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Capt Ajax BBQ Fan

Joined: 13 May 2005 Posts: 136 Location: Knoxville, TN
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Posted: Aug 31 2005 Post subject: Save my Butt! |
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OK, I am doing my first butt this friday. I have mastered Briskets and ribbs but have not even attempted pulled pork. I have been reading these post and have some idea about what to do but need some expert 411 so I want totaly screw things up. Here is what I've got so far:
Smoke 220 - 250 degrees until internal temp reaches 190 - 200 then pull off, wrap in foil and place in cooler for an hour. Pull pork and enjoy.
Questions:
1. Should I wrap the butt in foil while smoking.......I wrap my ribs and brisket, should I wrap my butt...LOL (sounds funny)
2. Is there a set time frame for smoking? (2 hrs per LB or something?)
3. To pull the pork, do you use tongs or hands...any tricks I should know? _________________ I Love my LANG! |
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allsmokenofire BBQ All Star

Joined: 26 Apr 2005 Posts: 5051 Location: Oklahoma
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Posted: Sep 01 2005 Post subject: |
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1. Butts don't need to be wrapped, IMO, because there is enough fat in 'em to keep 'em moist
2. They can take anywhere from 1.5-2 hrs/lb. They'll hit a plateau at around 160-165 and hang there for a couple hours...be patient.
3. You can pull with your hands or shred with a couple of forks.
Let us know how it turns out!! _________________ Mike
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bigabyte BBQ Super Pro

Joined: 09 Jul 2005 Posts: 1529 Location: Overland Park, KS
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Posted: Sep 01 2005 Post subject: |
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I don't foil either. I pull at 200. Now as far as the other stuff goes... I only use my hands when pulling my meat, the thought of using a fork sounds WAY to painful for me, but then maybe I'm just delicate!  _________________ --Chris Baker
--Mad BBQ Scientist
--When my lab fills with smoke, that means it's working! |
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roxy BBQ All Star

Joined: 29 May 2005 Posts: 9330 Location: Wasaga beach, Ontario
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Posted: Sep 01 2005 Post subject: |
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I agree with the guys, just smoke away and save the foil for when your cooling the meat.
WoooDoggy:
You need to get some dude and I dont mean BBQ. _________________ Chargriller Akorn
WSM
LIAR #100
_________________
Do not rely on a rabbits foot for luck, it did not work out too well for the rabbit... |
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Capt Ajax BBQ Fan

Joined: 13 May 2005 Posts: 136 Location: Knoxville, TN
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Posted: Sep 01 2005 Post subject: |
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LOL........got to be gentle when handling your meat or your Butt!!!
Thanks for the input, I'll let you know how it comes out!
- No Foil
- Wrap it as you pull it off and throw it into a cooler for about an hour......right? _________________ I Love my LANG! |
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bigabyte BBQ Super Pro

Joined: 09 Jul 2005 Posts: 1529 Location: Overland Park, KS
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Posted: Sep 01 2005 Post subject: |
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I'm not saying you shouldn't wrap and put in a cooler, but I don't. That's a personal call you gotta make. I pull the meat off the cooker at 200 and let it sit for 20-30 minutes before pulling. _________________ --Chris Baker
--Mad BBQ Scientist
--When my lab fills with smoke, that means it's working! |
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roxy BBQ All Star

Joined: 29 May 2005 Posts: 9330 Location: Wasaga beach, Ontario
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Posted: Sep 01 2005 Post subject: |
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I have only wrapped my butt once, I found the foil all scratchy and chaffed like hell..
No really, I didnt like what it did to the bark as I like the bark crispy the way it comes off the smoker. I found wrapping it in foil kinda softened the bark, it also seems to do something to the color in that you loose some of the nice burgandy color of the smoke ring...
I dont know, maybe thats just me. _________________ Chargriller Akorn
WSM
LIAR #100
_________________
Do not rely on a rabbits foot for luck, it did not work out too well for the rabbit... |
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Capt Ajax BBQ Fan

Joined: 13 May 2005 Posts: 136 Location: Knoxville, TN
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Posted: Sep 01 2005 Post subject: |
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Hmmmmm.
OK, maybe I'll not wrap it. I went to Sams and got the Butt, Shoulder combo. They do not sale whole shoulders. I am probably going to do the Butt tomorrow and save the shoulder for later. The butt weighs about 9Lbs. I am either going to use my own (sweet) rib rub on it.......or I still have enough "Bad Byron's Butt Rub" to cover it. I haven't decided. Any tricks to prep, besides rubbing my Butt and putting it in the fridge overnight.....................do any of youns rub it down a second time just before putting it on the pit? _________________ I Love my LANG! |
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bigabyte BBQ Super Pro

Joined: 09 Jul 2005 Posts: 1529 Location: Overland Park, KS
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Posted: Sep 01 2005 Post subject: |
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I like to rinse the butt off with water and then pat it dry with paper towels. I put on a mustard slather first because this helps the rub stick, and allows more rub to be piled on the meat. You can use straight yellow mustard, but if you want a slather recipe you can look in the Pork Recipes section of the forum for a topic called "Boston Butt slather and rub". I then put as much rub on as will stick (usually takes about 1 1/2 cups) and then put it in the fridge overnight wrapped in a trashbag. If I have any rub left over, then I put some more rub on just before putting the butt in the cooker the next day. I put my meat on the cooker straight out of the fridge, it gets a thicker smoke ring that way. I don't normally mop or anything, but some do. The meat has so much fat running through it you really shouldn't have any problems with mositure, but if you like to mop or have a mop recipe you want to try, go ahead and do so after the crust has set up (about 3 to 4 hours). Cook it to 200 degrees, or just wait until the bone is sticking out of the meat and a tug on the bone causes it to slide out with virtually no resistance. Let it rest so the juices settle into the meat and don't come flooding out when you start pulling it. _________________ --Chris Baker
--Mad BBQ Scientist
--When my lab fills with smoke, that means it's working! |
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roxy BBQ All Star

Joined: 29 May 2005 Posts: 9330 Location: Wasaga beach, Ontario
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Posted: Sep 02 2005 Post subject: |
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Couldnt have said it better myself, make sure you got lots of charcoal on hand as that beast will take up to 18 hours to do if you end up on the long side of the 1.5 to 2 hour smoke time.
Your going to have a nice pile o meat when your done, hey, why dont I bring the buns, slaw and beer...  _________________ Chargriller Akorn
WSM
LIAR #100
_________________
Do not rely on a rabbits foot for luck, it did not work out too well for the rabbit... |
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Capt Ajax BBQ Fan

Joined: 13 May 2005 Posts: 136 Location: Knoxville, TN
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Posted: Sep 10 2005 Post subject: |
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Well, the Butt turned out good. I wont say great, because I know I can do better. I smoked it (9lbs) for about 11 hours before pulling it off, wraping it and placing it in a cooler for an hour. The meat was tinder, but not so tender that I could just pull the bone strait out of it. I think my problem was that I had SEVERAL other things smooking at the same time............about 5 racks of ribs and a half flock of chickens! Besides the only wood I had available was White Oak......kinda of mellow at best.
I am going to try again this week and pay closer attention to the shoulder. _________________ I Love my LANG! |
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bigabyte BBQ Super Pro

Joined: 09 Jul 2005 Posts: 1529 Location: Overland Park, KS
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Posted: Sep 10 2005 Post subject: |
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If the bone wasn't able to slide out then it wasn't done, meaning it was probably not as juicy as desired, and was probably a bit more chewy than desired. One all of hte connective tissue finally breaks down the meat is really juicy and the bone will not be connected to the meat anymore and will slide out. 200 degrees is usually a good temp to reach internally and the bone will slide out, but if you read 200 and had trouble getting the bone out then you need to cook it a bit more.
You may have just pulled it a bit too early and it didn't heat up enough while sitting in the cooler to break down the last of the connective tissue. _________________ --Chris Baker
--Mad BBQ Scientist
--When my lab fills with smoke, that means it's working! |
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Alien BBQ BBQ All Star

Joined: 12 Jul 2005 Posts: 5426 Location: Roswell, New Mexico
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Posted: Sep 10 2005 Post subject: |
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Sounds like it was just a little under cooked. I would ask two questions. Did you smoke a shoulder (picnic) or a butt? I have found some of my local groceries don’t really know the difference and will mislabel the meat. If it was a shoulder then your outcome sounds about right. Shoulders do not contain the marbling of a butt and actually have a slight bit more ham taste to them. My second thought would be; how accurate are your thermometers? I have 4 mounted smoker thermometers, two kitchen oven thermometers, three digital probe thermometers and two instant read stick thermometers. Sounds like a lot of over kill but it is a big unit. The point is that they all seem to be a bit off at one time or another. This last BBQ college class I taught I inadvertently had placed one of the probes in a jet stream that I was not aware of in the vertical smoker. The digital read out read 355 degrees but when I opened the door to the vertical to see what was going on both of my rack mounted oven thermometers were reading 165 degrees. I have since fixed the jet stream, but if I had just went by the one thermometer then my cooking times would have been completely off. If you live near a “Big Lots” you can pick up oven thermometers for $1.99 and Wal-Mart sells digital probes /w alarms for $13 each. Hope this helps. One last note…. every time you open the cooker and peak, you add up to 25 minutes of cooking time to the process. _________________ https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaeloberry |
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Capt Ajax BBQ Fan

Joined: 13 May 2005 Posts: 136 Location: Knoxville, TN
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Posted: Sep 10 2005 Post subject: |
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I bought the meat at SAMS and it was labeled Butt?? There were 2 9 pound butts wrapped together.
You guys are right about pulling it off early. I actually pulled it off at 89 degrees.....I guess I got excited and jumped the gun. It had smoked for 11 hours at 200 - 240 degrees..........usually holding at about 220.
The smoker I have is a Lang model 60 from Savannah Ga. It has a Tru-Tell BBQ Therm. on the high left side. I also use a cordless digitel thermo. that simotaniously tells me the heat inside the smoking chamber as well as the meat interior. It also has alarms and such. Funny thing is I have noticed that the Tru-Tell is usualy 30 to 80 degrees hotter. I know it's because the top inside of the smoker is hotter because the heat rises from the firebox. I use both thermos together to get an accuarte reading....................tru-tell tells me when I am heating up, digitell lets me know the temp on the grid next to my meat.
Next time I am just going to have to get started sooner, wait it out and look for that 200 degree internal temp. I'm trying again on Monday or Tue of next week! _________________ I Love my LANG! |
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Alien BBQ BBQ All Star

Joined: 12 Jul 2005 Posts: 5426 Location: Roswell, New Mexico
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Posted: Sep 10 2005 Post subject: |
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You bring up a good point that I was visually able to show some students a while back.
Next time you have you smoker up to temp and running, take a squirt bottle full of water and squirt a stream of water down the entire length of the cooking chamber. You will visibility be able to “see” how and where the heat is dispersed in the cooking area. The hottest area will quickly sizzle and evaporate while the cooler part of the cooker will allow the water to stand a bit longer before it evaporates. _________________ https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaeloberry |
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Capt Ajax BBQ Fan

Joined: 13 May 2005 Posts: 136 Location: Knoxville, TN
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Posted: Sep 10 2005 Post subject: |
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I live in Knoxville, Tennessee and am naturaly a big fan of all things ORANGE
So when I smoke my next Butt this coming week, I am going to try "Alien BBQ Formula #3".
I have never cooked anything with Cheesecloth, so it will be an experience.
1.Should I cut an orange into thin slices and place on the butt before putting on the first layer of cheesecloth? Would this be to much orange?
2.What is the best way to tone up the heat a little......just one notch above "Gringo"? _________________ I Love my LANG! |
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Alien BBQ BBQ All Star

Joined: 12 Jul 2005 Posts: 5426 Location: Roswell, New Mexico
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Posted: Sep 10 2005 Post subject: |
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Red and yellow bell peppers, then green Chile, then red, jalapeño, and stay away from habanero. If you want something spicy but not hot then try (on the side) some wasabi. As far as the cut orange goes… that sounds great. Maybe a little pineapple too. Or better yet, cut mandarin oranges (you can find them in a can) or my favorite tangerine. _________________ https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaeloberry |
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calamec
Joined: 20 Jul 2005 Posts: 14
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Posted: Sep 10 2005 Post subject: |
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Alien responded regarding remote temp probe. Can you give me information on how to use these devices? Do you insert the probe in the meat or do you place the probe in the smoker or both? If you place it in the smoker to register the smoker temp, where do you place this probe? |
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calamec
Joined: 20 Jul 2005 Posts: 14
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Posted: Sep 10 2005 Post subject: |
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Ajax:
Regarding smoker temp - I was ordering supplies from Brinkmann for my SNP. The CS rep statet that to control the fire on a offset:
to increase temp - open fire box and close stack
decrease temp - c;pse fire box and open stack
If you have a vertical smoker:
increase temp: less water more wood/charcoal
decrease temp: more water less wood/charcoal |
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calamec
Joined: 20 Jul 2005 Posts: 14
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Posted: Sep 10 2005 Post subject: |
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When doing butt, do you place the butt close to or farther away from the firebox |
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