1st Attempt at Pulled Pork

[Grampy]

I am attempting to smoke my 1st bone in 9.5 lb Boston Butt in my SI #2 today. I brined the butt in DivotMaker's pork brine for 13 hours. Covered it in mustard and then coated it with What's This Seasoning original rub. Put it on the smoker at midnight last night at 225 degrees with 6 oz of pecan wood. I anticipated it taking approximately 15 hours (1.5 hours per lb) to reach an internal temperature of 195. My timing was off, as it hit an IT of 196 degrees at noon today. (12 hours total cook time) Having family over for dinner but not until 5:00 p.m. this evening, so I double wrapped it in foil and have it sitting back in the smoker set at 140 degrees to hold until it is time to pull it and serve. I have seen several people mention on this forum that it is acceptable to hold a pork butt this way without any noticeable difference in the final product. I sure hope you are right!  I will post pictures and update again after I pull it out to serve.

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[gregbooras]

I am attempting to smoke my 1st bone in 9.5 lb Boston Butt in my SI #2 today. I brined the butt in DivotMaker's pork brine for 13 hours. Covered it in mustard and then coated it with What's This Seasoning original rub. Put it on the smoker at midnight last night at 225 degrees with 6 oz of pecan wood. I anticipated it taking approximately 15 hours (1.5 hours per lb) to reach an internal temperature of 195. My timing was off, as it hit an IT of 196 degrees at noon today. (12 hours total cook time) Having family over for dinner but not until 5:00 p.m. this evening, so I double wrapped it in foil and have it sitting back in the smoker set at 140 degrees to hold until it is time to pull it and serve. I have seen several people mention on this forum that it is acceptable to hold a pork butt this way without any noticeable difference in the final product. I sure hope you are right!  I will post pictures and update again after I pull it out to serve.

Jimmy,

This works and you will enjoy the results. I would still pull it 2 hours before dinner and place in a cooler lined with towels.

Greg

[DivotMaker]

Congrats, Jimmy!  You're good to go, holding like that - I've done it a lot when they get done quicker than expected.  Sure better to get done early, and hold it, then take lots longer than expected and have to deal with hungry people because it's not done!  Take it out of the smoker about an hour before dinner, and put it in a cooler to rest.  The 140 hold will keep it "food safe," but it still needs to rest without heat.

[Grampy]

Greg and Tony, thanks for that advice. I was wondering if I still needed to let it rest in a cooler since it will be holding in the smoker.

[gregbooras]

Greg and Tony, thanks for that advice. I was wondering if I still needed to let it rest in a cooler since it will be holding in the smoker.

Hey Jimmy,

Yes you want to let it rest and as Dave suggested 1 hour will work. I just have done this three times and have always gone with two hours. When I have checked the meat before pulling or slicing it is around 150-150 degrees.

Enjoy and post some photos.

Greg

[DivotMaker]

A 2 hour rest is good, but the job's really done in an hour, ime.

[gregbooras]

A 2 hour rest is good, but the job's really done in an hour, ime.

Hey Dave,

I will give the 1 hour a shot next smoke my guess is that will be enough also.

Thanks Greg

[DivotMaker]

A 2 hour rest is good, but the job's really done in an hour, ime.

Hey Dave,

I will give the 1 hour a shot next smoke my guess is that will be enough also.

Thanks Greg

You can call me "Dave," or you can call me "Ray," just don't call me late for dinner! LOL!  Honest mistake, Greg!

[gregbooras]

A 2 hour rest is good, but the job's really done in an hour, ime.

Hey Dave,

I will give the 1 hour a shot next smoke my guess is that will be enough also.

Thanks Greg

You can call me "Dave," or you can call me "Ray," just don't call me late for dinner! LOL!  Honest mistake, Greg!

Hey Dave... I mean Tony

Boy my mixup at least made me laugh at myself.....

I agree call me whatever you like, but don't call me late for dinner.

+1

Greg

[gregbooras]

I will putting a brisket later tonight and I know it will finish early, so I will give it just one hour in the cooler!

Thanks Greg

[es1025]

Jimmy,
I have read to you keep a butt wrapped in foil resting in a cooler for 4 hours. I can tell you yesterday after a two hour rest, the meat was still very hot, i needed to use my thermal gloves to pull the meat.

[Grampy]

Ok, the finished results were awesome! The butt was super moist and had great bark and flavor. The family really enjoyed it. I'l be doing it this way again. Thanks everybody for your helpful advice. Just one more reason I'm glad I joined the Smokin-It family.

[gregbooras]

Ok, the finished results were awesome! The butt was super moist and had great bark and flavor. The family really enjoyed it. I'l be doing it this way again. Thanks everybody for your helpful advice. Just one more reason I'm glad I joined the Smokin-It family.

Jimmy,

Great looking bark on the pork and it looks juicy....

I can say is Smoke on!

Greg

[Barrel99]

Nice work Jimmy. It looks fantastic. Glad everyone enjoyed it.

[mizzoufan]

That does look good.  For future reference, being done 2.5 hrs early is actually on target for me.  2 hours to rest and 30 mins to pull/serve.  I have let pork butts rest for the 5 hours it took me to cook ribs before pulling while the ribs were resting and serve both together so I'd say you're fine for up to 5 hours on rest time (still borderline too hot for bare hands when pulling).

-edit for grammar