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Recipes, Smoking Meats
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BBQbyDan
PORK SHOULDER BUTT SMOKING BASICS
PACKAGING, TYPES, AND PARTS OF A BUTT The words used in the world of butt are:
Boston
Butt, Butt, Shoulder, Picnic, what that basically means in the BBQ world, is: - The overall piece we derive the butt is the front shoulder and lower leg of the pig - Divide the shoulder into two pieces, and upper (shoulder part) and a lower (leg part)
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Then you have the the two identified pieces. - The rear upper leg is not a butt, but is a ham. - I am guessing that the word "Boston" came about due to the butt being enjoyed and cooked in a particular fashion in Boston during our history and the term "butt" derived from the piece in question "butting against" the main body/torso of the pig. But am just guessing at that.
Don't know for a fact, but I believe there are 7 different muscles that come together in the butt that run all different directions. I also ALWAYS cook bone-in. I just don't like the moisture content when I cook bone-out, as an FYI.
Your typical butt that you will find in a store come in various cuts, packages, and types.
- At Costco for example you will NOT always find the Butt in the counter for sale. However, it will be sold, or available, almost always. It will arrive to the stores in the cryopac packer package (what all meats come in from a slaughter house), 2 in a package, and will be sold to you typically in that fashion. Usually the butt weighs between 7.5 & 9 pounds and sells typically at Costco for .99 - 1.29 cents per/lb. Due to the neighborhood your Costco is in they handle it differently. In my neighborhood the butchers opens the package and slices the butts into strips. They then re-package and name them "Country Style Ribs". Even though they are not really a rib. They cook up nice and people like them a lot. I however usually just cook the whole butt. So, if I can catch them before they have sliced them all up they will walk into the back room and pick up a package and price it for me at the correct price of an un-cut butt.
- At Smart & Final, most supermarkets, and other stores, you will find the butt typically comes in a cryopac package, a packer cut, and mostly by the packing plant of IBP or Farmer John. I am more cautious of Farmer John Pork in that it typically comes in a brine, or preservative type liquid. That allows it probably a 3x shelf life in the store. However, pork, unlike beef, will "turn" with age. I use the word "turn" to mean it will smell bad and the liquids will become gooey like. This is undesirable and unacceptable. Costco's supplier does not use a brine type preservative (this is good). So, beware of the expiration date on the packages. If it says a week out it is probably good. If it says a month out then you know it has to have a preservative as it could not last that long otherwise. Also, the brine, when used with ribs, can actually break down the meats. Don't know if you have every tried to remove the membrane from a Farmer John Rib and found it just fell apart. Well, that happened for a reason. So, just making everybody aware of what is out there and go get what you want. Also if I suspect a problem I will always open the package of meat at the market counter and smell it after the checker has rung it up. If it smells fine, then no problem. I will take it like that. If it has "turned" then I just hand it back for an exchange or refund. There is no down side to this. You can tape it shut as home again, freeze, or cook then and not worry about it. You might this might very rarely happen. I can state here in the Los Angeles area I will get a bad piece of butt or rib 1-2 times out of 5.
When meat comes packaged in a cryopac package with a packer cut you get it at the cheapest cost in that no labor costs are required to further process it. Now you are charged less and get to trim it the way you want and have all the fat on it you might want.
So, needless to say. I always buy and cook a full, uncut, butt and recommend that. So, choose which method pleases you. But, be warned each piece will cook differently separated than it will if de-boned or sliced.
TRIMMING AND PREPARATION The butt is the one piece of meat I need to trim the least. I trim most of the fat off the butt. I leave about 1/8 inch in some places. This is not a point I get to anal about. Compared to a brisket there just is not that much trimming to do on a butt. Just leave a bit of fat on to self-baste, but not enough to bother you while slicing and eating. After it is cooked it all taste crusty and great!
COOKING IN A SMOKER. I typically don't want to work, or stay up all night, watching a fire. So, I usually don't put my butts or briskets in a big log-burning or off-set type cooker. I will start with a Weber Smoky Mountain (WSM) which can go unattended for up to 7 - 8 hours if packed with water and fuel. I put as many as two, or three small, a rack in a WSM with no problem with mesquite fuel and a chunk of oak and hickory, maybe, if they are handy. And, I have three racks in my WSM's. So, I can do a LOT of butts in a little WSM. My modification instructions are in the "smoking" section section of www.BBQDan.com & www.BBQbyDan.com . Usually after 9 hours, or about that time, I will rotate, maybe put in the oven if at home (heck, the smoking process is now over, why waste valuable smoking woods and time), or move it to a big smoking pit, depending upon where I am and what I am doing. I cook my butts between 240 - 250 for 11-15 hours for a 7-8+ pounder. A large rotisserie smoker takes a few hours less than a smaller, static-shelf, unit. I will start basting about 2/3'rds through the process and about every 90-120 minutes from that point on if on a small smoker. In a rotisserie no basting is necessary as the meats will self-baste on each other during rotation. However, they will taste VERY good without ever basting!
For a butt, since it has so much meat that will never get the direct contact of the smoke, I will use mesquite, some oak, and a bit of hickory. But, mostly mesquite. This is due to the fact that here in Southern California mesquite is the cheapest and easiest to come by in 40lb bags for $8.99. Oak and hickory are hard to find and expensive. I prefer however the taste of pecan and a combination of oak and hickory to mesquite. Some folks think that Mesquite is a bit strong. To me it still is QUITE FINE either way. Being that the butt is so thick when you cut or shred it up it evens out any strong mesquite flavor in my mind. To be honest I don't care either way. My wife does not like the mesquite.
THE BUTT COOKING PROCESS As I said before I cook my butts between 240 - 250 for 11-15 hours for a 7-8+ pounder. Then will rotate or turn and start basting about 2/3'rds through the cooking process. In a non-rotisserie oven I would turn at maybe 9 hours and marinade, or not, maybe at 90 minute intervals (if you don't wrap). In a rotisserie smoker I will not turn.
If you like Mr. Brown, or a crispy crust, don't wrap with foil during the later cooking timeframe. If you like soft crust, then wrap. I have done an many wrapped as not and normally don't wrap for myself or a contest but wrapping is fine if you like it that way. I really like the BBQ crispiness and taste that comes with a non-wrapped butt versus the more steamed like taste that comes with wrapping. But, the meat on the inside is still pretty much the same either way. It can have overall more moisture if wrapped. Each to his own.
Once you reach a point where you think it might be done there are several ways of testing. You can check the doneness after about 11 hours by looking at the bone. If it is loose, meat pulled back, and meat seems very tender. It is very close. I would pull between 196 and 199 measured right in the middle. This butt will be one of the best, tender, pull-apart, and moist piece of meat you have ever had.
FINISHING AND GLAZING I personally don't glaze while cooking. I prefer to dip or sauce while eating. But, if you are going to glaze I would remove it just when you find it is done to your liking. Put your favorite glaze on, and then put it back in for 30 minutes. This will caramelize or glaze a bit and make it taste better. Typically sweet does go well with butts. But, hey, do what makes you feel good. I don't glaze a butt like I would ribs. Instead I might just pull from the oven and have sauce on the side to eat with it.
If it gets done early I will wrap in film (cellophane) or foil, wrap in multiple towels or blankets to hold heat, and then put in an igloo type cooler. Or not wrap and put in a catering heat-holding box (Cambro like) and let it continue to cook a bit. It can hold its heat for many hours and get better yet. Might lose a bit of Mr. Brown however.
So, the bottom line is sometimes it is a tough thing to judge exactly. I just find that cooking my butt for 11+ hours, basting some after 2/3'rds cooking time, and starting to check for doneness at about 11 - 13 hours gets me success most of the time in a WSM. In a rotisserie I just let it go. If I am doing multiple butts, as in 4 - 24 I try and let them self-baste themselves through the rotisserie action and never open the door till 11 hours has passed. Check temp for 200 and all will be fine.
When I do them as described above they are moist, break apart perfectly, and they taste great with a bit of BBQbyDan Fancy Glaze
I will confess that when doing 6 - 60 butts at a time I will just slightly trim, spray with a mixture of oil and apple juice, season with a rub, put in the Ole Hickory at 250, let them self-baste on the 15 rotisserie shelves, cook evenly via the convection fan, and not open the door for 11 hours. Then they will be absolutely perfect, moist, and I get to do other things related to that event. I of course did not mention this sooner as I wanted to describe how anybody can do it at home for themselves.
TRIMMING AND SLICING
If you pull the butt at 188 - 191 you will be able to slice the meat.
It has about 7 different grains running many directions. If you pull it at 196- 200 it will
be very difficult to slice and is best enjoyed pulled, chunked, or
chopped (my favorite way). I typically like to put some of the collected juices,
if any, on the shredded or chunked and then mix a bit of BBQbyDan 5 Star
Fancy Glaze with it. BOY, that is good.
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