More pulled pork ????

[Xtrema312]

I have been doing some reading.  This will be my first pulled pork smoke.  I plan to use 4-hours hickory as that is all I have right now.  I plan to use the CYM and then some kind of rub.  I don't know a lot about rubs yet.  I also don't know much about meat selection for this project.  I am thinking from what I have read that a pork butt with bone in or probably a Boston butt with a decent marbling and thin fat cap and also as fresh as possible.  I hope to get some meat ready to start on Friday so there is not much time to get organized.  I will be using my maverick to watch the cabinet temp and the meat and my new PID.  What I need to know is the following:

What is a good reasonably easy and fast to get rub or one I can make for this project?

What size butt can I get for a family of 4 with some leftovers?  Do they come about 4-5 lb. or would I need to get a cut down one if that is even possible?  Would I be better off with a small full butt over a cut down one for quality of finished product?

How long should I plan to cook after the smoke and how long to FTC for one butt?

Should I use a little apple juice on the butt before the FTC?  I think I saw that someplace.  If I should how much?

And last, but not least is there any steps I am missing

Thanks!

[westexasmoker]

As far as rub goes I like using the S&S wild willy rub, but in a pinch I've found the McCormick grill mates pork rub to be quite good!  Last butt I did was an 8 lb.er if memory serves correct smoked for 4 hours and then cooked for another 12 and then FTC for 3 with the spritz of AJ....I don't do pork that often (unless you count bacon)  Somebody with more knowledge of the pig will be along I'm sure!  Good luck!

C

[Habanero Smoker]

I also find that the McCormick Grill Mates rubs are a good choice if you don't have time to make your own. I prefer The Renowned Mr. Brown Barbecued Pork Butt, also in Smoke & Spice, by Cheryl and Bill Jamison.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup Black Pepper, fresh cracked
1/4 cup Paprika
1 /4 cup Turbinado Sugar or Brown Sugar
2 Tbsp. Salt, Kosher
2 tsp. Mustard, dry
1 tsp. Cayenne pepper
(Makes enough for one 6 - 8 lb. Boston Butt)

You got it pretty well covered. Besides what westexasmoker has already stated, I trim the fat cap down to 1/8 - 1/4", so if you get one that is not too trimmed that will work. It's hard to really mess up a butt.

Keep in mind that you will loose 35% to 40% of the weight of the meat when it is finally finished. So if it is around 6 to 7.5 pounds I would smoke/cook the whole butt.  Also pulled pork freezes, and reheats well.

A splash of apple juice works well when you FTC, or just letting it rest.

As for time, I can't help you. There are too many factors, and I only take my butts to 175°F while most go to at least 185°F.

[Xtrema312]

Thanks for the info so far.  I think I will go for about a 7 lb butt and make my own rub.  I have everything on hand but the dry mustered, but if I use CYM on it then I figure maybe I can skip the dry stuff.

I have found a few posts that talk about plastic wrap before the foil for the FTC.  Is that standard?

I plan to put it in about 6 PM to smoke and then change out the water after 4 hr smoke and set it at 210 on the PID and check it about 6 in the morning.  I have seen some wide ranges of time stated and I just don't want it to go too long if I cook it without checking it until it is 12 hr. into the process.  I don't care if it comes off for lunch or dinner so I assume that with a long FTC if needed we can make dinner no problem.  I am just wondering if 14-16 hr. with FTC is about right to make lunch or if I should be thinking more like 10-12 hours and starting later at night or going a little lower on the temp like 200 or less for the 708 lb butt and then raising the setting in the morning to 210-220 to finish.

One other question that I thought of was how everyone does the vent.  I have figured out to vent so the smoke doesn't back up in the generator during smoking, but after the smoke stops what does everyone do with the vent?  I am guessing maybe ¼ or 1/3 vent to let some moisture out so it doesn't condense, but not so much it dries out the meat.

[geofite]

I used the rub from the bradley smoker recipe collection when I did my butts this past weekend but I used onion and garlic powder instead of onion and garlic salt. It was really good.

Hickory Smoked Pulled Pork

Ingredients
• 3 kg (6 lb) pork butt roast
Rub:
• 30 ml (2 tbsp) paprika
• 10 ml (2 tsp) brown sugar
• 3 ml (1/2 tsp) onion salt
• 3 ml (1/2 tsp) celery salt
• 3 ml (1/2 tsp) garlic salt
• 3 ml (1/2 tsp) dry mustard
• 3 ml (1/2 tsp) ground black pepper
• 3 ml (1/2 tsp) cayenne pepper
• 3 ml (1/2 tsp) salt
Basting Sauce:
• 250 ml (1 c) apple cider vinegar
• 60 ml (1/4 c) water
• 30 ml (2 tbsp) Worcestershire sauce
• 15 ml (1 tbsp) coarsely ground pepper
• 15 ml (1 tbsp) coarse salt
• 10 ml (2 tsp) vegetable oil

Preparation
The night before serving mix together rub ingredients and massage into the pork roast. Cover with plastic and refrigerate overnight. Remove from refrigerator and let stand for 45 minutes to an hour.

Smoking Method
Preheat Bradley Smoker to between 100°C and 120°C (220°F and 250°F). Using Hickory flavor bisquettes smoke /cook for approximately 8 hours or until the meat reaches a minimum internal temperature of 70°C (160°F). Mix together the sauce ingredients and baste the pork with sauce, setting aside remaining basting sauce. Continue smoke/cooking for an additional hour.

To Serve
To serve pull/shred the pork into slivers. Pile on hamburger or Kaiser buns and drizzle with remaining basting sauce.

http://www.bradleysmoker.com/main-page.asp

[Wildcat]

Take Hab's recommendations to heart.  He knows his food.  I smoke butts at 200 to 205 until meat temp of 180 to 185.  Mine always turns out perfect.  8 pounder takes me roughly 16 to 20 hours then FTC for 3 or 4 hours.  Time will almost always vary - sometimes by a large margin.  Keep your temps low and you can pull at lower temps and can simply let it rest in foil on the counter instead of FTC.  For butts I use FTC for time management.

With regards to the vent, I usually have mine about 1/3 open during the entire smoke/cook process.  Just make sure the smoke does not back up into the generator.  After the smoke period be sure to change the water bowl.

[Kurt]

Heres a good rub to try Xtrema312. I like to cook the pork butts this way also. I've done 5 now so far this spring and they have all turned out great.

1        Cup packed brown sugar
1/2     Cup paprika
2 1/2  TBS ground black pepper
2 1/2  TBS Kosher or sea Salt
1 1/2  TBS Chili Powder
1 1/2  TBS Garlic Powder
1 1/2  TBS Onion Powder
1-2     tsp of Cayenne-you call

This make plenty for at least a couple of pork butts and some ribs. I put the extra into a food saver canaster and keep for the next time.

Mix all the above in to a bowl and rub on the night before. One hr before smoke, remove from fridge and rub again. I have smoked 5 now at 215 until the IT reachs 165. I then wrap it in foil, with all of the seams towards the top. That way, the juice that does come out will pool at the bottom. I stick the probe back in through the foil and cook to a IT of 190-193.

Remove it at this point and wrap in a towel and put in the cooler. I did my first and second for 2 hrs. When I removed it from the foil, I was careful to not spill the juice and poured it into a pan. I then pulled the pork and put it into a large bowl. Then, I  poured some of the juice back over the meat and mixed. You can sprinkle some of the rub into the meat also which adds great flavor.

This is very similar to the other ways that I have read on here on how to cook a butt. Just a couple of different things to consider. Trust me, they turn out great and by pouring the juice back over the meat, I think it adds a little bit more smoke flavor.

[Smokin Soon]

I chose a 7.67 lb pork butt for my first smoke. It's kind of lopsided, thick on one end and then narrows. Should I cut this sucker in half or just run with it. I have to figure out how to put pics on here.

[Smokin Soon]

I hope this is the pic, should I cut this in 2 pieces for better smoking? Will the small end be over cooked?

[Habanero Smoker]

That is a normal looking butt (as far as pork goes). Add some rub and run with it.

[Smoking Duck]

I echo what Habs says.  I would not cut it.........smoke it as is and prepare yourself for a delectable feast!

[Mr Walleye]

Yup... Like Habs and SD said... Smoke that sucker!  ;)

Mmmm... Good eats ahead!

Mike

[Xtrema312]

Well my Auber PID didn't make it yet so I must have been just a little too late with my order to get it shipped before they went on vacation.  :(  However, Ice's sauce made it here.  ;D  I think my butt will wait until I get the control.  So today I just finished up a batch of goose jerky to put in the new smoker tomorrow with some mesquite smoke.  Other than the PID I think I have everything ready to go but the butt now.  

So next questions are on butt's.  I am in SW Michigan in Kalamazoo.  Any recommendations for stores with good butt's in my area if you know or Michigan stores in general?  We have a supper Wal-mart and Meijers real close.  There is a meat store on the other side of town that is supposed to be good and we have gotten a few things there in the past.  There is also a Harding's not too far away.  So far have I have been to the Wal-mart.  They have packaged bone in butt that is by Tyson.  I don't know if this is a decent quality or if I should keep looking.  They look good.  How critical is butt selection and what is a good price per pound for bone in and bone out?

[Xtrema312]

P.S. THANKS FOR THE HELP SO FAR!

One other idea that popped into my head was about the apple juice on the butt.  I see people spray the butt from time to time.  Anyone ever tried apple wedges on a rack over the butt to drip on it as it cooks or is the apple juice going to be too much too soon to do the trick?  It isn't much of a concern now with warm weather, but when it is cooler I hate to open up the BS and loose the heat.

[Tiny Tim]

If you're going to dump the pucks and refill the water bowl, you could toss the apples in at that time, or at other intervals when you would have normally spritzed.