a few basic butt questions

Jazzman

OK - I did search the forum first, but so many topics come up that don't address my questions, I thought I'd start a new thread. Been egging for a while, but tonight I will try my first overnight. I have an 8 pound Boston Butt. I have rubbed it already, and it is in the fridge awaiting attention later this evening. My questions:

1) water (or other liquid) in the drip pan or not? I have read both - is there a general concensus?

2)Is the "rest" period in the cooler necessary, or just for convenience? In other words, is it advisable to pull the pork right out of the egg, or does it need to rest for a few hours? Is 1-2 hours enough, or should I aim for 3-4?

3) I know times can vary, but assuming I keep the grate temp at 225, I should expect a 12-16 hour cook for an 8 pounder, right?

4) Also new to the Maverick. Should I put the probe in the egg lid and aim for 250, or put it on the grate and aim for 225? It fits nice and snug in the hole for the egg thermometer - is that a bad idea? Or should I use the clip that comes with the Maverick and clip it onto the grate? Does it matter?

5) Last one (I swear!) for this big of a cook, do you stop at the top of the firebox with your lump, or go well into the fire ring?

Thanks in advance - the wisdom on this forum is the #1 reason to buy an egg over any other ceramic cooker!!

Fidel

1. No liquid needed.

2. Rest will make for a much better product. As proteins in the meat cool they relax and absorb some of the free liquids in the meat.

3. Time is correct, give or take. They are all different.

4. Clip the maverick to the stem of the dome thermo and shoot for a 250* reading.

5. Fill into the fire ring. There will be some left over. Use it for the next cook.

c tredwell

Hey jazz-
Just pulled my pork from yesterdays cook. I'm no expert by any means but here my thoughts...

Liquid in the drip pan--I've done apple juice, water, beer, wine, cider vinegar/water... no real difference here, just keeps the fat from burning in the drip pan.
Resting-- cool down before picking, and releases more fat.
Temp-- Kept mine at 235-250 last night and it took 15 hrs
Maverick-- no idea, I just monitor my dome temp
Lump-- to top of fire ring. Start with largest lump on bottom, some smoking chunks, then medium lump, small lump on top with more smoking chunks and chips.
Just my 2 cents, hope it helps!



ctredwell
go dawgs

Keving

I haven't done a whole lot of butts on the egg, but have done a ton on other grills. They 5 or 6 I have done on the egg have done great too though.

1) One of the advantages of the design of the egg is that it helps hold moisture in. A pork butt is a naturally moist cut of meat because of all of the fat on it, and you won't have any trouble with drying it out. That being said, putting some water in the pan won't hurt it at all. I will often put apple juice or something in a bottle and spray on it every hour or so, but don't on the egg. No reason, just haven't felt that I needed to.

2) I don't think you have to have a rest period on buts. If you have a good pair of gloves, and can handle the heat. Go for it. I usually do put them in a cooler for a while though for a few reasons. On overnight cooks, the butt always seems to want to be done very early in the morning. I just pull them off, wrap them in foil (I never wrap while cooking), put them in the cooler, and take my lazy butt back to bed. Also, butts never seem to cook the same. I like to leave extra time before I need them incase they don't want to get done in time. They seem to stay warm in the cooler better if they are still together instead of pulling them first. There also seems to be a little more flavor in them if they rest for a little while. Don't really know why, or exactly how long is best.

3) I usually cook butts at around 250 at an 1 to 1.5 hours/ pound, so I think you guessing 1.5 to 2 hours / pound at 225 is very realistic.

4) I just hang the cord to my Maverick on the clip that is inside the egg. I just let it hang down a little from there. I have had it resting on the meat before, and it causes it to read cool, so watch out for that. I would leave the original thermometer in there, so you have something to compare.

5) I fill mine up on into the fire ring. I am new to the egg, and just figure fill it up since you can close it off at the end of the cook and save what's left. It has worked out well for me so far.

tjv

1. no water needed
2. 1 hour in cooler is good to let butt settle
3. 12 -16 is good, but not all butt cooks are created equal....some are turtles, some are rabbits
4. probe on the grid, that's where you are cooking
5. fill lump half way into the fire ring and this is a indirect cook. platesetter or something similar.

butts are very forgiving, can even speed up the cook by foiling and jumping the temp if the cook is running long. One way to tell the butt is done - if you can pull the bone out easily. fatty side down.

after pulling, sprinkle a bit of the rub into the pork, adds flavor. t

Florida Grillin Girl

Hey Jazzman, betcha anything it will turn out great and you'll be doing alot more than 1 next time!! I don't follow any of the above rules, and mine still comes out great - that's the egg for ya!

Here's the 28lbs I did last time. I saved the juices and defatted them and poured back over the pulled pork. 13 hours at 225 degrees.





Good luck and let us know how it turns out.

Faith
Tampa, FL