Boston butt advice please

JR Smokin it up

Knows what a fatty is.
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I'm putting on a Boston butt in the morning. It's just the butt with no picnic. This is my first time and i would like some advice especially from the stick burner people. I will be using red oak and pecan splits. Thankyou
 
Cook hot as you like because butts can take a lot of heat. wrap when the bark looks good to you. pull when the bone starts to wiggle freely.
 
Some like to cook at hotter temperatures over a short period of time, while others like to cook at lower temperatures over a longer period of time. The bottom line is you have to find what method works best for you with your cooker, and may not work for someone else.

Even the same person cooking the same size piece of meat will never have an identical cook. The reason no two cooks are alike is due to variances in cookers, type of wood, relative humidity, outside temperature, barometric pressure, and even variances in meat from animal to animal.

As far as internal temperature, every piece of meat is different, I've had some done at 185° where others were done at 205° . Your best results are not determined by temperature alone, but rather by human interaction. Grasp the bone with the thumb and index finger and gently try to twist. If it wiggles like a child's loose tooth, then it is done. If you butt is boneless, simply use a probe, toothpick, or ice-pick and insert it into the meat. When it enters into the meat with almost no resistance, then it's done.

But the pork butt is a very forgiving piece of meat, don't overthink the process and enjoy the cook. Keep us posted....
 
I usually smoke till I get desired bark "as PJ mentioned above". Which is usually 165-170
Then I pan and foil and remove @ 205 and make sure I got decent bone wiggle. Rest about 1hour then pull.
If I am smoking a lot of butts I smoke them @ 300. I don't wrap, and usually take them off @ 205.
 
Some like to cook at hotter temperatures over a short period of time, while others like to cook at lower temperatures over a longer period of time. The bottom line is you have to find what method works best for you with your cooker, and may not work for someone else.

Even the same person cooking the same size piece of meat will never have an identical cook. The reason no two cooks are alike is due to variances in cookers, type of wood, relative humidity, outside temperature, barometric pressure, and even variances in meat from animal to animal.

As far as internal temperature, every piece of meat is different, I've had some done at 185° where others were done at 205° . Your best results are not determined by temperature alone, but rather by human interaction. Grasp the bone with the thumb and index finger and gently try to twist. If it wiggles like a child's loose tooth, then it is done. If you butt is boneless, simply use a probe, toothpick, or ice-pick and insert it into the meat. When it enters into the meat with almost no resistance, then it's done.

But the pork butt is a very forgiving piece of meat, don't overthink the process and enjoy the cook. Keep us posted....

^^^^^...that's the ticket!

Also, give it an hour or two rest, that lets the juices redistribute.
 
I like to wrap in butcher paper once you got t he color/bark you are looking for. Seem like it bastes the meat in it's fat but lets some moisture out so you don't ruin the bark.
 
I have never wrapped one so can't speak to the advantages/disadvantages. I cook them on the top shelf with a pan underneath makes the cleanup better IMO. The cut as other have said is a joy to cook and oh so very tasty and forgining. I put the lefter overs in 10 to 12 oz freezer containers for beans or what ever else benefits from the goodness of pork butt. Make sure to post pics.
 
Thank-you again for the advice everyone it's looking nice I'll post another pick of it pulled after the rest
 

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