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Advice on Pulled Pork

Gonzo

Gonzo

Well-Known Member
Mar 10, 2009
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Smoking ribs, I've got down. But I have much less experience smoking pork butt for pulled pork and was hoping to get some advice. At 225 I'm planning on going a little over an hour per pound. For 6 lbs. I'm wondering if after 4-4.5 hours I should wrap it in foil for the last couple hours? I figure it'll have taken on most if not all of the smoke it's going to take by then, and the foil would help keep it moist. Let me know what you guys think. Also, do you smoke it in a pan for any or all of the time in there, or straight on the grates?

Thanks for any help.
 
Gonzo said:
Smoking ribs, I've got down. But I have much less experience smoking pork butt for pulled pork and was hoping to get some advice. At 225 I'm planning on going a little over an hour per pound. For 6 lbs. I'm wondering if after 4-4.5 hours I should wrap it in foil for the last couple hours? I figure it'll have taken on most if not all of the smoke it's going to take by then, and the foil would help keep it moist. Let me know what you guys think. Also, do you smoke it in a pan for any or all of the time in there, or straight on the grates?

Thanks for any help.
Click to expand...
As long as you maintained 225 degrees, foiling it is unnecessary to keep moisture, it should still have plenty of moisture. Basically, just make sure you pull the meat at internal temperature of 190 (not 145 like I said before!) not 14 degrees and it should be perfect. I smoke right on the grate. I have never used a pan and have always been thrilled with my results but maybe you using a different smoker than I do. I have the Weber Smokey Mountain.

Good luck! I'm smoking right now as well. 4 racks of ribs and a pork loin. Can't wait for it to be done!
 
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Wrapping in foil is a must. Remember to spray the meat at least every hour add a little bbq sauce and sprinkle with rub prior to foil. I've got ribs on now!!
 
Gonzo said:
Smoking ribs, I've got down. But I have much less experience smoking pork butt for pulled pork and was hoping to get some advice. At 225 I'm planning on going a little over an hour per pound. For 6 lbs. I'm wondering if after 4-4.5 hours I should wrap it in foil for the last couple hours? I figure it'll have taken on most if not all of the smoke it's going to take by then, and the foil would help keep it moist. Let me know what you guys think. Also, do you smoke it in a pan for any or all of the time in there, or straight on the grates?

Thanks for any help.
Click to expand...

I just did one last weekend... came out great. I wrapped it in foil the last couple hours (once it reached 165 degrees). Once it hits 205 degrees you are done. Actually when I did it last weekend, once it hit 205 I had to go to church. So I took the foil wrapped pork butt and wrapped towels around it and put it in a cooler. An hour and a half later the stuff was so darn moist! Came out perfect.

Your time estimate may be a bit short... Could be closer to 1.5 hours per pound. Don't factor time in though...it's done when you reach the right temperature. If you cut it short the muscle won't break down and it won't be super tender and moist. Be patient... you'll find that at some temperature (can't recall... something like 175) the temp stops increasing for up to an hour or more.... be patient...that's the magic part. If it's taking longer than you planned...just open another beer or two.
 
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IceCyIce said:
Wrapping in foil is a must. Remember to spray the meat at least every hour add a little bbq sauce and sprinkle with rub prior to foil. I've got ribs on now!!
Click to expand...
I should have clarified in my post. I don't wrap with foil during the smoke but afterwards, I wrap the butt with foil tightly and put it into a cooler. This will make the meat moist and if you aren't ready for dinner yet, it will hold the heat for a few hours so you can serve it up when you are ready!
 
northernclone said:
I just did one last weekend... came out great. I wrapped it in foil the last couple hours (once it reached 165 degrees). Once it hits 205 degrees you are done. Actually when I did it last weekend, once it hit 205 I had to go to church. So I took the foil wrapped pork butt and wrapped towels around it and put it in a cooler. An hour and a half later the stuff was so darn moist! Came out perfect.

Your time estimate may be a bit short... Could be closer to 1.5 hours per pound. Don't factor time in though...it's done when you reach the right temperature. If you cut it short the muscle won't break down and it won't be super tender and moist. Be patient... you'll find that at some temperature (can't recall... something like 175) the temp stops increasing for up to an hour or more.... be patient...that's the magic part. If it's taking longer than you planned...just open another beer or two.
Click to expand...

This is exactly what I do, and you really cant go wrong with this method.
 
I usually cut it into 1ish lb chunks.
Get it to 190. Wrap tightly in foil, towels, and place in cooler for at least 45 minutes. Melts like butter
 
Thanks all, good stuff. The cut I got has a decent fat cap on it, how far down do you guys trim that?
 
I thought I'd share the results of the ribs. You guys who smoked today should share too!

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Honestly, it's pretty hard to mess up a pork butt. It's the easiest cut to smoke and get good results.

I typically smoke to 170 degrees, wrap in foil until 200 - 205 (when I can put a fork in the meat and easily twist, it's done).

I leave it in the foil, put it in a cooler for a least an hour - I think that really helps the juices get back into the meat.

After an hour (or two), remove from the cooler and pull.

That's what I do, but again, it's hard to mess up a butt
 
I usually coat the butt or shoulder with yellow mustard first then add my rub and let it marinate overnight. If I have a shoulder with a fat cap I will usually trim it down to about a 1/4" inch. I make sure I am getting good bark on it and will pull it off the smoker at around 195-200, wrap it in foil, put in in a cooler with a towel over it and wait about 30-45 minutes, before pulling it apart. I will sprinkle in more rub as I am pulling it apart just to give it a little more flavor. i will do 2 or 3 at a time and freeze the rest. Makes for some awesome pork nachos!!
 
First bit of advice get a meat thermometer. Time is a general rule of thumb but to be precise u need a therm.

Second don't trim the cap off. That'll come off very easily once it's done. Some like to cook it with the cap down to add a layer of protection against flare ups if u are smoking with charcoal or wood. Others like the cap on top to help baste the butt as it cooks. I smoke with the cap down.

Third I don't foil until it's done. Then I wrap in foil. Wrap it in a towel then throw it in a cooler for 30-60 mins. If you do this then you can pull it out of the smoker once internal temp reaches 193.
 
No pan...right on the grate...and put a coat of BBQ sauce on about every hour or so (flip each time). The temps are covered. Making me wish I had gone out and picked something up to smoke. Mouth is watering...
 
Internal Temp is irrelevant on things like pork butt.

Use a meat probe (could be a thermometer) and cook the meat until the probe goes in like melted better. I've had butts do this at 185° and I had one once go clear up to 210°.

If the meat is tough, it is most like undercooked. If it is dry and crumbly, it is overcooked.

I don't mess with sauces or basting or injecting, but to each his own.
 
No contribution from me.

Just would like to say I love each and every one of you.....

(Love me some pulled pork and appreciate any tips)
 
I think you can go a variety of ways with pork butt and get a desirable result. I inject mine with an apple juice and apple cider vinegar mixture before I put the rub on then I smoke it in a pan. I'll wrap it a few hours before it is finished and it makes some really juicy and tender pulled pork if cooked just right. Best recommendation I would have is try different methods until you find one you like the best. Most of my BBQ smoking I prefer not to do any saucing while it is on the smoker. About the only thing I might add sauce to late in the cooking is chicken and sometimes ribs but large cuts like pork butt or whole chicken there is no point to adding sauce until after you've separated it out and even then I like to leave it to whoever is eating to sauce to their taste by offering various sauces on the side.
 
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