Need some advice on timing a 6.5lb butt

[Mr.CPHo]

Hi, everyone. 

This will be my first real cook on my new 18.5 WSM and I could use some practical advice on timing my cook.  I have 6.5 pound butt in the fridge and I'm wondering when I should start my cook if I'm targeting an approximate 7p.m. dinner time tomorrow.  I'd like to build in a "resting" period in a makeshift cambro too.  I know it's a pretty open-ended question, so please forgive the newbie question. 

Yes, promise I'll get pics!

[kettlebb]

I'm still a newbie to this as well but I'd say plan for 1-1.5 hours per pound.  You'll want an internal temp of 205.  I have a butt that I'm doing this Saturday, I'm planning on using a full unlit basket of Stubb's, and then lighting 10 briquettes and placing them on the unlit pile.  I'll use peach wood from my trees and some dry rub.  I'll be putting mine on at 7 am and I'll take it off around 5.  I plan to let mine rest for 1.5 hours before pulling it.

[56MPG]

First of all YMMV applies here. So many variables, but I have miscalculated a few times due to the following:

1. Not accounting for the time it takes for the cooker to come up to temp and stabilize. I plan on an hour+ for that alone.
2. Not using hot water in the pan, making #1 take that much longer. Water in the pan - then light the coals. (I know, some people are not water people, but I like it)
3. Forgetting to flip and turn the shoulder now and then - every time you poke it with a therm.
4. Forgetting about the STALL - the most frustrating part of the process that you can't control.
5. Windy / rainy conditions. Usually slows things down.
6. Letting the fuel get too low before noticing.

Having said that, you have some back-ups available:

1. Bailing out to wrap and finish in an oven at 325-350 for an hour or so to get up to temp (I shoot for 195-200 now) is no sin. All the smoke flavor you need is already in the butt anyway.
2. Resting as long as possible is a good thing. (My last one rested overnight after a late cook) Use #1 to allow for this if you have to. I say two hours minimum
3. You're doing a relatively small shoulder, so you'll probably be fine with 10 hours in the smoker. Maybe less? Adding things up, if it were me, I would start at 5am. If you are done early that's a bonus - wrap it good (double foil and double beach towel) and tuck it in a cooler - the heat will stay for hours.

What cut are you working with? If it's a picnic, take the skin off. Bone in I presume? Doing beans in the basement?

Keep us informed, and have fun!

[Mr.CPHo]

Yes a picnic with bone in.   Good idea regarding the beans.  Thank you for the tips and possible pitfalls. 


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[56MPG]

You might lose a pound taking the skin off, maybe a little more. Use a thin knife and work it under the skin. Should be able to get it off in one piece. Do this the night before, rub too. Not sure if you are injecting or not, but I've done it both ways and not much difference. Load the WSM the night before too. (If it's going to be dry, or if you can keep it covered.) One less thing to do before coffee. If you do beans, they only need a couple three hours down below. Do them at the beginning and let them rest in the fridge to thicken up. Warm them 30 mins before serving, or keep in a crock pot on low.

Again, these are only one amature's recommendations. I'm better describing what I've screwed up than what I've done right.

[swamprb]

Here is a good place to start on Pork Shoulder/Butt/Picnic selection:
http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/porkbuttselect.html

Personally I prefer Picnic, I think the meat is sweeter. I leave the skin on and score it XXX's with a knife. I usually find Picnics in the 8-10 lb range and if I cook it with a butt @ the same size it usually takes an hour or two longer than the butt.
 
I'm a turbo-cooker so 275 is low for me, I love the flavor of fatty pork cooked over direct heat. In your case with an 18" bullet, I'd go with a dry pan covered with foil and shoot for 275* and figure at least 1.5 hours per pound. Plan on losing 30-60% of the weight of the butt/picnic after the cook.

I like to let is rest as long as you can possibly safely wait.

[Mr.CPHo]

Here are some pics of the overnight cook I started at 2am.  (I accidentally posted these in my intro, sorry for repetition).  It's been on for about 7 hours now and the IT is currently at 170.  I was again surprised by how efficiently this WSM burns charcoal.  When I checked this morning, I still had about half of the briquettes left to go. 
I welcome any constructive criticism.  Have a great day!


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[56MPG]

Looking good. Bark for lunch?

[jeffrackmo]

The Last butt I smoked was a smallish one.  Right around 6 pounds.  I started it at 6:30 a.m and internal stalled at 180 for almost an hour.  Grill temp was hovering around 240 or so.  Foiled it and put it back on for about 2 hours.  Internal hit 195.  I toweled it up, put in the cooler.It was ready to pull by 5:30. The Internal temp 2 hours later was right at 200.  Pulled it and voila!!  Fed 15 ppl with all the fixin's.  Beans, Slaw and Tater salad.  It was Maaahhhvelous.  Doing up a brisket, 2 chickens and another Butt this saturday.   The wife is excited about the Brisket as well as I...

Best of Luck!

TIA!

Jeff 

[Mr.CPHo]

The Last butt I smoked was a smallish one.  Right around 6 pounds.  I started it at 6:30 a.m and internal stalled at 180 for almost an hour.  Grill temp was hovering around 240 or so.  Foiled it and put it back on for about 2 hours.  Internal hit 195.  I toweled it up, put in the cooler.It was ready to pull by 5:30. The Internal temp 2 hours later was right at 200.  Pulled it and voila!!  Fed 15 ppl with all the fixin's.  Beans, Slaw and Tater salad.  It was Maaahhhvelous.  Doing up a brisket, 2 chickens and another Butt this saturday.   The wife is excited about the Brisket as well as I...

Best of Luck!

TIA!

Jeff

Interesting, I think mine is also stalling at 180, and I may consider foiling if it doesn't increase.



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[MINIgrillin]

I've been only smoking for 6hrs. Water pan. Drip pan. And I've been using my vortex ring to make a ring of charcoal to preserve fuel. Removing from the smoker I place the butt in a foil pan and seal with foil. I leave the temp probe in and place the whole deal in the oven at 225. I cook to 200ish.

I'll remove the temp probe and place the whole thing in a cooler to rest. Cover with towels. I've rested for up to 4hrs.

The reason I've been placing it into a foil pan is to retain and recover the juices. I'll pour the juices into a separator cup to remove most of the fat. Not really much anyway at this point. Pull the pork apart in the pan and add more rub to kick up the flavor. Then pour the juices over the pork. Works for me. This works particularly well if you need to transport everything. You can store the juice and pour it over before serving.

So I guess the moral of this story is...cook it early. Rest the heck out of it. I'm not sure you can "over-rest". Pull it apart in front of everyone for wow factor.

[tb80]

I cooked an 8 pounder last weekend at 250-275 and it took about 8 or 9 hours.


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[Mr.CPHo]

So overall it was a success.  I'm glad I started it earlier at 2 a.m.  At about the 10th hour, it stalled at 180, and for the next two hours it only increased to 189 at which point I had to pull it off to pick up the guest of honor from the airport.  Immediately after pulling it off, I  foiled, toweled, and placed in a cooler where it rested for about 3.5 hours.  During the cook, I maintained an approximate 250 temperate in-between the grates, and I did note a varied fluctuation anywhere from 244 to 257.  I assume that was due to the new WSM that hasn't properly sealed it.  Also noted a slight leak from around the door, but not enough to warrant one of those gasket kits.  I did use water in the water pan, and also a drip pan on the lower grate.  @MINIgrillin, that's a great idea to save the drippings to add back in later, I contemplated doing that and will definitely incorporate that step next time.  I'll also forgo the water next time, just to experience the difference for myself.  I've read that the bark will develop much more without water, any comments on that?

Thanks to everyone for their kind suggestions and sharing their own experience.  I can say without hesitation that I would've been screwed if I hadn't followed your advice to start early. 

I personally thought it was the best pulled pork I've ever made.  However, it's not just me sitting around the table, so I'm only happy with my results if everyone goes back for seconds, and thirds, and fourths, .... we stopped counting after that.  I'm pleased to report that everyone inhaled the pulled pork and there was plenty of praise in-between self-servings. 

On a separate note, my guest is from Australia and he said that it's only now that American BBQ is catching on in the land-down-under.  Their version of BBQ, albeit weak in my opinion, involves some sort of seafood on a gas powered flat top grill.  The only meat they use on occasion are sausages.  Oh, and they don't say "throw another shrimp on the bar-b".  They call shrimp, prawns. And they call bar-b's, grills. 

[MINIgrillin]

Glad your cook went well. You may wanna recant your statement about Aussie bbq. We got some hardcore award winning bbq artists here with some friggin awesome collections. But then again...it may just be your friends experience with bbq and that's ok too. Send em to @Jocool. He can set em straight.

Also, try to add in some rub when breaking the pork apart. It will help with the flavor alot. Just don't add to much.

[Mr.CPHo]

Glad your cook went well. You may wanna recant your statement about Aussie bbq. We got some hardcore award winning bbq artists here with some friggin awesome collections. But then again...it may just be your friends experience with bbq and that's ok too. Send em to @Jocool. He can set em straight.

Also, try to add in some rub when breaking the pork apart. It will help with the flavor alot. Just don't add to much.

Good point, my comments on Aussie BBQ weren't intended to be inflammatory (no pun intended).