recipe reviews for:

Smoked Pork Butt

“We love pulled BBQ pork sandwiches at our house, so we make this every few weeks. The pork just shreds apart after its done, and the smoky flavor is incredible. It's best to brine the meat overnight to help it retain moisture during smoking, but it's not necessary. There's a basic brine recipe on this site titled 'Basic Brine for Smoking' if you want to brine the pork. I like to rub the pork before I smoke it with a very spicy dry rub that I usually make up each time, so that it's always different. Also, I use apple wood chips because we like the sweet, fruity flavor they yield. When it's done, shred it apart, heat up your favorite sauce and slather some on a bun. Authentic pit barbecue right in your own house!”

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Reviewed: May 25, 2012

If you are only taking the internal temp to 165 you can't be getting it to pull. 195 IT is about the minimum to get pulled pork. Now, you could chop it at 165 and make a great sandwich.

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SteevieG

Reviewed: Mar. 10, 2012

This is an excellent recipe have done it s couple times now

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Tammy

Reviewed: Mar. 6, 2012

Great recipe but if you want the meat to fall apart you need to get the internal temp to at least 180-185 degrees. This is the temperature where the bonds break and the meat will fall apart. Also try using apple juice/cider instead of water for a nice sweet flavor

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jimpalomino@att.net

Reviewed: Jun. 30, 2011

if you can putting a bowl of water on your coals helps keep the the meat moist and tender i have always smoked this way and it never fails I use a cabellas electric smoker i found on craigs list and it works great don't be afraid to experiment i've been smoking maet for ten years and i stll try new and different things so have fun with it

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bigbear

Reviewed: Jun. 1, 2011

my dad makes this for special occasions and the smell itself is to die for.. neighbors make their way over when they know he is making his barbecue. we use a simplified version of leaving the meat plain and no brining. this brings out the flavor of the meat and the smoke taste. its a very traditional recipe. the meat should literally be so tender if falls apart when you take it off. it should be a long careful watched process to cook the meat properly. always place the meat fat side up and we always use hickory chips. we chop the meat coursely and add our favorite bbq sauce. i've had barbecue all over and this hands down is my favorite most authentic method. doesn't need anything else other than the smoke and the meat.. sometimes less is more.

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la belle vie

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Cooking Level: Intermediate

Living In: Sneads Ferry, North Carolina, USA

Reviewed: May 15, 2011

This was the best tasting pork butt that my family and I have ever tasted! Very easy to prepare also. The only way that I altered the recipe was to bake it in the oven. I added a tablespoon of instant smoke for an outdoor flavor.

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goods3

Reviewed: Apr. 17, 2011

I make pulled pork all the time. I'd put the dry rub on for at least 6 hours before smoking. I usually throw mine in the smoker the night before at 180 so it'll have an extended period of time for the smoke to penetrate, then in the morning raise the temp to 235. Once the meat hits about 150, it won't take on any more smoke flavor. Cook until the temp hits 195, don't worry it won't be dry and overdone. You can't pull it if you only take it up to 160. Mine usually take between 12-14 hours. Then FTC (Foil, Towel, Cooler) for at least a half hour to let the juices re-distribute. The butt will stay hot for at least 4 hours in the cooler. Don't pull until you're ready to serve.

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AndyJ

Cooking Level: Expert

Home Town: Chicago, Illinois, USA

Living In: Streamwood, Illinois, USA

Reviewed: Mar. 27, 2011

Best recipe. Smoke with apple wood! Really really good. *****Make sure you brine for 12 hours! Check out the recipe here "Basic Brine for Smoking Meat" and add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of liquid crab boil to brine recipe. Unbelievable!

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pappawharris70

Reviewed: Mar. 21, 2011

Simple and easy. My only suggestion is for TRUE pulled pork, it is imperative to take the internal temp past 160*, in fact the standard is 190-200*F and it will fall right off the bone. Breaking that 160*F plateau is essential for breaking down collagen into gelatin.

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infamousdx

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Reviewed: Jun. 1, 2010

Tried this for Memorial Day and was only my second attempt at smoking anything... I followed the instructions to the letter and did soak overnight in the brine. It came out fantastic and everyone loved it. The smoke ring was impressive too (see added photo). I could have let this go longer if I wasn't timing it for a dinner with guests but it was fabulous as is. If I were to do it again I would let it get a little higher than the 170 degrees I pulled it at. I would have let it go to 185 to pull apart easier. All in all it was great and everyone loved it...I will definitely be doing this again!

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