# Seasoning is done and the Butts are on!



## CraigC (Jul 5, 2014)

I seasoned the new smoker yesterday and prepped 3, 8+# pork butts. Put the butts on the counter to warm up to room temp at 5:00 AM. Got the smoker up to temp and the butts on by 8:00 AM. Internal temp on the one closest to the fire is at 163 F. When it hits 198 F I'll pull it, wrap it in foil and let it rest. I'll pull the other two as they reach temp. As I figured, the thermometer that came with the smoker is way off.

On a side note, Karen has a 3.5# pork belly in the oven for another meal. It came skin on, so she took the skin off and it is being prepped for chicharones.


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## salt and pepper (Jul 5, 2014)

Can't wait to see the finished product..........


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## CraigC (Jul 5, 2014)

The butt I pulled off first. Pulled and excess fat removed. The pit worked great. just needs a little tweaking.


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## salt and pepper (Jul 5, 2014)

Nice, very nice!


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## Dawgluver (Jul 5, 2014)

Sent from my iPad using Discuss Cooking


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## CraigC (Jul 5, 2014)

Thanks folks. The other two butts are foiled, bagged and on ice.


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## CrazyCatLady (Jul 5, 2014)

CraigC said:


> I seasoned the new smoker yesterday and prepped 3, 8+# pork butts. Put the butts on the counter to warm up to room temp at 5:00 AM. Got the smoker up to temp and the butts on by 8:00 AM. Internal temp on the one closest to the fire is at 163 F. When it hits 198 F I'll pull it, wrap it in foil and let it rest. I'll pull the other two as they reach temp. As I figured, the thermometer that came with the smoker is way off.
> 
> On a side note, Karen has a 3.5# pork belly in the oven for another meal. It came skin on, so she took the skin off and it is being prepped for chicharones.



Niiiiiiiiiiiice! I think it's funny they call the shoulder the butt. Somebody was a little mixed up on anatomy, I guess, lol!


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## CraigC (Jul 6, 2014)

CrazyCatLady said:


> Niiiiiiiiiiiice! I think it's funny they call the shoulder the butt. Somebody was a little mixed up on anatomy, I guess, lol!



I didn't use the whole shoulder only the butt end of it!


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## Andy M. (Jul 6, 2014)

Lookin' good, Craig.


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## Roll_Bones (Jul 6, 2014)

Nice job.  How much charcoal did you use Craig?


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## CraigC (Jul 6, 2014)

Roll_Bones said:


> Nice job.  How much charcoal did you use Craig?



None, I used pecan split logs.


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## chiklitmanfan (Jul 6, 2014)

And, of course, what sort of sauce do you prefer?  My daughter made home-cooked Carolina "mopping sauce" which is a vinegar/mustard/brown sugar base.  When it's simmering on the stove it STINKS up the house and half the outside it is so intense in aroma.  But when it is dressed over pork barbecue there is nothing that can touch it for flavor.


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## CraigC (Jul 6, 2014)

chiklitmanfan said:


> And, of course, *what sort of sauce do you prefer?*  My daughter made home-cooked Carolina "mopping sauce" which is a vinegar/mustard/brown sugar base.  When it's simmering on the stove it STINKS up the house and half the outside it is so intense in aroma.  But when it is dressed over pork barbecue there is nothing that can touch it for flavor.



Tom Jenkin's Hot. Local place that sells their sauce to Publix Grocery chain.


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## Cheryl J (Jul 6, 2014)

Oh my, Craig...does that ever look delicious!


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## callmaker60 (Jul 6, 2014)

Looks great!!


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## Roll_Bones (Jul 7, 2014)

CraigC said:


> None, I used pecan split logs.



Okay, How much wood did it take?


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## CraigC (Jul 7, 2014)

Roll_Bones said:


> Okay, How much wood did it take?



The logs I have are about 18" long and 6" to 8" in diameter. I split them in about 6 pieces length wise and then cut them in 1/2, so the splits are about 9" long. The cook took 8 hrs and I used about 1-1/2 logs.


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## Roll_Bones (Jul 8, 2014)

CraigC said:


> The logs I have are about 18" long and 6" to 8" in diameter. I split them in about 6 pieces length wise and then cut them in 1/2, so the splits are about 9" long. The cook took 8 hrs and I used about 1-1/2 logs.



Sounds efficient compared to mine that would have uses as much wood as i could feed it.


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## CraigC (Jul 9, 2014)

Roll_Bones said:


> Sounds efficient compared to mine that would have uses as much wood as i could feed it.



The thickness of the steel and minimum leakage makes all the difference. Nice thin blue smoke or none at all. If you have ever watched BBQ U with all those cookers billowing white smoke, that is exactly what you don't want. Soaking wood chips or chunks will deliver that acrid, nasty white smoke.


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## Roll_Bones (Jul 9, 2014)

CraigC said:


> The thickness of the steel and minimum leakage makes all the difference. Nice thin blue smoke or none at all. If you have ever watched BBQ U with all those cookers billowing white smoke, that is exactly what you don't want. Soaking wood chips or chunks will deliver that acrid, nasty white smoke.



Yep. My thought is less smoke is better than more smoke.


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## CraigC (Jul 9, 2014)

Roll_Bones said:


> Yep. My thought is less smoke is better than more smoke.



Has to be the right color smoke!


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