Pulled Pork - To Wrap or Not?

zebra

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I used to cook on a WSM and loved the charcoal taste, but hated all the prep work to make it happen. Thus is why I purchased a RT-590 and have never looked back, however I still have not done a butt (bone in of course). So I am asking for all the seasoned vets out there, do you prefer to wrap after 160 or do you normally ride the storm and if you ride it out do you spritz at all. Will be seasoning tonight cooking tomorrow.
 
I usually smoke mine until the stall, spritzing every hour or so then when it hits the stall I will wrap it until it hits about 185º then remove from the wrap and put it back on the smoker until the 200º mark (during this time, I will use an oil separtor to save the good stuff to pour on after I shread it), to get the bark solid again. Wrap it with a towel and put it in a cooler to rest.
 
I NEVER wrap, lost count of the number of butts I've smoked over the years, I do spritz about every 2 hours, but don't smoke more than 6 hours, finish in the oven at 225 until hits 195/200.
Thank you for the response. I have always wrapped, but so many swear by not wrapping and I am nervous trying something new, but I can say I haven't been the happiest either with my most recent butts, thus is the reason for asking.
 
Thank you for the response. I have always wrapped, but so many swear by not wrapping and I am nervous trying something new, but I can say I haven't been the happiest either with my most recent butts, thus is the reason for asking.

Will add that once I hit my internal, I then wrap with foil and just back back into the insulated oven for a good 5 plus hour rest, still so hot I can barely pull it with gloves on. I am also a fan of using those yummy drippings in the pan for super moist and flavorful meat, works amazing to vac seal and freeze as well.
 
I have never wrapped, but mainly because I usually do these longer cooks overnight. I toss the meat in, set my Thermoworks alarms, and call it a night.

I am planning on using a rack and pan next time around to capture and reintroduce the juices next time as @Motodad1776 suggests.
 
First things first, I don’t care if my pork butts are boneless or bone-in. The pork butt has a blade bone which, for all practical,purposes, adds zero flavor because it has no marrow. I prefer Costco deboned butts because a) I’m not paying for the bone and b) all the work has been done to remove the bone so I have more surface to add rub to. If you buy them this way, it does pay to wrap them tightly with butcher twine after seasoning them.

As to your question, I normally spritz with a 50/50 combo of apple cider vinegar/apple juice every hour, beginning a couple of hours into the cook, then wrap the butt in foil, not a a particular temp, but when the rub is dry and ‘set’ (Not wet and glossy). This normally happens around 165° Wrapping in pink paper is fine, I just prefer foil for pork, paper for beef. When probe tender, around, 200°+, wrap the foil in a towel and place the butt in a cooler for up to 4-6 hours.
 
I either wrap with b-paper around the stall, or in a tin lightly covered to collect the juices. I don't see the need in spritzing, unless I'm using something that's sugar based. As for bark, I really don't see much difference in it going naked all the way then wrapping for a rest vs wrapping at the stall.
 
I never wrap. Wrapping speeds up the cook but makes the bark soggy.
There is plenty of internal fat to keep the butt moist through the cook.
 
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@zebra how’d you end up cooking the butt?How did it turn out?
 
I used to cook on a WSM and loved the charcoal taste, but hated all the prep work to make it happen. Thus is why I purchased a RT-590 and have never looked back, however I still have not done a butt (bone in of course). So I am asking for all the seasoned vets out there, do you prefer to wrap after 160 or do you normally ride the storm and if you ride it out do you spritz at all. Will be seasoning tonight cooking tomorrow.
"If your lookn, your not cookn". No spritzen requiredI. I use a weber pan with a 12 oz can of beer and place it in the back center of the grill. I do this when I turn the grill on and leave it in for the entire cook adding more beer if required. Use a good robust beer, not a light beer. Of course you can use any liquid concoction you like. .
 
I used to cook on a WSM and loved the charcoal taste, but hated all the prep work to make it happen. Thus is why I purchased a RT-590 and have never looked back, however I still have not done a butt (bone in of course). So I am asking for all the seasoned vets out there, do you prefer to wrap after 160 or do you normally ride the storm and if you ride it out do you spritz at all. Will be seasoning tonight cooking tomorrow.
I stopped wrapping any meats a long time ago, unless I am in a hurry and want to speed up the cook.
 
No wrap here. This is personal and for my brewery restaurant. We rub, throw in the cooler for 24 hrs, smoke on max smoke(lowest setting) on the RT-700 for 4 hrs then up to 225 for around 20 hrs total cooking time until it gets to 210. We spritz it every hour or two if we can, We smoke it overnight so limited spritzing except for the first 4 hours
 
Our PBs are the Boneless from Costco too
As Greg Jones said; More Surface for Seasoning .... simple: Salt, Ground Pepper and Garlic, on and in the Frig for 24 hours
I Smoke them "Butterflied" for more surface area to take the Smoke
Easter Butts 1.jpeg


10 hours on "LO", then I do wrap for an additional 2 - 4 hours at 250 until the Internal gets to 190 - 200
Let 'er rest for a bit, then I'll "pull it"

Easter Butts 2.jpeg

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I’ve been smoking pork butts for about 15 years. The evolution of my cooks started at finishing in the oven in foil with apple juice for the last half. Mostly because I had a cheap smoker that I couldn’t keep at the right temp. I Realized that I was just steaming the butt and the bark wasn’t good.

Then I went to finishing last half in the oven wrapped.

Then I started leaving it on the smoker for the full cook. This time with a Weber smoky mountain with bbq guru. Spritzing with apple juice. Great results

Also got tired of the assembly and disassembly on my pool deck/ patio. Hence the reason to buy recteq!

Now I’m new to my Recteq 1250. First couple of butts down, and I left on the grill the entire cook. No wrap, occasional spritz, injected with homemade injection using a smoke tube and they were described by my guests as the best I’ve done, so I’ll continue with this method.

I think aside from saying the food is good, the best compliment I get a lot is that I’ve ruined bbq restaurant dining since I kick them to sleep!

Once you can throw a piece of meat on the grill and get consistent results, “you’ve arrived!”

Pete
 

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I used to cook on a WSM and loved the charcoal taste, but hated all the prep work to make it happen. Thus is why I purchased a RT-590 and have never looked back, however I still have not done a butt (bone in of course). So I am asking for all the seasoned vets out there, do you prefer to wrap after 160 or do you normally ride the storm and if you ride it out do you spritz at all. Will be seasoning tonight cooking tomorrow.
I wrapped at first. But, once I started brining my butts, I quite wrapping, and I’ve been really happy with the results.
 

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