Cooking frozen pork butt

HofstraJet · September 2017

I have a butt in the freezer that I want to make ahead of Irma arriving. Any suggestions on cooking from frozen? PS - FWIW, this is my first butt ever. Thanks.

ColtsFan · September 2017

I've done partially frozen at 300-325 before. Added a couple hours to the cook. You could always wrap it to help it along. How big of a butt is it?

SmokeyPitt · September 2017

I have heard people just put it straight out of the freezer on the egg, and once the surface has thawed remove remove it and apply the rub. If you move quickly you could just shake on the rub right on the egg.

Another option is a quick cold water thaw. If it is in cryovac you can drop it in the sink or other vessel large enough to submerge it for 20-30 minutes until the surface is defrosted and the rub will stick.

UncleBilly · September 2017

You can thaw that butt in a large pot of cold water - same way you can do a turkey. 30 minutes per pound, change the water every 30 minutes. 8 lb butt would take about 4 hours. You can make that 4 hours up by cooking it turbo.
https://www.leaf.tv/articles/how-to-thaw-a-large-pork-butt/

kl8ton · September 2017

You should be fine. You would just need to let it cook a while before applying rub.

bgebrent · September 2017

What @SmokeyPitt said.

HofstraJet · September 2017

Good idea on the partial defrost. Thanks.

HofstraJet · September 2017

It's an 8# Boston Butt.

In the cold water bath now.

HofstraJet · September 2017

So I left it in the water bath for a few hours, rubbed with Gulden's mustard (no yellow on hand) and Meat Church Honey Hog.

Went on the egg at 9:30 last night fat side down on a CI grid on the PS Woo with a Lloyd Pans pizza pan for a drip tray. Used hickory and cherry chunks. Cheated and used my FlameBoss to maintain temps.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/8j/dkfayku1xxld.jpg

15 hours later, it looks like it's done - 198 IT and probing like buttah. Leaving it on until 203 for good measure. Will FTC for a few hours as recommended before pulling.

This will be for eating once Irma hits so I will FoodSaver once sauced and boil in bag as recommended when ready to eat (I believe I can boil water on the egg - will let you know if it works).

Here's the most interesting thing (to me, anyway): look at the graph below and note that when the meat was about to come out of the stall at 10:00 AM, the temp dropped in the egg. Coincidence? I'm guessing not. I also wonder why the overnight temp spiked a few times. I didn't open the egg until 12:30.

YEMTrey · September 2017

Nice cook. Stay safe!!

Thatgrimguy · September 2017

I've done a number of frozen solid butts. I slather with mustard then rub (basically the only time I do this) Past that I add about an hour to my expected cook time and I expect yummy pork!! I will say it's better to low and slow this butt than try and turbo. I got a deep ring of tough meat when I did that.

Cooking frozen pork butt

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