Curious.... DO or Foil for Pulled Pork?

RedSkip · January 2017

There has been a lot of discussion around pulled pork recently, and one forum member posted about using a DO instead of wrapping in foil to push it through the stall.

I can see some benefits to this:
1. No foil issues i.e. "breaking through the paper".
2. Pull the pork in the DO.
3. Foil can be a pain in the wind (I'm reaching).

Cons:
1. Time required to heat up the cast DO.
2. Expense of the DO, if one does not already have.
3. Cleaning the DO.

Will a DO seal as well as foil? IDK, perhaps I'm missing more to this equation...

Thoughts?

fishlessman · January 2017

if i was concerned about color and too much bark i would foil or dutch oven, but would never be concerned about pushing thru the stall. letting it ride gives me the texture i want and the bark im looking for. is it end product or just a faster cook your looking for

RedSkip · January 2017

@fishlessman
Both, but my personal preference is texture of the meat. If it pulls well and has good texture, I'd be willing to forgo an excellant bark or even a rapid cook.

Hans61 · January 2017

After 3hrs of smoke I put it in a disposable aluminum pan and cover with foil.

pab · January 2017

I have never foiled or used a Dutch oven. I just pull it when it is done. I put it on long before I eat it and FTC for several hours, so time isn't a problem for me.

stlcharcoal · January 2017

Hans61 said:

After 3hrs of smoke I put it in a disposable aluminum pan and cover with foil.

If you have to go that route, that's what I would suggest. Easy clean up, cheap, and you can fit two side-by-side on a LBGE. But if you have it all sealed up, I guess you can just throw it in the oven instead.

RedSkip · January 2017

Hans61 said:

After 3hrs of smoke I put it in a disposable aluminum pan and cover with foil.

I do the same, but foil breaks/tears. I can't count the number of times I've spilled juice or burned my hands - ha. Plus the expense of the foil, I know trivial.

Perhaps the PP won't fit in the Dutch Oven, idk. My curosity is getting the best of me, I'm willing to try it once then toss the idea if it doesn't work.

dgaddis1 · January 2017

I leave mine naked the whole time and it works great. Why speed up the cook anyways, wheres the fun in that?

RedSkip · January 2017

dgaddis1 said:

I leave mine naked the whole time and it works great. Why speed up the cook anyways, wheres the fun in that?

To be honest, I wrap due to texture. I have done naked butts, pun intended, and find them to be a more stringy texture. Just personal preference, not related to time.

fishlessman · January 2017

RedSkip said:

dgaddis1 said:

I leave mine naked the whole time and it works great. Why speed up the cook anyways, wheres the fun in that?

To be honest, I wrap due to texture. I have done naked butts, pun intended, and find them to be a more stringy texture. Just personal preference, not related to time.

theres your answer. to me a wrapped butt is still fatty, unrendered, its what YOUR LOOKING FOR. i dont shred butts either, i like big pieces i can pick up with my hand and drag thru sauce and have that semi crunchy end piece to hold onto

SmokeyPitt · January 2017

I think a dutch oven would seal and work just as good as foil. Maybe even better. The only thing is depending on the size of your dutch oven it may constrict the butt more and the pork might be more wet all over. For example I have seen carnitas recipe using a dutch oven. They look excellent, but by the time it is finished the pork is swimming in liquid. There are other things added in that recipe but the pork is still going to release a good bit of moisture. If the dutch oven is larger than the pork butt I don't think this would be an issue.

Carolina Q · January 2017

I put meat on the grid and let it go until done to my liking. Lately, cooking at 300-320° so it's done faster. Never wrap or DO. No rest at the end either. When it's done, I eat. Sometimes, I eat before it's all done.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/kb/q1nes177d7gl.jpg

SciAggie · January 2017

What about an enamel roaster?
https://www.amazon.com/Granite-Ware-6106-2-13-Inch-Covered/dp/B000QRAMMS/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1484062584&sr=8-4&keywords=enamel+roaster

Eoin · January 2017

Just did my first pulled pork on the Egg and foil wrapped when into the stall, at least in part because I hadn't left enough time. The family consensus was that I should leave longer and let it ride next time to get the bark done better.

xfire_ATX · January 2017

I use the DO method-
After 3 hrs or so its gotten enough smoke and I have burned/melted off all the fat I wanted to.
I then move to DO so that I can either go to Oven inside (if cooking other things) or just keep cooking on egg.
I like what the DO produces in excess moisture as I use that when pulling the pork.
Last time I did this when turned it into Stew with all the juices adding more flavor

There is a size limit ~8# to fit in my DO so I have to be careful when purchasing.
I guess I started this method from before I had the egg we used the DO to do pulled pork in the oven.
I would have never thought to use foil, I dont mind the DO cleanup.

JohnnyTarheel · January 2017

To me foil is only for carryover if you need to hold to a specific time to eat. Bark is compromised totally if you wrap. Hands down bark is king for my family.

HeavyG · January 2017

What I've been doing the last few butts is to put them in a stainless steel bowl and cover that with foil and poke a couple holes in that.

I started doing that for a couple reasons:

- I don't like a really hard bark and tenting in the foil seems to soften it up a bit

- I want to capture some of the rendered fat but mainly the jelly. I do place a drip pan under the butt from the start but most of the fat and jelly in that boils off or burns a bit so the butt in the pan prevents that

I thought about the dutch oven route but I can't just wipe out and toss the DO in the dishwasher like I can with the stainless steel bowl.

StillH2OEgger · January 2017

I will be taking a pork butt on the road for a party in a few weeks. For those who FTC, do you let it rest 20-30 minutes before wrapping or can it go straight into the foil?

dgaddis1 · January 2017

StillH2OEgger said:

I will be taking a pork butt on the road for a party in a few weeks. For those who FTC, do you let it rest 20-30 minutes before wrapping or can it go straight into the foil?

I cook mine to 195*F internal temp, and as soon as it hits 195*F I remove from Egg and go straight to FTC.

GATraveller · January 2017

StillH2OEgger said:

I will be taking a pork butt on the road for a party in a few weeks. For those who FTC, do you let it rest 20-30 minutes before wrapping or can it go straight into the foil?

I pull from the egg at 190-195 IT (depending on how it probes) then FTC immediately. Never have waited and never disappointed.

Hans61 · January 2017

RedSkip said:

Hans61 said:

After 3hrs of smoke I put it in a disposable aluminum pan and cover with foil.

I do the same, but foil breaks/tears. I can't count the number of times I've spilled juice or burned my hands - ha. Plus the expense of the foil, I know trivial.

Perhaps the PP won't fit in the Dutch Oven, idk. My curosity is getting the best of me, I'm willing to try it once then toss the idea if it doesn't work.

I think it would work just fine! Let us know how it goes

StillH2OEgger · January 2017

dgaddis1 GATraveller

Thanks guys. I know the window is a wide one with pork. I Just want to clarify, do they probe like buttah when you pull them off or do you pull them off just a little earlier than you would if you were going to eat right away and the carry-over cooking in the FTC finishes them off?

GQuiz · January 2017

I put one layer of foil on at 160. When it hits 200, 2 more layers of foil, a towel, and into the Yeti it goes. Works wonderfully every time.

GATraveller · January 2017

StillH2OEgger said:

dgaddis1 GATraveller

Thanks guys. I know the window is a wide one with pork. I Just want to clarify, do they probe like buttah when you pull them off or do you pull them off just a little earlier than you would if you were going to eat right away and the carry-over cooking in the FTC finishes them off?

I wait till there is no resistance when probing (sounds dirty - I know) THEN pull off the egg for FTC. Figure I get a bit of carry over once in the cooler but no moisture loss.

dgaddis1 · January 2017

To be honest I've never probed a pork butt (I know I know....). I've had my Egg for a year, cooked about ~10 butts, they've all been great, bone pulls right out. Now I did discover that boneless butts dry out, so I only do bone-in now.

smokeyw · January 2017

I'm in the foil club. I have been foiling for years. I foil when the color is like I want it, usually about 160-165. I do add some things at that point to create another layer of flavor. I cooked one recently and did not foil it. My family did not care for it stating that the texture and flavor was not like it should be. I know some like the crunchy bark but I think you sacrifice some other things to achieve that. I like bark OK unless it gets tough and chewy as I have seen sometimes. I will stick to foiling.

bigbadben · January 2017

A DO would absolutely work. I fact, I have done it. It depends on what I am planning on doing. Foil is nice if I am cooking @ 300 F. I fouled butt can go right into the cooler and sit until it is time to pull.

I have taken a butt, smoked it to 170 F IT. Added the butt to beer and homemade salsa in a DO and let that cook down until dinner. Then I pulled/mixed the contents for an amazing taco dinner. The DO adds thermal mass and can keep your food cooking after the heat it out.

Grilltastic · January 2017

what do you add sometimes when you foil to add extra flavor. I would like to do that next time

OhioEgger · January 2017

StillH2OEgger said:

I will be taking a pork butt on the road for a party in a few weeks.

You two must really be good friends.

YukonRon · January 2017

I just set it and forget it until the bone can be pulled free.

StillH2OEgger · January 2017

OhioEgger said:

StillH2OEgger said:

I will be taking a pork butt on the road for a party in a few weeks.

You two must really be good friends.

I guess in a forum with several hundred members there always has to be one poster who takes a turn off the high road. To be honest, it reflects poorly on the virtuous who respectfully participate here.

Curious.... DO or Foil for Pulled Pork?

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XL BGE; Schertz TX by way of Stow OH. #egghead4life

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