First Time Cooking on Egg

Tanya

I just got a medium BGE last Wednesday and will be cooking on it for the first time today. I've been reading on the forum since Wednesday and decided to get a Boston Butt. My grocer only had boneless, 4 1/2 lbs. What's the best recipe, temp and time. Also, I don't have an electric starter yet but my egg came with the BGE firestarter slabs, about 8X4". Do I use a whole one or break it in pieces? Any help or suggestions would be appreciated. Also, I've never had Boston Butt. Is it basically like a roast, just slice?

Ohio Boy in DC

Tanya,
Welcome...check out www.nakedwhiz.com for recipe's and a good primer on the butt...everyone was very helpful the first time I did mine.[p]For a 4.5 lb butt allow probably 8-12 hours, but you really want to go by internal temperature. nakedwhiz has some great tips[p]Actually use two forks to pull it apart when you're done.[p]People like them different ways, I usually put mine on a bun with coleslaw and a doctored sauce I make with 1 part BBQ Sauce (I like Sweet baby ray's), 1 part spicy mustard, 1 part cider vinegar, and red peper flakes to taste.

Sundown

Tanya,
I'm e-mailing you the definative butt story. From Elder Ward. If you can't open it let me know and I'll send it RTF.

Tanya

Sundown, I couldn't open that site.

Tanya

I didn't realize this cut of meat would take so long. Should I throw it in the freezer and start with some other cut of meat? I am so excited about this. I had a small egg years ago but it was the clay one and had no daisy wheel and was harder to control the temp. It was broken when I moved and I have wanted one ever since but alas couldn't afford. This one was a birthday gift from my husband and he has never cooked on an egg. I want the first cook to impress him.

drbbq

Tanya,[p]A boneless 4 1/2 lb butt from a grocer is probaby trimmed up pretty good and not a good choice for pulled pork anyway. Is it rolled and tied or netted? If it is I would cook it until it's 175 internal temp. Then wrap it in foil and let it rest for a half hour. Slice and serve. It will still take a few hours at 300 or so. It's not what we usually refer to when talking about cooking butts but it'll be very good.
[/b]

Tanya

drbbq, The butt I got looks more like a beef roast, not a lot of fat, just a big chunk of meat not rolled. I got that because everyone was talking about their butts. I have never even heard of pulled pork til now. Looks like I will need a lot of help from this group! Thanks!

drbbq

Tanya,[p]I'm not sure what you have. What does it say on the package?
[/b]

Tanya

drbbq, Pork Butt Roast Boneless. I asked the butcher and he said it was the same as a Boston Butt.

drbbq

Tanya,
Is there a big fat cap on top (or bottom if he is hiding it).[/b]

Tanya

drbbq, Yes, on the bottom.

drbbq

Tanya,
Well then maybe you do have a piece that will be good for pulled pork. The bad news is unless you're in Hawaii it's pretty late to cook it for today. Look around for the spatchcocked chicken recipe for today and cook that butt for a long stretch next weekend.
[/b]

Tanya

drbbq, Thanks. I think I'll run to the store and get something else. My husband's not crazy about chicken and really wanted to try beef or pork. Oh well! Just want him to see what the egg can do and don't want to mess up first time around.

Wise One

drbbq, good advice on that piece of butt she got. I have found that many of the grocery stores try to "fancy up" a butt by removing the bone and much of the fat cap. Then they sell it for $2.00 a pound (I try never to pay more than $.99/pound for the butts I buy) It will still do ok for pulled pork but I like your suggestion much better.

Sundown

Tanya,[p]Just sent it in the body of an e-mail. good luck.[p]

Shelby

Tanya,
Hey and welcome!
You've picked the right place to learn how to cook on the egg. Lots of very good experience here.
Since it looks like you're going to opt out of cooking the butt today, try either a pork tenderloin or a couple of real nice steaks.
Oh, in case nobody has mentioned it yet, pay little, if any, attention to the instruction manual. The forum is much, much better.

Tanya

Thanks to all! My husband ran to the store, got a couple of good steaks. We followed the manual for this. Seared 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Then closed the bottom and top vents and left for another 5 minutes and then took them off. Delicious! My husband was sooooo impressed at how fast the start-up was and how quickly they were done. We spent (maybe) 45 minutes from fire-up to eating. He could not believe how juicy they were. Since we were just experimenting we had no side dish, just mouth-watering steaks! Then we added some more lump and brought to 325 degrees and put that butt on and it's staying right at 325 degrees. We are so excited! We'll leave it on til about 8:00 tonight (8 hours as some suggested for 4 1/2 lbs) and just see how it goes. I want to cook a turkey for Thanksgiving and wanted to play with it a little before then. Wish us luck and thanks to all who answered!

bbqbeth

Tanya,
Butt, sliceable pork is good too... Boston Butts do that very well. ice white, juicy meat.....I actually prefer them. Butt, then again, i'm no expert here........
Enjoy your new egg!

Wise One

Tanya, if you're cooking away at 325 it won't take 8 hours. For that cut I would suggest doing like drbbq suggested and bring it off at about 175 to 180 and slicing it. At 325 it may only take a couple of hours to get it to 175.

Tanya

Wise One, Yikes! I guess I'm about to blow it! I've read so many things I'm not sure what I'm doing. But I guess I won't leave it there for 8 HOURS! Should I lower the temp and cook for a little longer than 2 hours or have I already blown it?

drbbq

Tanya,[p]You need to do a long low cook or a short hot cook. Not a long hot cook. Confused? [p]What you really need is a thermometer to check the internal temp of the meat. 175 meat temp cooked at 325 will be good for slicing but may still be kind of fatty 195 meat temp cooked at 250 will be falling apart tender with most of the fat rendered.

Shelby

Tanya,
One other suggestion...be sure to get a good "Polder" type thermometer so you can monitor the temp of the meat cooking with the dome closed.

Tanya

drbbq,I'm sure glad yall got on here and said something (and glad I keep checking to see if there are any more comments)! We just checked the internal temp (first time after 2 hours) and it's at 140 degrees and looks likes it's really cooking. I'll check it again in another hour. What do people with new eggs do if they don't get on this site? Burn it up I guess! :-{

drbbq

Tanya,[p]Trial and error I guess. You'll be amazed what you will learn around here. Get ready to do some cooking.
[/b]

Shelby

drbbq,
And eating too!
Best thing about just less than perfect meals...having to cook again to make sure you've got it right!