Smoked Boston Butt

Keltin

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Smoked Boston Butt

I smoked a Boston Butt today. It was a 9.5lb monster that went on at 4AM today. This hunk of meat took 11 hours to cook to pull temps. I need a nap!

I rubbed the Butt with a pack of the free rub’s Chow found (I used the original), and then finished with my own rub since the free rub pack was too small for this big piece of meat.

I used a full chimney of coals in the water smoker, and in manipulating the lower air dampers, was able to hold 225 for 6 hours on one chimney of coals. I added Hickory chunks every hour or so for 6 hours of smoke.

After the first 6 hours, the first batch of coals was spent. I pulled the top cook chamber off the fire pit, emptied the ash, and added another full chimney of coals, and a few more pieces of hickory. This was the last batch of wood.

After 7 hours of cooking, I checked the temp, and it had plateaued at 163.

I checked the temp again after 9 hours of cooking, and it had busted the plateau and was climbing. The temp at that point was 188.

I usually don’t foil my meats, but decided to go ahead and do it this time. So after 9 hours, I brought the meat in and foiled it. It then went back on the smoker.

Two hours later (11 hours in) I checked the temp, and it registered 198 in most spots, and 200 in some. Time to take it off.

I put it in a Styrofoam cooler and let it rest for 1 hour. Even after that hour of resting, it was still steaming hot. Then, I pulled the meat. It shredded and fell apart like butter. The bone slipped clear of the meat with no effort at all.

Now, I have a LOT of pulled pork to deal with! We’re giving a lot away to neighbors and friends, freezing some, and of course, will be making sandwiches for tonight and the next day or so.


Here’s the Butt rubbed and ready for the smoker. It’s got a small fat cap on it, so it will go in the smoker fat side up.

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After 9 hours of cooking, it has broken the plateau and has hit 188 degrees. The fat has darkened and is beginning to melt away. Time to foil it and return it to the smoker until it hits 195 – 200.

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It hit 200 and then I brought it in to let it rest. After resting 1 hour, it is still steaming hot. If you look at the lower portion of the pic where the meat has split and pulled to the right, you can see the bone through the gap in the meat.

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A slight pull with the tongs shows it is a success.

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Into a large bowl, and the meat gets pulled. Notice all the bright pink pieces which is the smoke ring.

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Here is the bone that came out of this one.

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Cooksie

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:thumb::thumb: Keltin, thanks for the pic's and explanations. I'm learning so much on here. You have made me want to try to smoke a Boston Butt. We're just little chicken smokers here. I'm not so sure that I want to get up that early though :shock:.
 

Keltin

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:thumb::thumb: Keltin, thanks for the pic's and explanations. I'm learning so much on here. You have made me want to try to smoke a Boston Butt. We're just little chicken smokers here. I'm not so sure that I want to get up that early though :shock:.

Give it a shot Cooksie. I started with chickens myself and then moved to ribs, then pork shoulders (picnic and butts), then Brisket.

If you get a smaller one, say 4-5 pounds, it should be done in 7-8 hours. Just smoke it at 225, and then foil it once it breaks the plateau (temp should hit 180 and starting climbing every 15 minutes or so). Pull it from the smoker at 195, and let it rest. Then pull it to wonderful pieces! :thumb:

Or you may want to try ribs first which can be done in only 4 hours.

--- Note ---

A plateau is when the internal temperature of the meat climbs to a specific temp and then stalls. Usually the plateau is around 165 to 170 or so. The meat typically reaches that point around 4 or so hours in, then the internal temperature just sits there at that temp. You can check the temp every 30 minutes to an hour, and you’ll see it’s not climbing at all.

At the point of the plateau, the meat is technically done and could be sliced. During a plateau, the meat is absorbing heat and using that heat energy to break down internal fat and connective tissue. Once this breaks down, it redistributes through the meat to make it very moist and juicy. Once all that connective tissue has broken down, the temp will climb again since no more heat energy is needed for the internal breakdown. When the meat finally hits 195, it is pull tender, and all of the redistributed connective tissue and fat ensures it is moist.

It’s a magical thing really. Most meats cooked to 195 – 200 would be bone dry and tough, but a nice fatty pork shoulder (picnic or butt) becomes a wonderful thing when you let it go low and slow to that magic temp thanks to that internal breakdown that occurs during the plateau.

Some also call the plateau a “stall” since the temp stalls there and doesn’t climb for a while.
 

Cooksie

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Yes, yes....I want that magical piece of pork. Thanks, I just might give it a try, with a little help from my friend of course ;).
 

BamsBBQ

Ni pedo
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awesome my brother... we need to get together and i will build you a UDS..lol

i smoked a 15lb turkey at 260* - 300* today for 4 hours... 3 lbs of charcoal with lots of leftover charccal for the next time

pictures to follow
 

Keltin

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awesome my brother... we need to get together and i will build you a UDS..lol

i smoked a 15lb turkey at 260* - 300* today for 4 hours... 3 lbs of charcoal with lots of leftover charccal for the next time

pictures to follow

I'd love to try a UDS!! Not sure how many pounds it takes to fill a Weber Chimney, but that quantity lasts for 6 hours......with the addition of wood of course. I'd like to see what the UDS could do with the same amount!

BTW - looking at all that pulled pork in the bowl.......does it ever remind you of crab meat. I've eaten a LOT of crab meat in my day (grew up on the Gulf Coast), and that pulled pork shot always makes me think of shredded crab meat.

Yeah.....I'm weird!! :yum:
 

QSis

Grill Master
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Beautiful, Keltin!

Do you sauce the pork before serving, let people sauce it themselves, or leave it naked?

Lee
 

Keltin

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Beautiful, Keltin!

Do you sauce the pork before serving, let people sauce it themselves, or leave it naked?

Lee

I served it naked. I made available a covered bowl of warmed Sweet Baby Rays BBQ sauce, and carafe of some Carolina vinegar based sauce I made.

Also, a bowl of coleslaw was put out as well. So pretty much, when someone made a sandwich, they could put whatever they wanted on it. I also put out mayo and mustard just in case.
 

TexasGirl

The Invisible
Super Site Supporter
I served it naked. I made available a covered bowl of warmed Sweet Baby Rays BBQ sauce, and carafe of some Carolina vinegar based sauce I made.

Also, a bowl of coleslaw was put out as well. So pretty much, when someone made a sandwich, they could put whatever they wanted on it. I also put out mayo and mustard just in case.

I bet your wife loved that!! :yum::yum::yum:
just joking, just joking!! lol


Seriously, we REALLY need to set a day to have a NCT party!!!
 

Keltin

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Ok, to wrap this up, I finally got the sandwich pics out of the camera.

Here is a typical presentation or serving. Notice the really cool little carafe. I found a couple of these at a Thrift store for 25 cents. I often use them on the table for serving various things. In this case, it is the Carolina BBQ sauce (vinegar based). The idea is that you pick it up and pour a little over your meat when making your sandwich. Some even pour a little over their fries or chips! In these pics I just plated the carafe, but it and it’s brother (a bigger one) actually sat on the table between us all.

I think it’s really cool to serve plates with little condiment dishes like this.

The sandwich is buttered and grilled bread with pulled pork, slaw, a pickle, and of course, the Carolina sauce. The sauce makes the meat delectable, and the bread yummy and gooey. I love it!

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BamsBBQ

Ni pedo
Site Supporter
I'd love to try a UDS!! Not sure how many pounds it takes to fill a Weber Chimney, but that quantity lasts for 6 hours......with the addition of wood of course. I'd like to see what the UDS could do with the same amount!

BTW - looking at all that pulled pork in the bowl.......does it ever remind you of crab meat. I've eaten a LOT of crab meat in my day (grew up on the Gulf Coast), and that pulled pork shot always makes me think of shredded crab meat.

Yeah.....I'm weird!! :yum:

oh i forgot to mention that is was 45*F outside today and windy as heck..lol

but damn bro your PP looks like some of the best i have seen as far as photos wise... if your tastes half as good as it looks, i need to move back down to USA and make you a member of Bam's BBQ..no joking here
 

Cooksie

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Those are great photos, especially the one with open-faced sandwich and the full shot of the carafe. :a1:
 

AllenOK

New member
<drool>

NICE!!! Any leftovers? I like to make quesadillas and/or enchiladas with the leftovers. PeppA likes me to make Posole with the leftovers. The kids love PP, and the oldest usually claims the entire bowl of leftover PP as his personal after-school snack.

</drool>
 

Cooksie

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Gotta go find some foil :mrgreen:. It's great to see some of these old threads. It has only taken me one year to try this :yum:.
 

buzzard767

golfaknifeaholic
Gold Site Supporter
Gotta go find some foil :mrgreen:. It's great to see some of these old threads. It has only taken me one year to try this :yum:.

DO IT!!!!! Smokin' is a ton of fun and the results are practically guaranteed. When I get back to Naples in October firing up the smoker will be high on my list. I really miss it.
 
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