First pork butt

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Smokey Lew

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Jan 10, 2010
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Southern California - Riverside
Started my first pork butt this morning at about 6:30 in the morning. I used Wolfe Rub Original on it, then wrapped in plastic and let it sit in the fridge overnight. It's been in the WSM for a little over three hours and the internal temperature is already up to 161 degrees. The butt is a little over 7 pounds and the rack temperature has been stubbornly high most of the time at about 265 degrees.

I put a lot of hardwood lump charcoal in at the start and had to almost completely close down all three bottom vents to get the temperature to start lowering itself to where it is now at about 250 degrees. I had figured that it would take about 7 to 8 hours to finish but it looks like it's going to be half that time. Hope it comes out okay.

Pork butt in at about 6:30 this morning.


Well here it is after 8.5 hours! It turns out that all the comments made below were right. The butt hit a plateau at 170 degrees then went on cooking slowly until it was about 180. I pulled it then and put it in foil with some apple juice. Then it was back in the WSM until it hit 191. It's cooling now and I can't wait to pull it apart and see how it tastes.

 
Lew, it's time for a few beers. It looks like it's flying until it hits that platau, which it looks like your at right now. Might sit here for an hour and some, don't think somethings wrong, just have another beer!
 
Nick Prochilo said:
Lew, it's time for a few beers. It looks like it's flying until it hits that platau, which it looks like your at right now. Might sit here for an hour and some, don't think somethings wrong, just have another beer!
Thanks for the words of encouragement! It looks like you guys are right. It's been sitting a 167 for awhile now but I think I will pass on the beer right now, it's only 11:00 in the morning.
 
Stay steady on course. Don't change the temps in an attempt to speed it up. It will push through when it is ready. The plateau is when the fat is rendering and adding flavor to the meat.

In the words of Alton Brown...your patience will be rewarded.
 
Smokey Lew said:
[quote="Nick Prochilo":joyhetzv]Lew, it's time for a few beers. It looks like it's flying until it hits that platau, which it looks like your at right now. Might sit here for an hour and some, don't think somethings wrong, just have another beer!
Thanks for the words of encouragement! It looks like you guys are right. It's been sitting a 167 for awhile now but I think I will pass on the beer right now, it's only 11:00 in the morning.[/quote:joyhetzv]


And what's the problem?
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The Boy obviously dont drink beer before 11 AM. Unfortunantly that will get him bumped off the short list of them who get an invite to immigrate to God's Country (Texas of course). Now I have heard it very dangerous to drive in Sunny CA cuz all the migrating Okies mattresses blow off the top of the cars and hit other cars etc. Do anybody know about this kinda stuff?

bigwheel
 
bigwheel said:
The Boy obviously dont drink beer before 11 AM. Unfortunantly that will get him bumped off the short list of them who get an invite to immigrate to God's Country (Texas of course). Now I have heard it very dangerous to drive in Sunny CA cuz all the migrating Okies mattresses blow off the top of the cars and hit other cars etc. Do anybody know about this kinda stuff?

bigwheel
Tain't the mattresses that's the problem. It's all the chicken feathers and empty beer cans that get stuck in your grill and clumped up on your windscreen! Certainly would like that invite to God's Country though. Guess I'll have to start with apple cider in the morning instead of the OJ and work my way up to the Loan Star. 8)
 
Smokey Lew said:
bigwheel said:
The Boy obviously dont drink beer before 11 AM. Unfortunantly that will get him bumped off the short list of them who get an invite to immigrate to God's Country (Texas of course). Now I have heard it very dangerous to drive in Sunny CA cuz all the migrating Okies mattresses blow off the top of the cars and hit other cars etc. Do anybody know about this kinda stuff?

bigwheel
Tain't the mattresses that's the problem. It's all the chicken feathers and empty beer cans that get stuck in your grill and clumped up on your windscreen! Certainly would like that invite to God's Country though. Guess I'll have to start with apple cider in the morning instead of the OJ and work my way up to the Loan Star. 8)

Lew, Lew, Lew .......................... looks like you may have to start this cook all over again! :LOL: Now I have my invite to God's country coming up in a week or two. Gonna have to take a trip down to the Fort Worth Stockyards while I'm there! Got anyplaces you might recomend Bigwheel?
 
While I know this is not something your can eat, it is well worth the trip into Dallas to vist the Sixth Floor Museum. Get the head set and take the tour. Very well done and a great trip back in history. http://www.jfk.org/

Also, for great mexican, try Uncle Julio's. Really great fire roasted pepper salsa: http://www.unclejulios.com/
 
Well I dont spend much time over there but always got real good hamburgers at the Star Cafe if its still in bizness. Should be on W. Exchange. There is or was a catfish place near the train station called Riskys Catch which some have claimed is good. Neva tried it myself. Somebody said they had opened up a branch of Coopers BBQ over there. Who knows? Bunch of good beer drinking places. Filthy McNastys, White Elephant Saloon, Billy Bobs etc. Few greasy spoon type Mexican Restaurants none of which is very memorable. Joe T. Garcias apparently does some serious payola to the local newspaper food section and always gets good write ups but the food aint worth a flip. As the man say Uncle Julios aint too shabby but its a fairly good ways from the Stockyards out off I 30. Food aint bad if a person stay away from the enchiladas. It be Ok to eat the chicken enchiladas there. They have purty good tamales too.

bigwheel

Lew, Lew, Lew .......................... looks like you may have to start this cook all over again! :LOL: Now I have my invite to God's country coming up in a week or two. Gonna have to take a trip down to the Fort Worth Stockyards while I'm there! Got anyplaces you might recomend Bigwheel?[/quote]
 
Looks like things went pretty well. By the way, it's okay to drink before 11AM as long as the smoker is fired up!
 
The best is when you see some dude with his hand out the window holding the mattress (like if the rope gave way he'd be ok).

Keep smoken. Pork is the most forgiving.
I once had a brisket stall at 160 for four hours.

If it gets done early wrap it in two layers heavy duty foil and then a towel.
Put it in a dry ice chest and it'll stay hot for 4 or more hours.

Mike
 

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