first time with pulled pork ~ looking for some advice please

[Smokin Barbie]

Hi all! 

We recently purchased our digital 6 rack and have done a fair bit of smoking with it, however I have yet to attempt pulled pork.  I have 12 pork butts to smoke.  I guess I just need some advice on wether or not to rub them the night before I smoke or maybe an hour or so before. And if so would anyone have a simple recipe I can use?  This meat is for a golf tournamet ~ feeding 120 people over two days.   I am thinking four butts at a time in the smoker is plenty.  Advice?
Thanks  ???

[devo]

There are lots of experts on pulled pork in the forums but i'm afraid i'm not one of them. The one thing I can tell you is doing 4 butts will take a long time so be prepared for a long cook

[wyoduke]

First welcome
with 4 butts at a time it should take somewhere in the 20 to 24 hours range to get to the 190 to 200 degree range
have fun i love over nighters ;D

[ghost9mm]

First Welcome... I have a 8 # ready to go tomorrow morning...I have slathered it with YM and some Jan's rub along with some other ingredients, smoke 4 hours and get IT 195 to 205  est time 12 hrs plus until I see the IT that I want.. if your doing four butts at a time...I would think anything above 18 plus hours...good luck

[Smokeville]

Hi all! 

We recently purchased our digital 6 rack and have done a fair bit of smoking with it, however I have yet to attempt pulled pork.  I have 12 pork butts to smoke.  I guess I just need some advice on wether or not to rub them the night before I smoke or maybe an hour or so before. And if so would anyone have a simple recipe I can use?  This meat is for a golf tournamet ~ feeding 120 people over two days.   I am thinking four butts at a time in the smoker is plenty.  Advice?
Thanks  ???

One important question: how big are those butts?????

Secondary answer: rub them the night before.

[Smokin Barbie]

Thanks for all the replies :) They are all between the 7 and 8lb mark.  I just put the first 4 in the smoker with some light seasoning.  I set the smoke for 4hrs and will check the butts throughout the night....sick little girl on my hands means a long night checking on her so I may as well smoke some butts too! wish me luck :)

[Ka Honu]

There's no rule that says you can't apply the smoke in the Bradley and then continue the cook in a 225^o oven until you reach the desired IT.  If you're doing several loads, it's a lot easier since you can start the second batch as soon as the first one comes off smoke.  It's an option to consider - it's the way I'd go if I had to do that many butts "at once" (and you can always leave the last load to finish in the Bradley if you run out of oven space).

[Habanero Smoker]

There are some recipes on the recipe site that may be helpful. For that many butts, Ka Honu's information works the best. So if you have the oven space that would be the quickest and less stressful way.

Also you may want to try a lower IT such as around 185°F. That IT should give you pullable pork with a little more texture. To ensure that it is pullable, take a fork and insert it into the pork. Give the fork a twist, if it twist easily it's ready. The lower IT will also save you a lot of time.

Pork Recipes

[Smokin Barbie]

Well so far the butts look good, I am going to take the advice and smoke them and finish in my kitchen oven.  I thought about that this morning.  Thanks for the advice :)