water/apple juice or cider drip pan 

At 165f internal, remove, wrap in double foil, and leave on again until 200f internal, this may take about 2 hours

At 200f internal, remove from egg, wrap foiled butt with a towel and leave in a cooler until ready to serve, but at least for an hour or two

does this sound reasonable?
what about injecting it....when and with what?

Eoin

5 hours is unlikely to get done if running low at, say, 275F. Even at that weight I find 10 - 12 hours is more realistic, allowing for a temperature bump at the end to speed up the finish. Do you have a thermapen or similar to check the IT? It usually probles like butter at >200 F, I always run on how it probes and not on temperature. When you've done one and used the probe method, you will understand how it works, as the meat becomes soft with almost no resistance to the probe. Then it's ready to pull, or rest and pull later.

buzd504

You don't have to FTC a butt like you do a brisket.  It won't hurt it, but it doesn't need the same rest time as beef.  You can pull it as soon as you take it off.

If you are going to drop it in the cooler for a while, let it cool for a bit before you do - if the butt is at 200, it will keep cooking in the cooler.

wolfetone

See above, I was going to increase Egg temp to 300-320F for a 5 hour total cook time approx

i have a meat pen probe and I also have a flame boss to control the temp and give me some monitoring 

lousubcap

I'm guessing this is the brisket audible.  The best advice is above- the feel not temp.  Generally there at around 200-205*F.  The best indicator is when the bone pulls clean.  Just to add to the stress here- I've had them finish in anywhere from 9-14 hrs at 250-270*F on the dome (5-8lbs)  Thus the FTC to reduce the sweat of trying to force it across the finish-line.  FWIW-

wolfetone

lousubcap said:

I'm guessing this is the brisket audible.  The best advice is above- the feel not temp.  Generally there at around 200-205*F.  The best indicator is when the bone pulls clean.  Just to add to the stress here- I've had them finish in anywhere from 9-14 hrs at 250-270*F on the dome (5-8lbs)  Thus the FTC to reduce the sweat of trying to force it across the finish-line.  FWIW-

Are you removing and placing in foil at any time or just dumping it in there Low and slow at 250-275f until 200-205f internal?

all I can think is either people eat really late or just get up in the middle of the night lol 

lousubcap

I don't use foil and my target finish time is inside the FTC window for which I plan  up to six hours.  And as above, you can power thru the stall with foil or cranking up the temp.  Give turbo butts a search here-my use that method and have great results.  

dmourati

Best plan is to get up as early as you can the day you want to serve the pork. Lit the fire, get it to around 275F, and some smoke wood. Wait about an hour then put on the rubbed pork butt. Come back and check after one hour per pound. You want an internal temp north of 200F. Should probe like buttah.

lentsboy007

Yes no need to foil during cook  .  Completely unnecessary.  Set egg to 325 or 350 max and pull butt out at 195 or so , wrap in foil , towel, and throw in cooler for an hour or so and then pull it .  

builderdawg

wolfetone said:

So does cook for about 5 hours (for a 5lb) sound right, take to 165F internal, then double wrap in foil and take to 200F internal, (probably about another 3 hours) then rest 30
mins sound about right?

can the rest part be done by just leaving it in foil and toweling it and putting it a cooler for a few hours until served ....would that bit be ok? Or is there such a thing of ‘overdoing it’ once it’s off the heat and just sitting in foil/towel In a cooler for a few hours until ready to serve?

im just trying to figure out if I want to serve it for 3pm what are my options 

Butts are pretty forgiving but you can definitely over cook them. I don’t recommend turbo for first time. As others have said, no need to foil. I would cook at 250, a 5 lb butt will likely take around 8 hours, but check internal temp periodically. Pull anywhere between 200 and 210. 

wolfetone

cclarke142

Looks great for any time let alone your first. 

kl8ton

Winner! 

wardo

Looks like it turned out.  What do you think?  Now you need to make a pulled pork pizza with thr leftovers!

littlerascal56

Dude....you nailed it.  A+++ cook!

wolfetone

Lol thanks lads!

well when the missus is saying it’s really good about BBQ anything, then it must be tasty
had a good sandwich with it and making fajitas today

thanks for all the help guys

Mark_B_Good

wolfetone said:

Lol thanks lads!

well when the missus is saying it’s really good about BBQ anything, then it must be tasty
had a good sandwich with it and making fajitas today

thanks for all the help guys

So what did you end up doing, temps, time, wrapped, unwrapped, cooling, etc??

JohnnyTarheel

Looks great!!