Smoked Boston Butt

Updated at: Thu, 17 Aug 2023 05:10:33 GMT

Step 1

Give yourself an hour to clean and start the grill, a minimum of 7 hours before you plan to eat. The initial smoke is 3.5 hours, followed by about 1.5 hours wrapped. After that you will need a few minutes to glaze, plus 15 minutes to caramelize the glaze and a 15 minute rest. 1. On the Primo XL, ideally remove all old charcoal, but at minimum, stir the coals thoroughly to drop as many fines and as much ash as possible and remove from below. Try to pile the old coals to the right side. Build a fire using part of a cardboard egg carton as a starter, and quality large chunks of coals. Fogo is a good recommendation. Start the fire, and give it a few minutes to get going. 2. Wrap a chunk of hickory and 2 or 3 chunks of pecan or cherry in aluminum foil with a small opening for the smoke to escape. Drop these randomly on the coals, not on the lit coals, to create smoke bombs. 3. Install both D plates so we will have indirect heat. You can wrap the D plate in tin foil to minimize cleanup. 4. Install an aluminum drip pan on top of the D plates. Fill half full with apple juice. 5. Install the top grates and clean if needed. 6. Swing the top vent about 1/3 open and the bottom vent about 2/3 open. With the D plates, I found you need more air flow at the vents. We are aiming for 275F for the entire cook.

Step 2

1. Unwrap the meat, and trim. Leave the bottom fat cap, but remove large areas of fat from the upper portion. 2. Rub a layer of yellow mustard on the meat to act as a binder for the rub. 3. Cover the entire roast with a healthy dusting of the rub, maybe a half cup of rub. Refer to the YouTube video for more info. 4. Place the roast on the grill with the fat cap side down. You do not need to worry about temperature probes yet.

Step 3

1. Maintain about 275F for the entire cook. After an hour, baste the roast with the red wine vinegar and water solution and a hand sprayer. Repeat after 2 hours and 3 hours. Install a temperature probe during one of the bastings. Work quickly to minimize heat loss while the smoker lid is open. 2. After 3.5 hours, prepare 2 or 3 sheets of aluminum foil. Transfer the roast onto the foil, baste once more, and sprinkle with a little more rub. Wrap the roast tightly with the aluminum foil, sealing around the temperature probe. Try to have the probe exit from the upper area of the roast as the foil will fill with liquid and we want to retain that so the roast does not dry out. 3. Place back on the smoker and continue until the temperature reaches a minimum of 198F. 200F is fine, but the higher the temperature, the more the meat will break down. We want to maintain some texture.

Step 4

1. When the roast is nearing or at 198F, combine the glaze ingredients in a small pan. Whisk over low heat until warm. 2. Remove the roast from the smoker. There will be a lot of juice, so be prepared. You can poke a hole in the foil and drain the juice into a bowl, or make an aluminum foil catch pan and have an assistance catch the juice as you unwrap the foil. 3. Brush the glaze over the roast. You do not need to use all of the glaze. 4. Suggestion:Place a small wire rack on the smoker and use this to facilitate handling the roast for the rest of the process. Place the roast back in the smoker (on the suggested rack, sans aluminum foil) and cook another 15 minutes to caramelize the glaze. 5. Remove the meat from the smoker and allow it to rest for 15 more minutes. 6. The bone should slide easily from the roast, indicating that it is properly cooked. Pull the roast apart, separating fatty areas if desired. Place meat on a serving platter and enjoy!

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