Smoked Boston butt is incredibly flavorful and tender, making it a favorite for many barbecue enthusiasts. The slow smoking process allows the meat to absorb a rich, smoky flavor while becoming juicy and easy to pull apart.
What should I wrap my barbeque with after the stall?
Great question! When barbecuing, the choice between wrapping with foil and wrapping with butcher paper can significantly affect the outcome of your dish. Here’s a breakdown:
Foil Wrapping
- Heat Retention: Foil traps heat very efficiently, which can help cook the meat faster.
- Moisture: It creates a sealed environment that keeps the meat moist but can also result in a steamed texture, which might soften the bark (crust) on the meat.
- Flavor: The sealed environment can retain more of the meat’s natural juices and flavors, but it can sometimes diminish the smokiness.
Butcher Paper Wrapping
- Breathability: Unlike foil, butcher paper is breathable. It allows some smoke to penetrate the meat while still retaining moisture.
- Bark Formation: Since it doesn’t trap moisture as tightly as foil, butcher paper helps maintain a firm bark on the meat.
- Heat Retention: It retains heat but not as aggressively as foil, resulting in a more gradual cooking process.
Both methods have their merits, so it often comes down to personal preference and the specific results you’re aiming for with your barbecue.
Smoked Boston Butt
Smoked pork shoulder, also known as Boston butt, has roots in Native American and European smoking techniques. It became a Southern barbecue staple, especially for pulled pork. Today, it’s popular at cookouts and barbecues across the U.S.
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp salt
- 3 tbsp pepper
- 1/2 cup yellow mustard
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- The Season. Season pork butt generously. My preference is salt and pepper, but you can use any rub you prefer.
- Marinade the flavor… Place pork in a resealable plastic bag. Spread mustard evenly over butt while inside the bag to avoid mess. Seal bag and refrigerate overnight.
- Preheat smoker to 225°F.
- Smoke the butt… Place butt on middle rack of smoker and smoke for 7 to 8 hours or until "the stall."
- Spritzen… butt every 30 minutes with apple cider vinegar.
- The stall… When internal temperature reaches 165°F or so, there is a stall when the meat temperature does not increase.
- The Wrap… Remove from smoker, cover with heavy-duty aluminum foil, and return to smoker. Some use paper and others use plastic wrap. I prefer heavy duty aluminum.
- Increase smoker temperature to 275°F.
- The finish… Smoke for an additional 2 hours or until internal temperature reaches 205°F.
- The Rest… Rest meat inside foil and wrapped in towels inside a cooler for 2 hours.
- The Pull… Pull pork with a fork and serve.