Trying Pork again.

[heinz]

I'm going to smoke 4 3-4 lb pork butts for Wed night. While my last ones where not bad the outside was dry and had to be trimmed some. It was good, but not as good as I had done on my off-set in the past.

I'm chalking it up to a learning curve so I'm back into research mode.

I plan to smoke for 5-6 hrs starting Tue night with the dbs set to 230. Actual temp will probably be 210-ish in the box. I don't know if I should wrap it or perhaps keep it moist with an occasional apple-juice spritz.

Since they are small, I'm planning 2 per rack and bacon on top rack. Q. re bacon. Should it be dripping only through smoke time or replentish so that it self-bastes during cooking too?

I haven't decided on vent position yet. Did the last 1/2 open but since it aquired a dry crusty exterion I'm perhaps letting too much moisture out?

In the meantime they are rub'd and in a plastic bag in the fridge. Perhaps too early but that's where they are :-)

Any/all suggestions welcomed. Back to reading the Forum.

[car54]

If you do not want a bark try Old's T shirt idea. Put the pork butt in a wet T shirt. It will still absorb the smoke and will not bark over. Here is a link. Also the vent should be about 1/4 to1/3 open.

http://susan.rminor.com/forums/showthread.php?t=53



Brad

[Habanero Smoker]

There was nothing wrong with the pulled pork that you made. Like Car54 stated, the outer crust is called the bark, with is very flavorful. I always slice the bark off before pulling the pork and chop it up. Then blend it in with the rest of the pulled pork. I generally chop the bark by hand, but if I have two butts, I use my food processor.

[heinz]

My 'bark' was pretty rough, I.e. burnt . Does that imply I had the heat too high?
I'm planning to shoot for a box temp of 210. Too high/low?

The probe I use is attached about an inch below the meat on the second (from bottom) rack. I'm thinking of moving it to the side some or perhaps for this smoke in the middle between 2 butts. I.e. away from the meat some so that I get a truer 'box' reading.

[TomG]

Hi Heinz, I'm a relative newbie on butts, so take this with a grain of rub.  I put the rubbed butts from the frig, directly into the smoker.  Smoke for just 2 hours, using only the generator(everything that's written on the subject suggests that meat will only adsorb smoke up to a surface temp of 140*), after 2 hours I turn on the cabinet elements and cook at 200* until internal temp is 185-190*. The cooking time for 2 6#s last week was 20 hrs. followed by 2hrs ftc. The butts were perfectly smoked for our tastes, the bark was slighlty crusty but moist and the meat juicy.

[heinz]

Thanks TomG.

Hadn't thought about smoke generator only. Your method seems to contradict the "pre-heat" concept. Not saying it's wrong as whatever works works and I very much appreciate the exposure to different concepts/ideas. Before your post it wasn't even an option for me  :)

Gotta love this forum.

During the cooking time, do you spray, rotate, add/change water? Details, detail, details please. Newbie needs all the help he can get :)

[iceman]

heinz;
Just a couple of things to think about.
If your rub contains salt it is going to draw moisture out of the roast especialy over night. I rub a couple of hours before smoking.
Keep the temp closer to 200 and the bark won't be so pronounced.
After the first 2 hours of smoke go ahead and spritz with juice / broth to keep from getting to much bark.
There is nothing wrong with the way TomG does his. It keeps the bark down to a thin crust that way. Ann likes hers that way. I like to do what Hab does. Just shows you that it's all a matter of personal taste.
What ever you come up with HAVE FUN DOING IT!

[heinz]

If your rub contains salt it is going to draw moisture out of the roast especialy over night. I rub a couple of hours before smoking.

I think this is where my brisket thinking got in the way. I have it in rub about 24hrs by the time I'll start tonight. It has some salt in it so next time I'm going to try the few hours before smoke.

Trying to decide on a spritz concoction to perhaps offset my 24hr rub'd time. Apple Juice and.....? All suggestions welcomed :)

[TomG]

Honestly I've never understood either the bring "the meat to room temperature" or the "preheat" concepts.  The meat is left in the oven until its cooked, the 20-30 minute gain from pre heating seems  insignificant and a waste in a 20-24 hour cooking scheme.  I've never had to use more than the two center racks, so cab. temp differences hasn't been a factor.  After smoking I just turn on the oven with a pid and don't open the door until the wireless monitored meat probe indicates that the meat is cooked. I leave the vent open 1/4-1/3rd for both smoking and cooking. 

[TomG]

There is nothing wrong with the way TomG does his. It keeps the bark down to a thin crust that way. Ann likes hers that way.!

Actually Ice, I like and get a relatively thick bark, it's just not dry.

PS, Iceman, I'm out the door to pickup your sauce at the Post Office.  Can't wait to try it in a Bloody Mary with lunch today. ;D
Thanks again

[heinz]

The meat is left in the oven until its cooked

Curiosity is peaked so i'm going to start tonight with smoke only.

During the long cook, do you change water, leave water in or no water? I.e. can I leave it unattended for the 8-9 hour nap in the process or do i have to plan a water change? What should max time be between spritzing? Back to trying to adjust naptime(s) :)

The last few times my timing has always been way off, I.e. eating much later than originally planned. This time I'm shooting for being done early and if necessary re-heat. Out-of-town company coming with three little whirlwinds.

[icerat4]

Well i happen to do 2 8 pounders often.And here is my way.Mustard up the pork with any king of yellow mustard.Put the rub on and then wrap in plastic then place in fridge.The next day 1-2 hours before you want to start the smoke take them out of the fridge and leave them sit.Start the smoker at 6-7 pm that same night.SMOKE them for 4-5 hours with alder or what ever wood ya like.Spray apple juice after the 3rd hour of the smoke and there after when you like.Before ya go to bed change the water out.AT about 7-8 the frist one should be done at temps of 195 .Then ftc the 1st one and move the second one down a rack lower.SPRAY apple juice again.A few hours later it should be done at internal temps of 195 remove the second one then ftc that one also.These butts in the ftc should be plenty hot even to pull at 5-6 pm that evening this ftc keep heat a very long time so dont worry about cold food.This is the best and easiest food to do in this bs machine.Make you look like a bbq champ

[robs]

Hi Heinz, I'm a relative newbie on butts, so take this with a grain rub.  I put the rubbed butts from the frig, directly into the smoker.  Smoke for just 2 hours, using only the generator(everything that's written on the subject suggests that meat will only asborb smoke up to a surface temp of 140*), after 2 hours I turn on the cabinet elements and cook at 200* until internal temp is 185-190*. The cooking time for 2 6#s last week was 20 hrs. followed by 2hrs ftc. The butts were perfectly smoked for our tastes, the bark was slighlty crusty but moist and the meat juicy.

I love this idea. I have to be honest and say that when I do brisket, I've went up to 5 hours of smoke and it's not enough for my taste. Don't laugh, but last weekend after I sliced the brisket, I put it in a pan and threw it back in the smoker for 40 minutes to try to get more smoke flavor. It didn't work very well.

When you guys do 4 hours of smoke for brisket and pork is that enough for your tastes?

rob

[icerat4]

Maybe dump a bunch of liquid smoke on the food.That might help ya out. ;D

[jimguy]

The joy of this forum is learing how each person goes about preparing and smoking their foods. I doubt there is any single "best" way to do anything in a smoker. As my dad used to say, there is more than one way to skin a cat.

I have smoked about 10 pork butts for pulled pork and done most in a different way. My favorite way has become taking the meat from the fridge, adding the rub, then let it sit on the counter covered lightly with foil while the smoker is preheating. Given an hour or so, the meat has warmed some and the rub absorbed enough moisture to stick. I then smoke for 4 to 5 hours at 200 to 225. At that point I take it out, wrap it in foil, then return it to the smoker with the temp probe in it where I continue cooking until the meat reaches around 195. FTC or just leave in the turned off smoker for an hour or so then pull. The meat is very tender and juicy, the bark light and moist so that it pulls apart with the rest.