ZeroClub
UFA
- Joined
- Jun 17, 2021
- Messages
- 1,102
A half dozen years ago, a friend gave me a copy of Franklin Barbecue: A Meat-Smoking Manifesto, Franklin & Mackay (2015). It was an eye-opener for me ... not so much for what Franklin does, but more for what he doesn't do (injections, gourmet rubs, etc.).
For pork ribs and Boston butt, I use Franklin's 2 part 16-mesh ground pepper, 1 part kosher salt rub (sometimes with paprika). I skip the slather; the rub sticks fine if applied soon after the meat is rinsed. Simple and works great.
I cook on a Green Egg and, when smoking, I keep a pan of water under the grill grate. With the pan in place, it is difficult to dry out anything (injected or not).
For years I'd inject butts and cook them low and slow (at or under 235 degrees), but later I started to experiment (in part based on what I read on the web). I no longer inject. Now I routinely start out with the grill ~250-270 and keep it there until the meat reaches 140 or so; then I crank the grill up to 325-350. I foil at an internal temp of 160-170, add some liquid to the foil -- beer or fruit juice, doesn't matter -- and then hike the grill up a bit more (~360 or 370) and cook to an internal temp of ~203. These higher temps power through the stall.
I used to cook to an internal temp of 195, but later discovered that 203-205 is right for me (I assume the foil + liquid allow the higher internal temp to work).
I've come to believe that there are several ways to get great results with a Boston butt ... that there isn't just one best way.
For pork ribs and Boston butt, I use Franklin's 2 part 16-mesh ground pepper, 1 part kosher salt rub (sometimes with paprika). I skip the slather; the rub sticks fine if applied soon after the meat is rinsed. Simple and works great.
I cook on a Green Egg and, when smoking, I keep a pan of water under the grill grate. With the pan in place, it is difficult to dry out anything (injected or not).
For years I'd inject butts and cook them low and slow (at or under 235 degrees), but later I started to experiment (in part based on what I read on the web). I no longer inject. Now I routinely start out with the grill ~250-270 and keep it there until the meat reaches 140 or so; then I crank the grill up to 325-350. I foil at an internal temp of 160-170, add some liquid to the foil -- beer or fruit juice, doesn't matter -- and then hike the grill up a bit more (~360 or 370) and cook to an internal temp of ~203. These higher temps power through the stall.
I used to cook to an internal temp of 195, but later discovered that 203-205 is right for me (I assume the foil + liquid allow the higher internal temp to work).
I've come to believe that there are several ways to get great results with a Boston butt ... that there isn't just one best way.