BBQ Pork Butt or Shoulder

[Andy M.]

At 160 F the pork is coked and safe to eat. It's just not pulled pork yet.

Cooking the butt to an internal temperature of 200 F breaks down the bond between the meat fibers so it is "pullable".

 

[htc]

I agree with you Rainee! I didn't want my guests waiting on the food, especially since this is my first time. Though I didn't realize it would take this long! It's going on 13 hours and it's only at about 165. Is that normal? Or am I just being impatient?? I thought that with it being bonless it would be faster. I think it's approx. 7-8 pounds. It's getting pretty dark on the outside. Do I need to cover it with foil??


Thanks!

 

[Raine]

You can cover it foil and it will help speed it up some.

Oh, the previous question. It is correct that pork is done at 160°, but it is not BBQ, and not pullable until it gets to 200-205°

 

[htc]

It's now 4:22 am where I am. I JUST finished the pork butt and pulled it. when I pulled the pork off of the rack, it's pretty much all burnt on the outside, is that normal? (once it's pulled, it looks really nice)

Also note to self: this take sooo long to do, I've decided I can only prepare this for family and the best of friends. No enemies at my bbqs for this dish!

 

[htc]

Here is the finished product:



Here is a pic of it off of the grill:



Here's a pic of the pork I smoked last week for Father's Day:



Now good night y'all! Thanks for your help getting me through my first smoking project!!

 

[AllenOK]

Yup, that looks like Pulled Pork!

I'm planning on making one tomorrow, unless I get home early enough today, then I'll make it today.

 

[Raine]

Yep, it can get black at times, but a nice golden color is good too.

 

[htc]

Elf, I got rave reviews for your rub!

 

[kitchenelf]

Glad it turned out htc!!!! Yes, making pulled pork can be a long process but it is so worth it. I have never had to finish my product in the oven though - it always cooks just fine in my electric smoker. That hard crust on the outside is what helps keep the inside so moist. Sounds like things turned out - and now you know about how long it takes and can plan from there. Did you notice a smoke ring once you cut into it? It should have been a darker ring all around the outside.

 

[htc]

Yes I think it was a little reddish color. I've noticed that with all the meats I've smoked out there. Too bad I only have about 1 serving of meat left! It was WONDERFUL on a bed of field greens w/ some tomatoes, carrot cappers, and feta cheese.

 

[kitchenelf]

I'm going to do smoked beer butt chicken on the 4th but you are really making me want to cook a pork butt too!!!!! lol But then with the pork butt I've got to do the NC Vinegar slaw and have buns and hamburger chips (pickles) - oh dear, what to do!!!!! Too much food so little time!!!

 

[htc]

I'm thinking of tossing a seasoned pork butt in my oven at 225 to make pulled pork. (I know this is hard for you real Qers out there to read. I just don't want to feed charcoal for a long time again.)

If I do this, do you think I will need to cover the pork in foil so it doesn't dry out?? I will also spray it with my cider once in a while...

 

[Andy M.]

I've done this before. Do not cover it in foil. The crust is prized. Before cooking, apply a rub and refrigerate overnight. Use a probe thermometer and cook it until the internal temperature reaches 200 F.

If you want, you could add some liquid smoke to the cider or mix some into the rub, or both.

Expect the cooking to take 8-12 hours depending on the size of the butt.

 

[kitchenelf]

I'm thinking of tossing a seasoned pork butt in my oven at 225 to make pulled pork. (I know this is hard for you real Qers out there to read. I just don't want to feed charcoal for a long time again.)

If I do this, do you think I will need to cover the pork in foil so it doesn't dry out?? I will also spray it with my cider once in a while...

For anyone who wants to know how this is I cooked a pork butt in my oven Please don't tell anyone around here or I will have to move! Next time I will place the pork butt directly on the oven rack (I only rubbed with olive oil, salt, pepper, a little brown sugar, and some liquid smoke). I will, next time, place a large dish under it to catch all the drippings but I will fill the dish half way with apple juice. I always smoke with apple juice versus water and it imparts a wonderful flavor.

I cannot tell you how wonderful it was. I CAN tell you that it took a LOT longer than I thought. I don't remember the poundage but apparently it was pretty big! At 225 degrees F. it took 20 hours to reach an internal temperature of 200 degrees F. I was NOT going to take it out before it reached this internal temp. because that's when I know it is so melt-in-your-mouth perfect. I'm glad I was going to have it be an addition to my Christmas Eve but mainly wanted it for Christmas Day. Good thing!!!! I put it in on Christmas Eve at 2:30 PM, thinking oh, 10:00 or so it could be nibbled on - NOT. It wasn't done until somewhere around 10:00 Christmas morning! It was, however, like butter!

 

[kadesma]

Elf, I'm going to end up drubbed out of the ranks I hate to tell, but I threw a pork but into the crockpot saturday for BBQ pulled pork about 4 and let it go,forgetting about it as I'd set it for 20 hrs...Well, I was surprised as it was like an oven cooked one for carnitas where you get the crunchy peices on the corners and on top..Could not figure out why and even the top had a nice brown to it..Well I finally figured it out, good ol ma forgot to add the 1/4 c water I always put in the bottom!!! It had a nice rich meat broth that I mixed with the meat and my kids and DH said it was the best ever...go figure..I still would like to try one from the Q but i'm not good at it and I need to convince my s-i-l to do it, hum maybe more chocolaty brownies? his downfall

kadesma

 

[StirBlue]

I have a small smoker outside. Occassionally, I borrow the grill and bring it inside. I have several roasting pans that the grill will fit over. I put whatever (meat, poultry, etc) on the grill and some liquid in the roasting pan. I have to take some of the racks out of the oven when I do this.

And as you said it comes out great.

 

[Candocook]

I'm thinking of tossing a seasoned pork butt in my oven at 225 to make pulled pork. (I know this is hard for you real Qers out there to read. I just don't want to feed charcoal for a long time again.)

If I do this, do you think I will need to cover the pork in foil so it doesn't dry out?? I will also spray it with my cider once in a while...

Absolutely not. Cook it uncovered. It will get a wonderful golden crust, that as I always say, you will have to slap your hands to keep from eating it all. It can be done quite well at 250*. I find that mine are done easily (7#ers) in 8 or 10 hours. It is only in recent years that I have become aware of an actual temperature of the 190*+ range. For the other 35 years I have done them, the time is just fine. Probably 10 hours for the 7# variety. But no less than 8 hours for a 3-4# butt.

 

[kitchenelf]

OK - this time I did the pork butt directly on the oven rack with a cake pan of applejuice underneath, filled roughly half way. The crust it developed was beeeeeeeeautiful!!!!! It was a MUCH smaller pork butt than I used the last time and only took about 10 hours-12 hours to cook. I stuck it in last night and pulled it out this morning.

 

[mudbug]

tomorrow and the day after, I bet, Pook!

 

[AllenOK]

My g'ma gave me a pork butt a few days ago, along with a bunch of other things. I'm DEFINITELY going to smoke it, but it's probably going to be several months before I get around to doing that. Luckily, the pork is wrapped up really well and frozen.