you know I just lightly rub some plain ole yellow mustard on it and then put a BBQ rub on it. I use Bad Byron's Pork Butt Rub. Creates a really nice bark.
But I'll smoke usually at around 250, with a drip pan beneath it. And I'll sometimes put a little apple juice in the drip pan. I've even used beer in the drip pan. I don't think it matters.
And I usually use cherry chunks (chips burn up too fast). I like the milder smoke flavor than say a hickory. And I'll cook it until 195 in the middle. Just seems to pull apart so damn easy.
Also, if for some reason the butt gets done so much earlier than say dinner, then you can always wrap in foil, then put it in a cooler with towels around it. It will stay damn hot for a LONG time that way. I've done that for 6 hours before and it was still too hot to pull by hand. The only drawback is that it somewhat steams it a little and the bark is not at crispy as before.
I really don't think you can screw up a pork butt.
Also, the 1 1/2 hours per lb is a good guess but I have also found each pork butt is different. And be patient with it. It will go up to maybe to 170 internally and then drop in internal temp. Maybe 3 to 5 degrees. This is where the fat is rendering into gelatin making it moist, juicy and tender. So be patient with it. Don't try to bump up the cooking temp during this time. Just know it will happen and it is normal. Could take 1 hour, could take 2 during this??? Who knows. Each cook is different.
Once you cook one, you'll cook more and never want pulled pork from a BBQ restaurant.
Let us know how it goes.
This post was edited on 11/9 10:15 PM by Stone_Cold
