First Pork Butt Smoke

[pdubbu]

Hello everyone,

Just looking for some help choosing what recipe to try for my first pork butt smoke.

I have the smoke and spice book and there are a few recipes in there and I can't decide, so I figured I'd ask and get some input.

The first I am thinking about is The Renowned Mr Brown, Red-Eye Butt, or Citrus-Marinated Pork Butt??

If there are any other recommendations besides these three....I am open to any and all suggestions!

Thanks!!

[classicrockgriller]

Have heard good things about Mr Brown.

The others never seen them mentioned.

A commerical brand that is good is Bad Byron's Butt Rub.

Also the Salt Lick and Head Country.

[FLBentRider]

I have done many butts in the Renowned Mr Brown.

Good stuff. A little peppery than most, but good stuff.

[squirtthecat]

I've had good feedback from using a Salt Lick rub clone:

1-1-1/3-1/3  salt/pepper/cayenne/garlic powder.
(1/3 part garlic powder is roughly the same as 2/3rds part granulated garlic)

[DTAggie]

Can't go wrong with Mr. Brown

[Habanero Smoker]

It depends on which flavors you are looking for. I have done both types, and both are good. Mr. Brown gives you that Memphis style flavor, while the Citrus-Marinated Pork Butt give you more of a Cuban style. The Mr. Brown is generally my standard rub for butts.

[pdubbu]

Well I went with Mr. Brown, thanks for the input everyone.

I'll post some pics of the process as I go along.

[Smokeville]

I've had good feedback from using a Salt Lick rub clone:

1-1-1/3-1/3  salt/pepper/cayenne/garlic powder.
(1/3 part garlic powder is roughly the same as 2/3rds part granulated garlic)

This one is a winner.

[pdubbu]

Here are the pic's of my first Pork Butt using Mr. Brown



Just put in the smoker and I remembered I didn't have a before shot



after 4 1/2 hrs of smoke and another hour and a bit of cooking time

[Tenpoint5]

What temp did you pull it out at?

[pdubbu]

I think it was at 172 degree's...pork only needs 170-175 so I wanted to be in the middle.

The Mr. Brown was strong, but gave it some wicked flavour!

[FLBentRider]

I think it was at 172 degree's...pork only needs 170-175 so I wanted to be in the middle.

The Mr. Brown was strong, but gave it some wicked flavour!

Next time I would take it to 185-190F

While it may be "done" at 170-175, pork butt has a lot of connective tissue (collegan) that needs to be broken down into gelatin.

That will give you a pulled pork that will not need slicing.

[Habanero Smoker]

I think it was at 172 degree's...pork only needs 170-175 so I wanted to be in the middle.

The Mr. Brown was strong, but gave it some wicked flavour!

I believe you are referring to the USDA safe internal meat temperatures for pork. For tougher cuts of pork you need to smoke/cook low until the collagen has time to convert to gelatin, as FLB has mentioned.

You can get butts tender enough to pull at 175°F, I do it each time I make pulled pork. I use a low cabinet temperature of 200°F, I only take mine to 175°F and they are tender and pull easily. The most important part is to stay close to the 200°F range. It is not only the internal temperature, but how long the meat has been in the range that collagen breaks down into gelatin. Other steps I take is to trim the fat to 1/8" to 1/4", and there may be a couple of fat pockets you may have to discard.

[classicrockgriller]

I run my smoker at 225 and pull at 190 to 195 then ftc.

It is still moist and juicy and have hardly and internal fat to discard.

[Habanero Smoker]

I used to go to 185°F - 190°F, but find the texture and moistness much better at 175°F.

I forgot to mention I rarely FTC.