Tips for Smoking Pork Butt
Posted by howtobbqright.com on 15th Mar 2016
Sometimes it's best to get back to the basics of smoking; and what better way than cooking a pork butt on yourPK Grill & Smoker. That's why we're sharing some great tips from our friends athowtobbqright.com to create a quality smoke on that prettyPK of yours. As long as you’re starting with a good product, (grill, meat, and wood) the end result will be delicious.
- Control the temperature of your cooker:The temperatureis most important, so set up for a low and slow cook at 235 degrees.
- Slow cook for moisture and flavor: Though many competition teams inject their meat, cooking at the lower temp will keep moisture inside the meat as it cooks. This will allow the fat to break down properly without the use of injections.
- Forget trimming: Many competition teams only trim the meat to achieve a perfect appearance. Here we just want it to taste good and not waste meat, plus the pork fat offers extra insulation.
- Season with your favorite BBQ rub & binder: Use a light coat of yellow mustard as a binder without adding a noticeable flavor. The vinegar will tenderize the outside, allowing the seasonings to penetrate the meat.
- Let it sit for 30 minutes:Allow the meat to reach room temp and give the rub time to melt into the meat.
- Control your temperature: Place the butt on the smoker and close the lid. At 235 degrees, pork cooks at a rate of 1 hour per pound
- Make a proper heat source: Use a good bed of coals for the heat source and some wood for flavor. Don’t overload with wood or you’ll get end up with over smoked meat.
- Keep the lid closed: The first half of the cooking process is where smoke does its magic. The pores open and absorb the flavor from the wood source. Pork can take smoke flavor until the meat reaches 150-160 degrees, so it’s important to keep the lid closed and hold your fire.
- Achieve effective air flow: You should get a thin blue colored smoke rolling through the pit. If the smoke is thick and white it’s not getting proper oxygen to the fire. You’ll need to adjust theair flow and ventilation to let it breath.
- Monitor internal temperature after first 3-4 hours: You’re in the second half of the cooking process, which is when you should start to monitor internal temperature. When using a thermometer, be sure not to hit the blade bone or you’ll get a false reading.
- Wrap in foil: At the 5-hour mark the internal temp should be in the 160 range. Wrap in aluminum foil to keep the meat from getting too much smoke and to catch the moisture being released during the cooking process.
- Maintain the fire: No need to add any more wood or coals; just maintain the fire and let the butt finish cooking.
- Cook to an internal temperature of 195 degrees:When the target temp is reached, pull the butt off the smoker and let sit for at least 30 minutes in a large pan or platter to catch the jus.
- Save the jus: After the rest period, remove the butt from the foil and pour off the jus and save to mix in the meat once it is pulled apart.
- To serveimmediately: Shred the pork with a pair of thick gloves. At 195 degrees, pork is easily shredded but still extremely hot. Once shredded, mix some of the jus back with the meat.
- To save for later: Instead of shredding, keep the pieces in large chunks and pour a little of the jus with the chunks of meat for added flavor and moisture.
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Still hungry for more delicious ways to prepare pork shoulder? Check out thisTacos Al Pastor recipe on our YouTube channel!
