A pork butt, contrary to what its name implies, is carved from a pig's shoulder. The lower half of the shoulder is commonly known as a picnic roast. The upper half is referred to as the butt, or Boston butt. This 6- to 10-lb. cut contains moderate amounts of fat and often contains a section of the shoulder-blade bone. The butt is slow-smoked, becoming so tender that the meat falls off the bone. Smoked pork butts are frequently shredded and are the main ingredient of a pulled-pork sandwich.
Step 1
Pour the salt, pepper, garlic powder, cumin and brown sugar into a self-sealing plastic bag. Shake well to mix the ingredients. Rub the pork butt with liberal amounts of the mixture. Enclose the pork butt in plastic wrap, and place it in a refrigerator for 12 hours.
Step 2
Arrange the self-starting charcoal briquettes in the offset firebox of a smoker-grill. Light the briquettes, and allow them to burn until white-hot and smouldering. Smooth the briquettes into an even layer with a metal poker or tongs.
Step 3
Pour the hickory chips into the 5-gallon bucket; fill the bucket with water. The chips must be fully immersed. Remove the chips after 30 minutes. Place a thick layer of chips atop the white-hot charcoal.
Step 4
Remove the pork butt from the plastic wrap. Open the grill's lid. Place the pork butt in the approximate center of the cooking grate.
Step 5
Monitor the temperature of the smoker-grill; optimal cooking temperature is between 150 F and 225 F. Do not allow the temperature to exceed 250 F. A 10-lb. pork butt requires approximately 10 hours of cooking time at 200 F.
Tips and Warnings
- Add soaked hickory chips to the firebox every two hours. Avoid opening the lid of the smoker to check progress. Add 15 minutes of cooking time whenever the lid is opened. Wrap the pork butt in aluminum foil during the last three hours of cooking. This seals in juices and makes the butt more tender.
Things You'll Need
- Barbecue grill with in-set thermometer
- Metal tongs
- Self-starting charcoal briquettes
- 5-gallon plastic bucket
- 2 lbs. hickory chips
- 10 lb. pork butt
- 1/4 cup garlic
- 1/4 cup cumin
- 1/8 cup salt
- 1/8 cup black pepper
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- Plastic wrap
- Aluminum foil
- Self-sealing plastic bag
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