To wrap or not to wrap that is the question!

SomeHuntingGuy

Eight Pointer
I switched to an Oklahoma Joe’s offset smoker using some apple and pecan logs. The flavor from this is much better than my electric Masterbilt or cheap Charbroil kettle smoker (which is long gone).

I raise my own pigs so when I cook and eat the meat I take it very seriously because I knew the animal.

Last year I watched Franklin BBQ Masterclass and started doing it his way vs my way. I do like the results better. My way was 220 for 18 hours. Now: smoke for 6 hrs at 275, wrap w foil, put in the oven for another 6-8 also at 275. Past 4-6 hours the smoke won’t do anything and taking care of the fire is a lot of work.
 

agsnchunt

Old Mossy Horns
I’ve posted this in other BBQ threads but I’ll say it again.

I’m doing less than I’ve ever done with BBQ and my results are as good or better.

I don’t wrap jack.
I smoke on a gas grill.
I use commercial sauces.

Seriously, I…
  • put a sheet pan under the grates
  • put the butt on the grill
  • turn 1 burner on medium (YMMV)
  • stick a probe in
  • throw some chunks on a metal tray (on the burner)
  • do chores, visit, have a drank, whatever

Thought I'd revisit this. A couple days ago my wife said she'd picked up a 7lb butt to smoke, so I set a reminder to put it on the grill this morning so we could have it for dinner tonight. (Yes, I can't do anything if it isn't on t(e calendar.)

yesterday I got to thinking about that butt and sometime around 10 I wondered if 8mhad time to get it on the smoker. I searched on time to smoke a 7lb butt and came across some guys talking about "turbo" smoking a butt at 325°-350°. So many of them said they wouldn't go back to low and slow that I had to try it.

Around 1030-1100 I put that thing on the grill with a dry rub using less sugar than normal (they claimed the sugar would scorch at those temps) and I pulled it off at 200° somewhere around 3:30-4:30. I let it sit under a foil tent for 30 minutes and then pulled it.

Other than having a much better bark! I can't tell the difference.

I'll be smoking my butts at 325-350° From now on.
 
So here’s what I found to be. After 5 hours your bark and smoke ring is maxed out. I wrapped after 5 hours and put in the oven for an additional 3 hours till internal temp reached 200. It was my best yet. This is how I will smoke going forward. Turned out great.
 

hunthard2

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
Thought I'd revisit this. A couple days ago my wife said she'd picked up a 7lb butt to smoke, so I set a reminder to put it on the grill this morning so we could have it for dinner tonight. (Yes, I can't do anything if it isn't on t(e calendar.)

yesterday I got to thinking about that butt and sometime around 10 I wondered if 8mhad time to get it on the smoker. I searched on time to smoke a 7lb butt and came across some guys talking about "turbo" smoking a butt at 325°-350°. So many of them said they wouldn't go back to low and slow that I had to try it.

Around 1030-1100 I put that thing on the grill with a dry rub using less sugar than normal (they claimed the sugar would scorch at those temps) and I pulled it off at 200° somewhere around 3:30-4:30. I let it sit under a foil tent for 30 minutes and then pulled it.

Other than having a much better bark! I can't tell the difference.

I'll be smoking my butts at 325-350° From now on.
Hot and fast, definitely gotten me out of a pinch a few times. BBQ pit boys does ribs like that in one of their episodes
 

Eric Revo

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
This is good to know, that way I don't have to experiment with meat that costs as much as it's weight in silver nowadays. I don't think my smoker will max out at 325 degrees, never tried it. But I plan to try maxing it out as high as it will go and doing a butt or two.
 

agsnchunt

Old Mossy Horns
^its a pork butt. Hard to screw it up(y)

Au contraire my swine-loving friend. If you e ever had undercooked, tough or overcooked, like-eating-a-napkin pork, you know it’s pretty easily screwed up and difficult to fix at that point.
 

Eric Revo

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
How did you mess up sous vide? Too mushy?
Nope, it was an old buck that I killed and he was just too darn tough. Even after 13 hours of sous vide at 131 degrees the backstraps were too tough to serve, almost too tough to chew.
I would have tenderized it if I had known that he was that darn tough, but when hungry folks are waiting I didn't have that option. Luckily I had brought another piece that was off another buck and it was ok, not great, but ok.
 

specialk

Twelve Pointer
after watching and listening to myron mixon i bump it up to 300-325 and cook it till it hits 195.....i then wrap in foil, then towels, then in the coolers for a couple hours.....i only cook butts when they are on sale and will do half a dozen or so then chop-vaccum seal-and freeze...
 

pattersonj11

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Wait, just what are talking about here?!?!

I always thought of smoke as a slight accent. Seems that a ton of people want it smoky as can be.
When I cook on wood, I try to keep the fire hot enough to not see smoke. Basically a clear mirage out of the stack.
 

QBD2

Old Mossy Horns
I always thought of smoke as a slight accent. Seems that a ton of people want it smoky as can be.
When I cook on wood, I try to keep the fire hot enough to not see smoke. Basically a clear mirage out of the stack.
Good coal bed and a small hot fire(y)

A lot of folks that give advice on smoking are using drop cords and/or propane. Pay them no mind;)
 

josh

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Nope, it was an old buck that I killed and he was just too darn tough. Even after 13 hours of sous vide at 131 degrees the backstraps were too tough to serve, almost too tough to chew.
I would have tenderized it if I had known that he was that darn tough, but when hungry folks are waiting I didn't have that option. Luckily I had brought another piece that was off another buck and it was ok, not great, but ok.
You need to shoot younger bucks lol
 

agsnchunt

Old Mossy Horns
I always thought of smoke as a slight accent. Seems that a ton of people want it smoky as can be.
When I cook on wood, I try to keep the fire hot enough to not see smoke. Basically a clear mirage out of the stack.

Agree. I don't want my meat to taste like Jim Beam or a charcoal briquette.

Since I use gas, I throw a couple of chunks of apple on at the start, and again when I verify the temp has stabilized where I want it.
 

bigblue

Eight Pointer
I'm doing 6 on Sunday. @275 you can just about bet on an hour per pound, if you wrap in the 160 range. If not about an hour and a half per pound. The foil does help it get through the stall faster.

The first 2 hours I let the rub set up. After that, I spray with apple cider vinegar every hour, until I wrap.


Like above, when I wrap I use a foil pan and aluminum foil. When the meat hits 200ish, I unwrap it and let it firm back up. Then pull it at 205.

No way is really the right way. It's all in your preference.
This is pretty much exactly what I do, except if I have it, I use juice from dill pickles to spray it instead of straight vinegar
 
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