Smoking a pork butt Saturday

[eyesonice]

I'm going to try smoking about an 8 lb pork butt this weekend. Any brine and dry rub ideas you guys have would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[perchnut]

im sure you'll get a bunch of suggestions.....for a dry rub, I use garlic powder, onion powder, paprika....some oregano, chili powder, lots of cayene....and anything else that strikes me as i look in the seasons...but I rub it, then wrap in plastic wrap and put in the fridge over night.  I get my smoker going, around 225 for as many hours as it takes to reach....what is it for pork, 160?.  then I take it out, let it rest in the pan and shred away...I'll also put a pan of apple juice in the smoker for a little moisture...you can mop with a vinegar/butter/hot pepper/brown sugar mix if you want......but low and slow works for me.  you can always finish it off in the hot oven if you want to get that internal temp up...good luck, let us know how it goes.  Oh, i usually use apple chips.

[jigginrap]

That's funny, I have 16 pounds of butt I'm doing Saturday also!! Lately I've been using a coating of molasses and then rubbing down your butt with whatever rub you like. A lot of people use cheap yellow mustard before applying the rub, but trust me on this one, the molasses is where it's at. It gives the butt an awesome tasting bark on the outside. I've used Bad Byron's Butt Rub, Famous Dave's Rib Rub, and a homemade recipe. The homemade recipe is definetly my favorite. Google, Jan's Rub, the recipe should pop up. It's a winner for sure. Enjoy your smoke, if I remember, I'll post up some pics when I get mine going Saturday.

[jigginrap]

I do the apple juice in the water dish also. I take mine up to 195 IT. Once the butt gets up to that temp I pull it from the smoker, wrap it up in aluminum foil, wrap up in a towel and put it in a cooler for around 3-4 hours. This gives the butt an opportunity to pull all the juices back into the meat and makes the bone slide right out. Makes pulling a breeze!

[rugby ice]

Mmmmmm PORK!!!!  I did 24lbs x2 this summer for a party and to freeze and both turned out great. Very simple!!!  RUB, WRAP, LOW AND SLOW!!!

[tench]

If you're planning on pulling it I'd stick with a dry rub, then afterwards moisten it with a sauce. Brining and coating with an oil and garlic based wet rub will make it turn out more like a roast type cut. For either of these remember to let it set for a bit to allow juices to settle in the meat.

[frozengator]

Whats your setup???  I have a grill dome done quite a few butts on it.

[esox_xtm]

I love pork and do butts frequently. If I'm feeling lazy I cheat by starting 'em in the oven and finishing on the grill/smoker over indirect heat and apple wood. My very most favorite recipe I call Cheater's Pulled Pork.......

I confess, this thing is stolen almost in it's entirety from Alton Brown's Pork Rib recipe.

Who Loves Ya Baby-Back Ribs?
     
Recipe Summary
Prep Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours 25 minutes
Yield: 2 slabs ribs

2 whole slabs pork baby back ribs or one pork shoulder (butt or picnic)

Dry Rub:
8 tablespoons light brown sugar, tightly packed
3 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon jalapeno seasoning (I use chipotle powder)
1/2 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
1/2 teaspoon rubbed thyme
1/2 teaspoon onion powder

*This recipe makes several batches of dry rub. If more rub is needed, it can be extended by any amount, as long as the ratio of 8:3:1:1 remains the same.


Braising Liquid:
1 cup white wine
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon honey
2 cloves garlic, chopped (you may substitute ½ tsp. garlic powder)
Double this recipe if you're doing a shoulder up to 8# or so, more yet for bigger

To finish the sauce:
1 tablespoon mustard
¼ - 1/3 cup ketchup
Splash of Bourbon or other whiskey (optional)


Directions:

In a bowl, combine all dry ingredients and mix well. Place each slab of baby back ribs on a piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil, shiny side down. Sprinkle each side generously with the dry rub. Pat the dry rub into the meat. Refrigerate the ribs for a minimum of 1 hour, overnight is best. For a shoulder I use a Dutch oven.

Preheat oven to 250 degrees for ribs and 280-300 for a shoulder.

In a microwavable container, combine all ingredients for the braising liquid. I usually do the wine and honey and microwave on high for 1 minute, then add the rest. Note: if you are only doing one rack of ribs use HALF the amount of braising liquid.

Place the ribs on a baking sheet. Open one end of the foil on each slab and pour half of the braising liquid into each foil packet. Tilt the baking sheet in order to equally distribute the braising liquid. Braise the ribs in the oven for 2 1/2 hours. A shoulder goes in a Dutch oven needs at least 3-4 hours at 300 if you are going to finish it on a grill and probably four and a half if you’re just doing it in the oven. If the shoulder is not mostly covered by the liquid I may turn it over a couple of times during the braising process.

Transfer the braising liquid into a medium saucepot. I usually defat the liquid first and then whisk in the mustard and ketchup. A splash of Bourbon or whiskey is perfectly acceptable as well. Bring the liquid to a simmer and reduce by half or until of a thick syrup consistency.

To finish in the oven: Brush the glaze onto the ribs. Place under the broiler just until the glaze caramelizes lightly. Slice each slab into 2 rib bone portions. Place the remaining hot glaze into a bowl and toss the rib portions in the glaze.

To finish on the grill: Sear the top of the ribs or shoulder over direct heat to remove or crisp the fat. Remove to indirect heat and brush the sauce on each side (favoring the top) turning about every 20 minutes. I come to prefer indirect heat where the shoulder can be left pretty much unattended for hours save the occasional addition of apple wood chunks and misting with apple juice.

The very best part is you can do the oven cheat, freeze the pork, save the sauce, then thaw and cook (in a Weber on the ice ) at your convenience and it tastes like it's been in the smoker for hours.

This so good it's.................... just good

So, the dry rub is good all by itself but you need a way to keep it moist in the smoker/grill, misting with apple juice is great.

If you don't do the braise in the oven you don't get the worlds best BBQ sauce. I usually do at least 3 hours in the oven just to get the sauce and finish with another oh, up to 2-3 hours with some smoke and apple juice mist before I start slathering with the sauce. Then I'll usually give it another couple hours or so. Indirect heat on my CharGriller is almost carefree........ Oh yeah, I stick an old cake pan with water in it just to keep the humidity up in the grill.

There's so many ways to do this and all of 'em are good as long as there's pork involved. this is just one of my favorites.

You may also want to check out some of the other ideas here:

http://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=226245.0

There's some wandering off topic but still some good stuff to be had....... Happy smoking! (I've got a rack of baby backs all rubbed up in the fridge for tonight  )

/m

[pfscott]

I did over 100 lbs of butts this year, and tried several different rubs, best one was chipotle, brown sugar, dark chilli powder, black pepper, and coarse salt, but the wood seemed to matter the most for me. I tried injections and brining several times in the past also. I only use a few briquetts to get the wood burning, and 75% white oak/25% cherry seemed to do the best for me. Chargriller with offset firebox.

[perchnut]

Ive got a brinkman with the offset fire box.  Ive rigged the fire box, so I have a propane burner in it, so I can really regulate the temperature.  Ive got a cast iron 'chip box' that I put my smoke in.  This set up really works great.  If im around all day and can be tenative, I'll forgo the propane and use a few briquettes and wood...

[Ice-D]

After experimenting for a while this is the recipe I've been using over the last year or so.  It's been posted around the web so I guess it's ok to post it here.  I inject and rub while the smoker is warming up.  Cook it at 225-250 until it's around 195 internal and is probe tender, wrap it in foil and rest it in a cooler for an hour or so before pulling.  I like to use cherry chips for pork.  It has consistently produced good pulled pork for me.  Let us know how it turns out.



Chris Lilly's Six-time World Championship Pork Shoulder
Recipe By : Chris Lilly of Big Bob Gibson's
 

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
For the pork shoulder rub:

1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup paprika
1/3 cup garlic salt
1/3 cup kosher salt
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon oregano leaves
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon black pepper
-----------

Pork injection:

3/4 cup apple juice
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup salt
2 tablespoons Worcestershire

[eyesonice]

Thanks everyone, this summer I bought a Masterbuilt digital electic smoker. I had big plans of making my own venison sausage and bacon with this years harvest but low and behold I still have all of my tags. We have 1 more shot next weekend that is an anterless only season so I will have to hit the woods again to try to fill a tag or 2. Well in the store the other day they had pork butts for $1.59/lb and I figured what the heck might just as well give it a try. I am going to do the dry rub and wrap overnight in the fridge using ideas from your suggestions above. I will let you know how it turns out. Thanks again.

[Bearsfan]

Wow it must be a day for butts, pulled mine out of the freezer to thaw and will be on the Weber today. I use Doug fir and Apple wood cut into about 3"-4" pieces and my simple rub is Brown sugar, Lowry's seasoning salt and dry mustard. But it looks like I'll do a different rub since some you guys posted some delicious sounding ones, hm now which one shall I choose.

[eyesonice]

I would have swore that I had apple chips left over that I bought when I bought my first smoker but low and behold nothing! So today is going to be some experimenting. I do have Cherry so that will be what I use. Hopefully I don't wreck this. Should be on the smoker in about 10 mins

[eyesonice]

Holy moly did that turn out fantastic! I ate way to much but it was the best to date. Thanks for the ideas guys, I really appreciate it.

[esox_xtm]

If I could choose between cherry and apple................. as much as I like apple, cherry would win.

/m

[IDbasser]

Here is a picture of pork that I cooked for a scout fundraiser dinner this summer, and a picture of a turkey I did for Thanksgiving.  The pork was done on a big smoker using apple wood, and the turkey was done a one of the 3 small smokers I have using hickory.

[Bearsfan]

Oh my that turkey looks absolutely amazing, I would love to smoke a turkey but my wife PREFERS oven roasted. Let me when you plan on doing one of those babies on the ice, I'll come a running, mouth watering and nose in the air.

[IDbasser]

I made jalepeno and cheddar brats from deer and antelope for grilling on the ice, will be at Henry's the weekend of the 15th.  Look me up.

[addicted to ice fishing]

Picked up a pork butt up on the way home from work.  Made up a dry rub, and now it is sitting till tomorrow.  Will smoke it up using cherry and hicory blend.

[UP jigstick]

(Image removed from quote.)

The best Thanksgiving day turkey I ever made looked exactly like that when it came out of the Weber® grill. The kids and I thought it was great, the wife, eh, not so much. I learned a valuable lesson that day! If'n I wants smoked meats fer supper, I gots ta do 'em whilst she's at work. 

[IDbasser]

That turkey came out juicy and awesome tasting.  I'm lucky that my wife loves smoked food. Gives me the excuse to smoke all kinds of food.

[frozengator]

The best Thanksgiving day turkey I ever made looked exactly like that when it came out of the Weber® grill. The kids and I thought it was great, the wife, eh, not so much. I learned a valuable lesson that day! If'n I wants smoked meats fer supper, I gots ta do 'em whilst she's at work. 

Yep same here, wife says shes tired of smoked food.   But she still likes the ribs I make.

[IDbasser]

Those ribs look amazing

[addicted to ice fishing]

Just got the pork butt in the smoker.  Now to get a batch of beef jerky ready to smoke for tomorrow.

[eyesonice]

Just got the pork butt in the smoker.  Now to get a batch of beef jerky ready to smoke for tomorrow.

I want to try some jerky next. Any recipes or secrets you want to share? I have never done it before.

[IDbasser]

for jerky I use the High Mountain jerky seasoning and cures.  They have alot of varieties of flavors, really easy to use, and great tasting.  When it calls for the amount of flavor season. I make it with 1/2 original and 1/2 black pepper and garlic.  it gives good flaovor.

[addicted to ice fishing]

I want to try some jerky next. Any recipes or secrets you want to share? I have never done it before.

I like using cracked pepper. And garlic seasoning.  I buy a 3.5 - 4 lb beef roast, and trim the fat up. I usually end up with around 3 lbs of meat to slice up.  I mix the seasoning and cure for the batch of meat. Then I slice it into strips.  I lay the strips out, and season it on one side, then flip it over, and do the other side.  When both sides are seasoned, I place in a gallon zip lock bag, and refrigerate over night.  I lay the strips on the smoker rack so that they are close, but not touching. I put water in the pan to add moisture, and put hickory chips in the fire box.  I smoke the jerky at 180 - 200 degrees.  After 1.5 hrs I check the jerky, and every 1/2 after that.  In my smoker, the jerky usually is done in 2 - 2.5 hrs.