First Pork Butt

frjeff

New member
Doing my first (a small, 4.5#) pork butt tomorrow in my BPS.

I'm guessing this will be about a 6-7 hour cook @ 225-250 degrees?

So, having read about overloading the charcoal basket, how full should I make it (minion method)??

Using Royal Oak chunk.
 

Big Poppa

Administrator
you will be fine on charcoal justg use about 10-12 jlit coals to start it....4.5 butt can be quicker if you foil...may be a tad longer if you dont.
 

frjeff

New member
So, How Full a Basket?

you will be fine on charcoal justg use about 10-12 jlit coals to start it....4.5 butt can be quicker if you foil...may be a tad longer if you dont.

Thanks,
BP - so, do I fill the basket to the brim, half-full, 3/4 full or does it not matter?
 

rockinshelby

New member
I also always start with a full basket. Before the next cook I lift out the basket and place on top of an old garbage can. I stir the left over charcoal around a bit and the smallest chunks fall through the basket. I top it up and start all over again. Like BP said, 10-12 coals in the chimney and just dump in a little pile on top. Good luck on your first butt. Don't forget the pics...
 

frjeff

New member
My internal temp is at 200 after 5 hour and 45 minutes.
Foiled at the three hour point.

Ought I pull it from cooker or can it stand the high IT for some longer period of time without drying out or over cooking (it is foiled with some apple juice contained in the foil).
 

frjeff

New member
Pull it from the smoker and wrap it tight with a towel it will stay warm on the counter for hours.

Thanks, just pulled, left it foiled, wrapped tight in towel and put in small Igloo cooler. Will unwrap and pull it apart in an hour or so. Wife is making home made buns for sandwiches. Just not ready to eat this early.
 

southga

New member
I like to let butts rest wrapped in foil & towels in a cooler for at the very least 1 hour. Longer is better. I have held them in a cooler for 5 hours & they were still to hot to handle with bare hands.
 

frjeff

New member
I like to let butts rest wrapped in foil & towels in a cooler for at the very least 1 hour. Longer is better. I have held them in a cooler for 5 hours & they were still to hot to handle with bare hands.

Thanks for all of the help. Pulled the foiled butt at 202 °, towel wrapped and let it rest nearly three hours in small cooler. Too hot to hand pull so used forks.
Sorry, I forgot pics, but it was just awesome.
Started with full charcoal basket and still have nearly all of it left for next cook. This BPS rocks!
 

frjeff

New member
Basket Level

do I fill the basket to the brim, half-full, 3/4 full or does it not matter?

I filled mine to the bri,m, then hollowed out a "bowl" to hold my 12 starter coals. Cooked the butt and have nearly all of that basket ful left, just shook out the ash and was ready for the next cook.
 
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