Smoked Pork Butt

Pork butt is actually the top portion of the the shoulder on the front leg of the hog.  The bottom portion of the shoulder is known as the picnic.  Although both cuts can be smoked or slow cooked to make the famously delicious pulled pork sandwiches, the more popular cut is the pork butt, also known as the Boston butt.

Pork butt usually weighs about 5 to 8 pounds.  It is a very flavorful and well marbled piece of meat.  This marbling melts slowly, naturally  basting the meat as it cooks.  Pork butts can be bought bone in or bone out, although butts with the blade bone in are said to produce sweeter meat.

The first thing you need when smoking a pork butt is time.  This cut of meat must be cooked slowly to obtain the tender result we know as pulled pork.  Although the actual smoking process does not require a lot of attention, a 5 to 7 pound butt will take 4 to 6 hours or longer depending on cooking temperature.

These instructions will be geared to smoking on a conventional kettle style charcoal grill since  many people may still have one of these laying around, and they work fairly well.

I like to get started 24 hours before the actual smoking by seasoning the meat with a good rub.  Using your fingers apply 3 to4 tablespoons of your favorite rub to both sides of your pork butt, cover and refrigerate overnight.  In the morning remove your butt from the refrigerator and let the meat come to room temperature as you prepare the smoker.

Prepare the wood which you will be using by soaking it about an hour before you begin cooking.  This will slow down the burning process and provide more smoke.  The size of the wood depends largely on the type of grill or smoker you are using.  Although many types of grills can be used for smoking a butt, the long cooking time and low temperature necessary make the traditional charcoal grill preferred over gas.

Now its time to gather your barbecue tools and smoke a butt.  Start some coals using a chimney starter if you have one.  They eliminate the need for starter fluid and produce flaming hot coals quickly.  While waiting for your coals place an aluminum pan in the center of the bottom grate to act as a drip pan.  When the coals are ready, pour out half on each side of the pan.  Put about a cup of your soaked wood chips on the hot coals and place your room temperature butt above the drip pan fat side up.  Cover the grill and adjust the dampers to obtain a temperature of about 250 degrees F.  Add 12 to 15 coals and 1/2 cup of wood chips per hour.  If you are using a mop sauce baste while adding the coals.   Smoke your butt for 4 to 6 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 190 degrees F.  Remove from grill and cover with foil for 30 minutes.  After the pork has rested you should be able to pull it apart with two forks.  Discard any fat but try to save the black outer skin known as the bark for this adds much flavor to the meat.

You are now ready to mix the pulled pork with your favorite barbecue sauce or coleslaw mixture and serve up on some toasted rolls.  Enjoy