[slamdunkpro]

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I haven't made any since last year (I've always used boston butt), and then it was in an oven. This time around I want to try it on my grill with some hickory or mesquite chips. While I wish I had a smoker, all I have is a Weber kettle, so I am planning on indirect heat with about 12 coals per side, adding a few every 45 mins or so.

Is 4-5 hours sufficient for a ~4 lb roast? The web surfing I have done shows 8 hours for 7-8 lb picnics/larger butts recommended, so I am not sure on time

Any other hints or suggestions? .

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Sorry, you can’t do good pulled pork on a grill, it will burn. You need a smoker, a good dial oven thermometer, and a good digital meat thermometer with probe (not an instant read one) (Taylor makes a great one - $15 at Target).. If you have a little space, go to K-Mart or Wal-Mart or some other discount store and look for a Webber or Brinkman water smoker. They aren’t very big and most places are clearing out their seasonal merchandise so you should be able to get one for under $50. (That’s how I got my first one)

Butts should be rubbed with spice (Bad Byron's Butt Rub is a good one) and for the absolute best, injected (see below) , then refrigerated overnight. Get some good lump charcoal and some hickory chunks – Don’t use mesquite it gets bitter over a long smoke. Soak the Hickory chunks in water overnight. Build a small hot fire and let the temperature in your smoker come to 220-230 degrees. Put some wood chunks on the coals and let them catch good. Take your butt and place it on the rack fat side up. Insert the meat thermometer into the butt and close the lid. Keep adding a little charcoal and wood to keep the fire steady. Once the temperature in your butt hits about 160 degrees you can stop putting wood chunks on the fire as the meat won’t take any more smoke. (This next step is optional) wrap your butt in aluminum foil, put it back on the rack and keep the fire going with charcoal. Keep it at 220-230 until the internal temperature hits 195 degrees. Pull the butt off the smoker and if not already wrap it in foil. Put it in a cooler and let it rest for an hour or so. Then pull with a couple of forks. The consistency of the butt should be almost like jello when you take it off the rack so it may fall apart in your hands – this is good.

You can cheat and do OK butt on your Webber and your oven. Get the Webber up to 220-230 (indirect coals on one side only. Take a small foil pan and fill it halfway with apple juice and put it next to the coals then put the butt as far away from the heat as possible. Put some hickory chunks on the coals and rotate the butt 90 degrees about every hour or every time you add fuel or wood chunks. When it hits 155 warm your oven up to 225 degrees. When the butt hits 160, pull it off the grill and place it in a roasting rack in a pan and put it in the oven until the internal hits 195.

All this takes time. When I do butts in my smoker they take between 16 and 22 hours to cook. You need this time for the connective tissue to break down.

Best of luck!

Injection:

3/4 cup apple juice, 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/8 cup salt, 2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce. Inject it about 5 cc’s per pound all through the butt.