Jeff, If you will take all that liquid in the pan and put it in a large measuring cup and put it in the freezer, The flat will float to the top and solidify. You can then scrape it off and you will be left with the most beautiful gelatin you ever saw to work back into the pulled pork. Try it you'll like it. Gary 77-year-old meat smoker in the beautiful mountains of North West Arkansas
Jeff, I've tried many of your recipes over the years and I must say, this just might be the best one yet! I followed it to the T, including making the Campfires sauce using your BBQ sauce. Everyone was amazed at how good it was!
I usually do a 16-hour cook, too. I start out at 225 degrees. First 3 with smoke right on the rack, then covered in a pan, and last two uncovered in the same pan at 250 degrees (after I've drained/saved the juice) to get a bark on it. Back to the saved juices... I skim the fat that has risen and cooled at the top and pour the rest of the deliciousness back into the meat. I'm gonna try your method next time. While the meat looks the same and my bark isn't bad at all, it's a bit lighter than your bark, which I'd really like on mine. And your process is waaaaaay easier (set it and forget it). Thanks for the vid!
That does look pretty dang tasty! Just wish you’d throw that silly brush out and get your hands in there like we all do! 😂 Been making your rub and sauce recipes for 7 or 8 years now really have good luck with it. Always enjoy your emails with different recipes and techniques. Thanks for doin’ all you do', we appreciate it.
I usually do it with my hands.. I didn't have my wireless mic yet for that video and getting to the sink and back 47 times while dragging a mic cord behind me was messing with my que' vibe!! Now I am wireless and FREE and it's so much better!
Jeff, I'm going to try this one, although after doing your "The Best Mistake ever BBQ Pulled Pork it will be hard to top that one; comes out perfect every time and I can get some sleep while it's cooking.
Hi Jeff great portfolio of videos, thanks for responding to question so quickly, and love your summary at the end of the videos......very helpful! ...been using your "Naked Rib Rub" since circa 2010.
Jeff, when you were working it and pulling it apart with no effort, how did you control yourself from just grabbing some pieces and wolfing it down? Another great video!
I can see in the video that you had a Lockhart grill and smoker, is there are specific reason you choose to use a different smoker? We just bought the Lockhart and haven’t put it together, so if there is a specific reason why you did not use it I’d love to know!
I set a Bradley rack upside down on top of the aluminum pan o the smoke gets all around the butt - I drop it down later into the juice during the smoke
Very nice video Jeff. I noticed you never used any of the drippings from the pan? Also how many times did you have to refuel? That was a beautiful pork butt. Keep up the great work!
Yea, right Jeff, you and the cameraman "accidentally" gobled down the first two sliders without the sauce. Sure... how sad you then had to make a second one and eat it! Your family sure eats well. Do you have room for rent in your house? Good job, I always thought it's better to smoke the butt with bone in but your method works pretty good and you have more surface for the smoke.. Thanks much.
A pair of nitrile gloves cuts down on the mess and allows you to work the BBQ sauce and rub into all the nooks and crannies. I like the use of BBQ sauce as the binder, however I have also used molasses with good results.
Gary, I've tried the nitrile gloves and I just don't like wearing them..they are very trendy right now with barbecue guys but I just can't do it. I usually just opt to get my hands dirty and I wash my hands a dozen times while I cook ;-) I agree that molasses does a very good job as well. Thank you for the feedback!
Another great video! Being fairly new at smokin' I tend to fall back on pork butt quite a bit since its so forgiving...question though. Since it does tend to take quite awhile, I make it a few days (or weeks) ahead of when I want to eat it (family party, etc). Any tips on best way to save it, then reheat it? So far, I have been vacuum sealing it with some of those juices and then freezing it. When ready to eat, I thaw it out, dump it in an aluminum pan, cover and heat up at a fairly low temp in my oven until warm. I have also used a crock pot...looking to see if there is a better option out there.
Brett, you are doing exactly what I do already. Freeze it with some of the juices, reheat at 250-275 covered for about 30 minutes or until it reaches a good eating temperature. If you ever need more juice, beef or chicken broth with extra rub works great to juice it back up.
It seems very important to get as much rub and other coatings into the meat. What would be wrong with cutting across the top surface of the meat about an inch so it would allow more room for the rub to get into get into the bark.
Raf, I usually use the bottom rack unless it's full, then I resort to the top rack. It seems the bottom rack is the closest temperature to what the controller says it is so it's more consistent that way.
Jeff thanks for the video. I’m curious to know what time you started the cook. I’m assuming you had to go over night and wondered how often you had to tend to it during the night. Thanks again.
John, I like to start pork butts around 9 PM and that gets it done about noon-ish the next day. A good 4 hour rest in a cooler and we're ready to pull it apart for dinner. If you don't like tending the smoker during the nigh, you can start at about 6 AM in the morning and have it done by 8 PM. Let it rest for an hour, pull it, place it in a pan and into the fridge and it's ready for reheating the next day. I also have a recipe for 5 hour pork butt at www.smoking-meat.com/march-30-2019-five-hour-smoked-pork-butt which also works really well if you're needing/wanting to get it done faster. How often you tend it really depends on your smoker.. on a WSM, I set it up using the minion method which is a full ring of charcoal and some lit charcoal on top. This will generally last 10+ hours and I just have to go out there and fill the water pan every 3 hours or so and add some extra wood chunks if needed. A pellet smoker will cook all night without any tending at all although I do like to check on it now and then to make sure everything is ok.
I applied sauce and rub to the inside (middle) however, I don't think that part was visible in the video. It's not a dealbreaker if you don't, just adds some extra flavor in there.
Thank you for the video, Jeff. I see your bark and my pulled pork never gets close to that color when I take it off at 205 to 207 internal degrees. I’m thinking it’s because I’m an old guy, I can’t do a 14-16 hour cook. Can’t get back to sleep if I had to get up to put more pellets in the hopper in the middle of night. I do the 300 degree temp cook for 5-7 hours. Does that make sense?
It seems you put everything on a secondary pan or rack. Doesn't this inhibit the smoke flavor? I know you do that so your grill doesn't need cleaning, buy it seems you could get the same results in the oven.
This does not inhibit the smoke flavor due to the rack holding it up off the bottom. The smoke is able to get to the sides the bottom and the top just like it would if it sat on the grate. I have not noticed any decrease in smoke flavor by using a pan with a rack.
David, of course. As long as you can keep the heat indirect (not letting it hit the meat directly), at or below 250°F or so and provide a flow of smoke using chips, chunks, etc, it's a smoker. Every smoker is different and you'll have to learn what makes her tick but it'll work.
The liquid was separated from the fat on top and saved for any reheating of leftovers. I don't personally like it sitting in juice.. just juicy enough.
@@tulsajeff I like to pour the juices in a mason or pickle jar, invert it and set it in the fridge, the fat will separate and set up and you can pour the juice off and not have the grease factor.
Jeff - Using my electric smoker - Instead of smoking the meat in the pan can I put the meat on the rack and put the pan right under the meat to catch all of the drippings. This would allow the bark to form on the bottom side also. Or would this cause the meat to be too dry? Love your videos.
Absolutely.. this is a great way to do it if you have upper and lower racks on your smoker. Usually it won't end up dry that way but by catching the juices you have a way to juice it back up real good so it doesn't matter as much and you get plenty of bark and smoke on all sides.
Great question! You can certainly do it that way but I wanted to catch all of the juices without placing a pan on the lower level grate and I was more interested in the more meaty sides to be up and exposed to the smoke. There's multiple ways to do things like this and turn out a great piece of meat so I encourage people to experiment and find what works best for you and your smoker and the way you like to cook.
Unless the meat is really dry, I set that aside, skim off the fat and save it for when I reheat the stuff for eating it the second time. You can definitely add some into the first batch if you want to though.
Hey what's up I'm new to the channel here I just got your video my questions going to be why did you put that in that foil pan when you could have put your pan down on the Second grate you had and had that beautiful looking bark all the way around your pork butt
George I don't disagree.. I'm just always looking for different ways to do things and see how it stacks up against other methods. Thank you for your feedback!
The way I look at it, I want that smoke going directly to the meat and the best way to do that is to put the meat side facing up. In my experience, the fat cap doesn't do as much basting as you might think and therefore, next best thing. I recommend you try it both ways and go with what works best for you. I do it both ways and there's often not a ton of difference that I can tell.
Jeff,
If you will take all that liquid in the pan and put it in a large measuring cup and put it in the freezer, The flat will float to the top and solidify. You can then scrape it off and you will be left with the most beautiful gelatin you ever saw to work back into the pulled pork.
Try it you'll like it.
Gary 77-year-old meat smoker in the beautiful mountains of North West Arkansas
Got one thawing now. Made your rub already. I like the idea of using BBQ sauce as a binder. Thanx for the share😎👍
Jeff, I've tried many of your recipes over the years and I must say, this just might be the best one yet! I followed it to the T, including making the Campfires sauce using your BBQ sauce. Everyone was amazed at how good it was!
Great to hear!
Good job Jeff, that sure turned out great looking too. Thanks for sharing with us, really like the rubs and sauces too. Fred.
Gosh, Jeff, I have learned so much from you. Thank you and God bless
You are very welcome!!
I usually do a 16-hour cook, too. I start out at 225 degrees. First 3 with smoke right on the rack, then covered in a pan, and last two uncovered in the same pan at 250 degrees (after I've drained/saved the juice) to get a bark on it. Back to the saved juices... I skim the fat that has risen and cooled at the top and pour the rest of the deliciousness back into the meat. I'm gonna try your method next time. While the meat looks the same and my bark isn't bad at all, it's a bit lighter than your bark, which I'd really like on mine. And your process is waaaaaay easier (set it and forget it). Thanks for the vid!
That does look pretty dang tasty! Just wish you’d throw that silly brush out and get your hands in there like we all do! 😂
Been making your rub and sauce recipes for 7 or 8 years now really have good luck with it. Always enjoy your emails with different recipes and techniques. Thanks for doin’ all you do', we appreciate it.
I usually do it with my hands.. I didn't have my wireless mic yet for that video and getting to the sink and back 47 times while dragging a mic cord behind me was messing with my que' vibe!! Now I am wireless and FREE and it's so much better!
Jeff, I'm going to try this one, although after doing your "The Best Mistake ever BBQ Pulled Pork it will be hard to top that one; comes out perfect every time and I can get some sleep while it's cooking.
I'd definitely like to hear how it compares if you get a chance.
Thanks for sharing this great recipe!!
Hi Jeff great portfolio of videos, thanks for responding to question so quickly, and love your summary at the end of the videos......very helpful! ...been using your "Naked Rib Rub" since circa 2010.
My pleasure!
Jeff, when you were working it and pulling it apart with no effort, how did you control yourself from just grabbing some pieces and wolfing it down? Another great video!
Curtis, the only thing stopping me was that dang camera would have told on me.. my camera guy would have slipped that in somewhere!
I can see in the video that you had a Lockhart grill and smoker, is there are specific reason you choose to use a different smoker? We just bought the Lockhart and haven’t put it together, so if there is a specific reason why you did not use it I’d love to know!
I set a Bradley rack upside down on top of the aluminum pan o the smoke gets all around the butt - I drop it down later into the juice during the smoke
It very well may be- looks really good
Very nice video Jeff. I noticed you never used any of the drippings from the pan? Also how many times did you have to refuel? That was a beautiful pork butt. Keep up the great work!
Yea, right Jeff, you and the cameraman "accidentally" gobled down the first two sliders without the sauce. Sure... how sad you then had to make a second one and eat it! Your family sure eats well. Do you have room for rent in your house?
Good job, I always thought it's better to smoke the butt with bone in but your method works pretty good and you have more surface for the smoke.. Thanks much.
A pair of nitrile gloves cuts down on the mess and allows you to work the BBQ sauce and rub into all the nooks and crannies. I like the use of BBQ sauce as the binder, however I have also used molasses with good results.
Gary, I've tried the nitrile gloves and I just don't like wearing them..they are very trendy right now with barbecue guys but I just can't do it. I usually just opt to get my hands dirty and I wash my hands a dozen times while I cook ;-) I agree that molasses does a very good job as well. Thank you for the feedback!
Excellent and as soon as it warms up I am smokin. What did you do with all those leftover juices?
I usually save the juices and defat them.. when and if I reheat the meat for another meal, I will add those juices in to "refresh" it.
Another great video! Being fairly new at smokin' I tend to fall back on pork butt quite a bit since its so forgiving...question though. Since it does tend to take quite awhile, I make it a few days (or weeks) ahead of when I want to eat it (family party, etc). Any tips on best way to save it, then reheat it? So far, I have been vacuum sealing it with some of those juices and then freezing it. When ready to eat, I thaw it out, dump it in an aluminum pan, cover and heat up at a fairly low temp in my oven until warm. I have also used a crock pot...looking to see if there is a better option out there.
Brett, you are doing exactly what I do already. Freeze it with some of the juices, reheat at 250-275 covered for about 30 minutes or until it reaches a good eating temperature. If you ever need more juice, beef or chicken broth with extra rub works great to juice it back up.
Great, Thanks so much!
Made me hungry watching that video
It seems very important to get as much rub and other coatings into the meat. What would be wrong with cutting across the top surface of the meat about an inch so it would allow more room for the rub to get into get into the bark.
Probably would not hurt a thing.. I'm all about that bark!
Hi Jeff, if you were to cook a fresh ham the same way would it be like pull pork and pull apart easy ect ??
Jeff, forgot to ask, when smoking on a Windwood, do you place the pan on the lower or upper rack? Thanks again.
Raf, I usually use the bottom rack unless it's full, then I resort to the top rack. It seems the bottom rack is the closest temperature to what the controller says it is so it's more consistent that way.
Jeff, did you have to add additional charcoal to the WSM for a 16 hour cook? Just curious.
Jeff thanks for the video. I’m curious to know what time you started the cook. I’m assuming you had to go over night and wondered how often you had to tend to it during the night. Thanks again.
John,
I like to start pork butts around 9 PM and that gets it done about noon-ish the next day. A good 4 hour rest in a cooler and we're ready to pull it apart for dinner.
If you don't like tending the smoker during the nigh, you can start at about 6 AM in the morning and have it done by 8 PM. Let it rest for an hour, pull it, place it in a pan and into the fridge and it's ready for reheating the next day.
I also have a recipe for 5 hour pork butt at www.smoking-meat.com/march-30-2019-five-hour-smoked-pork-butt which also works really well if you're needing/wanting to get it done faster.
How often you tend it really depends on your smoker.. on a WSM, I set it up using the minion method which is a full ring of charcoal and some lit charcoal on top. This will generally last 10+ hours and I just have to go out there and fill the water pan every 3 hours or so and add some extra wood chunks if needed.
A pellet smoker will cook all night without any tending at all although I do like to check on it now and then to make sure everything is ok.
Jeff Phillips Thank you Jeff. Very helpful
Hi Jeff I must of missed it, when you applied the rub did you rub the middle or just sauce?
I applied sauce and rub to the inside (middle) however, I don't think that part was visible in the video. It's not a dealbreaker if you don't, just adds some extra flavor in there.
great job! did you wrap it?
I set it on the grate and left it alone in the pan.. no wrapping.
Thank you for the video, Jeff. I see your bark and my pulled pork never gets close to that color when I take it off at 205 to 207 internal degrees. I’m thinking it’s because I’m an old guy, I can’t do a 14-16 hour cook. Can’t get back to sleep if I had to get up to put more pellets in the hopper in the middle of night. I do the 300 degree temp cook for 5-7 hours. Does that make sense?
Sure does! I say do what works for you and keep it fun and rewarding!
Not sure if I missed it or not but did you put fat cap up or down inside the pan
J.R. I did this one fat cap down in the pan leaving the top and sides exposed to the smoke.
"just happened to have some slider buns o'er here", lol
I'm sure that happened by accident
A very happy accident ;-)
I'm gonna make an extra for my camera guy!
It seems you put everything on a secondary pan or rack. Doesn't this inhibit the smoke flavor? I know you do that so your grill doesn't need cleaning, buy it seems you could get the same results in the oven.
This does not inhibit the smoke flavor due to the rack holding it up off the bottom. The smoke is able to get to the sides the bottom and the top just like it would if it sat on the grate.
I have not noticed any decrease in smoke flavor by using a pan with a rack.
Your killing me man! - I'm off to buy a pork butt!
Jeff, you said you used one gallon of water. Did that last for the entire cook or did the water boil off before the end of the cook?
I think I filled it about every 3 hours if I remember correctly.
Thanks for getting back to me and thanks for your great videos and awesome recipes!
Jeff, i have a question, my question is can i use gas cooker oven as a smoker, will i get same result as real smoker like yours?
David, of course. As long as you can keep the heat indirect (not letting it hit the meat directly), at or below 250°F or so and provide a flow of smoke using chips, chunks, etc, it's a smoker.
Every smoker is different and you'll have to learn what makes her tick but it'll work.
Consider posting a picture of it over at our forum (smokingmeatforums.com) and you can get some really good feedback from some of our experts.
Jeff, what did you end up doing with the liquid from the pulled pork?
The liquid was separated from the fat on top and saved for any reheating of leftovers. I don't personally like it sitting in juice.. just juicy enough.
@@tulsajeff I like to pour the juices in a mason or pickle jar, invert it and set it in the fridge, the fat will separate and set up and you can pour the juice off and not have the grease factor.
Did you spray this at all with water or juice to help with the bark?
I did not spray this one however it’s not a bad idea to spray something like apple juice every 30 minutes to an hour to help with the bark formation.
Jeff - Using my electric smoker - Instead of smoking the meat in the pan can I put the meat on the rack and put the pan right under the meat to catch all of the drippings. This would allow the bark to form on the bottom side also. Or would this cause the meat to be too dry? Love your videos.
Absolutely.. this is a great way to do it if you have upper and lower racks on your smoker. Usually it won't end up dry that way but by catching the juices you have a way to juice it back up real good so it doesn't matter as much and you get plenty of bark and smoke on all sides.
When its cooked right you can just squeeze it with your hands a few times and its done. If you ever use a knife it aint right!
I must agree. I have done mostly pork butt or shoulder for pulled pork. It is very forgiving but it should just fall apart.
14hrs eh? Ok, I will try this in my pit....not a pellet grill, this one needs babysitting.
Why didn't you smoke it fat-side up so it bastes itself as the fat melts (renders?)
Great question! You can certainly do it that way but I wanted to catch all of the juices without placing a pan on the lower level grate and I was more interested in the more meaty sides to be up and exposed to the smoke. There's multiple ways to do things like this and turn out a great piece of meat so I encourage people to experiment and find what works best for you and your smoker and the way you like to cook.
Is this rub recipe in your book?
We had a lot of people that purchased the recipe(s) prior to the book being published.. For that reason, we decided to not include it in the book.
Did I miss the part where you added the meat juice back into the meat for moistness?
Unless the meat is really dry, I set that aside, skim off the fat and save it for when I reheat the stuff for eating it the second time. You can definitely add some into the first batch if you want to though.
Hey what's up I'm new to the channel here I just got your video my questions going to be why did you put that in that foil pan when you could have put your pan down on the Second grate you had and had that beautiful looking bark all the way around your pork butt
George I don't disagree.. I'm just always looking for different ways to do things and see how it stacks up against other methods. Thank you for your feedback!
Why not smoke fat side up?
The way I look at it, I want that smoke going directly to the meat and the best way to do that is to put the meat side facing up. In my experience, the fat cap doesn't do as much basting as you might think and therefore, next best thing.
I recommend you try it both ways and go with what works best for you. I do it both ways and there's often not a ton of difference that I can tell.