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FIRST PORK BUTT

Unknown
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
After reading all I could find on the subject I went out and bought a 10lb Butt and will attempt this for Christmas Eve dinner. My wife insisted on cole slaw to accompany this feast. Any slaw recipes out there? Also, any advise on the pork butt would be greatly apreciated.[p]Rob

Comments

  • Pete,
    Excellent choice for Christmas Eve Dinner. Plan on 20 hours to smoke the butt indirect at 220 grid (250 dome). Give it a good rub w/any dry rub you choose - Butt is very forgiving, you will look like a genius serving this

  • Stuart
    Stuart Posts: 110
    Pete,[p]You will really come to appreciate the BGE after your first Butt cook. With a clean egg, filled with the proper amount of fresh lump, that baby will chug along all night with the thermometer pegged at the temp you want. I just woke up to find the temp on my 10lb Christmas Eve Butt just where I left it before going to bed.[p]Having said that, based on past experience my recommendations would be:[p]Use a quality probe thermometer, dual probe is great especially one with remote display. One probe deep in the pork (don't touch the bone!) and the
    other replacing your dial thermometer to read dome temp.[p]Don't open the lid if you can help it, a full firebox will last the entire cook. I open it once about half way through the cook to make sure the drip pan has enough liquid to last the rest of the cook.[p]Don't panic if you begin to run out of lump. You'll see the temp drop and your blood pressure rise. No fear, just yank the Butt out, dump in more lump and resume the cook.[p]The internal temp will stall around 135-140 and sit there for a while. Don't panic, let the egg continue its relentless slow cook. The connective tissue will break down and loosen that meat up. The temp will resume its march upward to that 165-170 internal temp.[p]Let the Butt rest a couple of hours after taking it off the egg. Wrap it in foil, then in old towels and place in a cooler. The Butt will stay hot and the juices will be absorbed by the meat.[p]I could go on, but I'll leave that to others. Enjoy!

  • Stuart
    Stuart Posts: 110
    One more thing![p]I've always done my Butt the night before the meal I needed it. I'd calculate the time to cook using the 2 hour per pound rule then start accordingly. The first few cooks were stressful as I worried about messing up the main course. I'd sleep on the nearest couch and be up every couple of hours to check the temperature.[p]As I mentioned above, I did this years Christmas Eve Butt last night. When it finishes this afternoon, I'll pull it and then vaccum pack it for Saturday's meal. Scroll down to an earlier post I did titled "Pulled Pork in Advance" for member suggestions on this.
  • stuart,
    Thanks for the advice I am really looking forward to this. Do you pull yours at 160-170 or wait until the internal temp is 200?[p]Rob

  • Pete,
    Try this. It has a slight bite after a bit, because of the cayenne. Really good![p]BARBECUE SLAW
    1 small head cabbage, cored and finely shredded
    2 carrots, peeled and grated
    1/2 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
    2 tsp cider vinegar
    1/4 cup sugar
    1 tsp cayenne pepper
    1 cup mayonnaise
    2 Tbsp yellow mustard
    Salt and pepper
    Toss cabbage, carrots, and onion with vinegar, sugar and cayenne. Add mayonnaise and mustard. Add a little more mayonnaise, if necessary. Add salt and pepper. Cover and chill.

  • Rib-Rob,
    Thanks! I will give it a try.[p]Rob

  • Stuart
    Stuart Posts: 110
    Pete,[p]I realize there are eggers here who prefer the 200 internal temp. I started out years ago following the advice of a member who recommended an internal temp of 170. The pork has pulled nicely and I have never made anyone sick.[p]Most experts agree that intermal temps above 165 will kill any harmful bacteria. In addition, bacteria cannot penetrate any deeper than just the surface layer of a chunk of meat like a roast, butt or even a thick steak. Loose meat like hamburger is the type of meat that allows rapid baterial growth that can make people sick.[p]Having said that, if you pull a butt off the grill with an iternal temp of 170 and wrap it up in foil/blanket and place in a cooler for a couple of hours, you'll find the temp actually increases above the 170. I've found final max temp to be closer to 180. [p]Going to 200 will not harm your meat. The egg is too good at retaining moisture to allow the meat to dry out. You'll not need to let it rest as long at that final temp. It's just a matter of personal preference or in some cases, time. If the meat is taking too long and the guests are due to arrive you may opt for the lower final temp. The important thing is that the meat be allowed to continue to cook and/or rest at the 170 range to allow the fat to break down. [p]Bottom line, it'll probably take the same amount of time and yield the same results whether you take it off at 170 and rest for a while or let it cook at 200 and take it off and not need to let it rest as long. Lower finish temps allow me to get the meat off the grill sooner and on to worrying about other things.
  • stuart,
    Thanks! I will shoot for the 170 and let it rest, I agree getting done sooner is better.[p]Rob

  • ronbeaux
    ronbeaux Posts: 988
    stuart,
    Quick question; If I'm doing two at a time do I go by the time for the largest? I think I read in here that is the way to calculate the time.

  • Stuart
    Stuart Posts: 110
    ronbeaux,[p] While I've never cooked two at a time, I'd say your assumption is correct. Kind of like boiling an egg, doesn't take any longer to boil two!