9 days until first try

Peborg · May 30, 2012, 06:46:58 PM

I bought another brand and returned it, after further research I believe the Bradley will be my choice. Anyway, next weekend I am doing 20 pounds of Boston butt - two pieces. The first question is: What time the night before do I start the meat to have it done by Noon. Also will hickory work for the smoke or should I try another wood.

I thought about soaking the two butts in a brine over night. Any thoughts? It seems there are a million ways to do this.

KyNola · May 30, 2012, 08:16:16 PM

No need to brine. Hickory will be fine. Start at noon the day before. If they happen to get finished early, wrap them individually in foil. Then wrap them in a towel and place them in a cooler, no ice in the cooler. They will hold for 4-6 hours.

Remember, the Bradley is essentially an Easy Bake Oven powered by the equivalent of 5 100 watt lightbulbs. There is an alternative. Once you have put the smoke on the butts in the Bradley you can put them on a roasting rack in a roasting pan in your house oven set at 225. Holding the temp in the house oven is more reliable.

Habanero Smoker · May 31, 2012, 01:47:56 AM

Hi Peborg;

Welcome to the forum. You're right; there are many ways to make pulled pork.

Two butts weighing a total of 20 pounds, you have a couple of large butts. There is no need to brine, but some members do so. Another option is to inject the butts with an marinade. If you want to try something different, brine or inject one, and cooked the other without brining. Brined meat tends to cook a little faster, so if you brine one, that one should finish first.

Other choices of wood that go well with pork are pecan and apple.

Consooger · May 31, 2012, 07:09:35 AM

Welcome to the forum, lots of great people and knowledge around here. I just did a 9# butt recently and started smoking around 6:00 pm and it finished right around noon WITHOUT FTC....if you are doing 2 I wouldn't start any later than 3 pm and to take some stress of a big load in the bradley I would either split up the pork butts and do one in the oven and one in the bradley or transfer both into the oven.

I have only injected mine with cider thus far but the next one I'm doing I'm injecting with CT. However you go about this best of luck, once you start you won't stop!

CHEERS!!!

- John

watchdog56 · May 31, 2012, 07:15:26 AM

Welcome to the forum. I highly recommend FTC(foil towel cooler) for a couple of hours at least. It brings the juices back into the meat and is excellent. Cook at 225 and take out when IT hits 195. It will stall around 165 for a 2-3 hours but don't panic. That is what you want it to do.

beefmann · May 31, 2012, 07:57:18 AM

welcome aboard, as for doing 20 lbs of butt, you need to decide if you want it as pulled pork or gonna slice it, most around here do pulled pork, so here is what you do

apply a rub, even if it is a simple one, such as
pepper
brown sugar
garlic powder
onion powder

them into the smoker at 225 with 3 to 4 hours of hickory or misquette.. maybe both till an it of 195, and start at 10 am... no later then noon the day before, a rule of thumb is 1 hr to 1.5 hour per pound to smoke depending on the meat... and no peeking, also use a wireless thermometer to monitor the temps... place the meat on the upper racks to help prevent burning and drying out the meat.

to help with moisture in the meat. after the smoking process empty the water bowl and add a flavored beverage of your choice filling it 1/2 way and put it back in the smoker, it will help keep the meat moist and add flavor

Good luck and enjoy

mikecorn.1 · May 31, 2012, 08:22:16 AM

Welcome aboard. Looks like they gotcha covered :(

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Kahunas · May 31, 2012, 09:03:06 AM

Welcome,
What they said should have you coverd.

Consooger · May 31, 2012, 09:03:40 AM

load up with molasses and your favorite rub. Molasses is the way to go right KyNola?

KyNola · May 31, 2012, 10:51:34 AM

Quote from: Consooger on May 31, 2012, 09:03:40 AM
load up with molasses and your favorite rub. Molasses is the way to go right KyNola?

It is at my house Consooger! ;)

Peborg · May 31, 2012, 05:45:39 PM

Thank you for all the Information, still amazes me how many ways you can do this. At this time I decided to borrow my aunts 6 rack digital Bradley. Is there anything different between the one I am borrowing and the standard 4 rack, besides the number of racks? This biggest question I have is, is the element different?

Peborg · May 31, 2012, 05:47:30 PM

I know a lot of questions. Would molasses be instead of mustard or rub directly on the meat?

Tiny Tim · May 31, 2012, 05:57:54 PM

Welcome aboard. The molasses mentioned would be in place of the mustard as the "glue" to hold the rub on and form the crust. As for the smoker question, the Original 4 rack is a great unit, only drawback I have with it is the temp control is set to a position rather than a temp, but playing with it will let you figure out where it needs to be set for your desired cooking temp.

Start early, use FTC to your advantage, and enjoy the fruits of your labors.

KyNola · May 31, 2012, 07:42:23 PM

The 6 rack digital has the same heating element as the 4 racks. Good news on that 6 rack digital is you set the time and temps on it and it takes it from there. Several things to know about a digital Bradley. You can only set the oven time to 9 hours and 40 minutes so don't forget to reset your time or at the end of 9 hours and 40 minutes it will shut off and you will be less than happy. Also, you will get wild temp swings when you first put the load in. Don't sweat it. In fact, forget it. It will work out in the long run I assure you.

As Tim said, the molasses is used as a substitute for the mustard glue. I use molasses because it really helps to "set" a pronounced bark if you like that, plus I think it adds a good flavor to the bark. Once you paint the butt with molasses apply whatever Rub your prefer. I have 3 butts in my pellet smoker right now. First coat was one of my favorite hot sauces, then molasses, then a pretty spicy rub. We'll see how that turns out! ;D

Have fun my friend and don't sweat it. Butts are very very forgiving. Be prepared for a long cook and know that the butt will stall somewhere around an internal temp of 145-160. It will stall for several hours. DON'T bump the temp to get it to start moving again. It is doing all the magic during the stall.

Peborg · June 01, 2012, 03:42:12 AM

How often will I need to add water and any suggestions on another liquid besides water? This shoulD be the last question.

9 days until first try

beefmann