My wife says it's too smokey tasting. Any recommendations on a port butt?

[greahound]

I did my first smoke in the Bradley smoker this weekend. I went to Walmart and picked out a 8lb port butt.
I put a rub on it the day before. The next day I put it in the smoker at 7a.m. to about 5 pm, until it got to 185 degrees. I took it out, wrapped it for 1.5 hours in tin foil in a cooler, then began to pull and eat it immediately. I would say I used about 30 of the Hickory bisquettes.
The meat fell off the bone perfectly. My wife tried it and she said it was way too smokey. I thought it was a little overpowering as well.

Should I have used half the bisquettes but cooked it the same time, leaving it to heat in the smoker without any new bisquettes?
How do you experienced smokers smoke a good butt?  ???

[car54]

Greahound,  usually you only smoke for 4 hours max which is 12 biscuits and I believe that hickory has a rather strong taste. I would probably agree with your wife. Every thing else you did sounds right.

Brad

[Mr Walleye]

Greahound

Car54 has it for you, 4 hours maximum is what I use as well. I usually use apple for butts but I have used hickory before and it was good too.

Mike

[pensrock]

I just did one last weekend and used hickory but only smoked it for a little over two hours. Next one I'll let go for three hours. You did smoke it too long but you can also use a milder smoke like others had mentioned. Try apple, alder or even maple all are milder than hickory. Enjoy.

One quick note I try to follow. I undersmoke rather than oversmoke. If I have not tried it before or have specific instructions I always error on the less smoke side. It will still be good and you will know then how long to smoke it the next time.

[Mr Walleye]

One quick note I try to follow. I undersmoke rather than oversmoke. If I have not tried it before or have specific instructions I always error on the less smoke side. It will still be good and you will know then how long to smoke it the next time.

Good advice Pensrock!  ;)

Mike

[FLBentRider]

I give my butts 4 hours - used to to six, but can't tell the difference with 4.

10 hours of Hickory is a bit much, even for me..

I agree with the rest of the advice already given.

[Kane]

4 hours Max! try Apple or Alder

[Smoking Duck]

Thank God it wasn't mesquite!   ;D :o ;D

[West Coast Sausage Maker]

My wife tried it and she said it was way too smokey.

I had the same problem a couple of years ago.  I upgraded to a newer, better built wife and then heavy smoked foods hasn't been an issue anymore. ;D

As for the smokehouse, I use 4 pucks for almost everything.

The 30 pucks you used cost more than the pork ??? !!!
Buying a shiny new Bradley Smoker is the least expensive part of creating gourmet smoked foods at home. :-[

Surgeon general's warning   .....smoking is highly addictive

[greahound]

Good advice, especially upgrading to a newer wife  ;)
Thanks!

[Carter]

Hi Greahound.

I have a question.  How on earth did you get an 8 pound butt to 185 degrees in 10 hours via the Bradley Easy Bake Oven?

That thing would take me 16 hours at minimum.  I've actually been considering doing what others on the forum do and that's smoking for 4 hours and then bringing it into the oven for the remainder of the job.

But then again I live north of the 49th.

Like the others, I use 4 hours of smoke.  I have used Hickory for Butts.

Carter

[pensrock]

Carter,
  I was wondering the same thing. I just did one and it was only about seven pounds and it took a good 18 hours. I smoked it for 2-1/2 to 3 hours with hickory, then moved it to the oven in the house till it was done. My oven was set at 210 degrees and my IT was only about 175.
pens

[iceman]

Hi Greahound.

I have a question.  How on earth did you get an 8 pound butt to 185 degrees in 10 hours via the Bradley Easy Bake Oven?

That thing would take me 16 hours at minimum.  I've actually been considering doing what others on the forum do and that's smoking for 4 hours and then bringing it into the oven for the remainder of the job.

But then again I live north of the 49th.

Like the others, I use 4 hours of smoke.  I have used Hickory for Butts.

Carter

I"m just guessing that the temp in the smoker was at the top of the heat line and not down in the low 200 range.

[Norcal Novice]

Norcal Novice here...when you have along cook time and a short smoke time, does it make any sense to stagger the smoking over the cooking time, or is it better to smoke it all at once before the meat is less done?  Does it pick up less smoke flavor the more done it gets?

Inquiring minds want to know!

Thanks!

[Smoking Duck]

Hey Norcal,

Meat will only really take on smoke until the internal temp of the meat reaches 140F.  You can stagger the smoke out, but once you hit 140F, you're just wasting pucks, IMO.  Smoke it early, then let the wait begin.

SD