I Smoked Pulled Pork in 5 Hours: Here's What Happened
Hot and Fast Pork Butt on the Kamado
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Introduction
Two Pork Butts, a 5-Hour Deadline
What's up BBQ fans! Today we've got a time crisis on our hands. Can you make great pulled pork in five hours? That means unpack, prep, rub, smoke, wrap, rest, shred and done in 5 hours, and it has to be as good as low and slow. I used a few tricks on the Komodo Kamado 38 to try to pull it off. Did I make it? Not quite, and I'll tell you exactly why.
The Pork
Two bone-in pork butts: a Berkshire and a Kurobuta. Both are high-quality pork, and I think the Berkshire is a little sweeter. When a cook takes time, I don't cut corners on the meat. With commodity pork, there's a lot you end up pulling out of the shredded pork. With these, you take out almost nothing. It's worth the extra money.
I cross-hatched the fat cap so it renders a little better.
The Rub
I used the Yoder pork rub. Honestly, it was what I had enough of for two butts. Start on the bottom, then the sides and top.
Pro tip: when you're handling raw meat, wash your rub bottles afterward. It's an easy mistake to make. On a wooden cutting board, a quick soap and water between steps is all you need.
The Setup: Tricks for Speed
Heavier wood. For low-and-slow pulled pork, I usually use oak. With less time in the smoke, I went heavier: three chunks of Bear Mountain Hickory on the bottom, then Bear Mountain lump on top, and a couple of cherry chunks later. (Lightest to heaviest: apple and pecan, then oak, hickory and mesquite.)
A fast start. It was cold with snow coming, so I ran the GrillGun (use code: RUMANDCOOK to save 10%) longer than usual and left the lid open longer to get up to temp.
A water pan. A container of hot water on the hot left side helps smoke adhere and keeps a moist environment, so I didn't spritz. The butts went on the cool right side, not directly over the water, so the bottoms didn't get mushy.
Vents: bottom open halfway, then down to about an eighth on the left side as it neared 350°F. The top started at 2½ turns, then settled at about 1 to 1¼ turns.
Run it hot: I pushed the dome to 400°F, which put the grate ambient around 362°F.
For temps, I used the Typhur Sync Quad (use code: RUMANDCOOK to save 10%). It works just like the Dual, only with four probes instead of two. I've had zero drops, and I've had problems with drops in the past. With snow coming, I kept the base inside. Both probes were set to 205°F with smart cook, which estimates your time remaining.
The Cook
11:40 AM: on the smoker after 20 minutes of prep. The deadline was 5:20 PM.
About 2 hours: plenty of smoke, and the bark picking up nicely. By the end it was a heavy blue smoke, not billowing white.
3 hours 23 minutes: one butt at 152°F, the other at just 133°F.
The curveball: that slow one felt firm, and it turned out to be 30°F inside. It had been in the fridge for 3 days and still wasn't fully thawed.
The wrap: I added a little of my vinegar sauce for moisture and to soften the crusty spots, then wrapped tight in foil to keep the sauce close.
The Mistake That Cost Me
My lump was running low, so before wrapping, I dumped a bunch of fresh lump on top. About 35 minutes later, the temp had dropped to 275°F. I should have opened the vents to get the new lump going. It took another 20 minutes to recover, so that mistake cost me at least 50 minutes.
Another lesson: the pan I set under them to catch drippings burned, because some fat and vinegar sauce leaked out at such a high temperature.
Did We Hit 5 Hours?
Smaller butt: 5 hours 33 minutes
Nearly frozen butt: 6 hours 4 minutes
So no, but with a thawed butt and the vents opened after refueling, 5 hours is realistic.
Taste Test
After a short 10 to 20 minute rest, I got a nice clean bone pull. Lots of moisture, no drying out at all, a good pink smoke ring, and it pulled right apart. Jake approved, and doggy approved.
Is it as good as low and slow? Rendering is a product of temperature and time, and I think we rushed it a little. More rendering would have meant a little more flavor. But to save 3 or 4 hours, this pulled pork will make anyone happy.
Final Thoughts
If you're short on time, go heavier on the wood, use a water pan, run it hot, and wrap with a little sauce. And don't put nearly frozen meat on the smoker. Next, I want to try hot and fast side by side with low and slow. My gut says low and slow still has more flavor and smoke.
Thanks For Watching
Whether you're a seasoned pitmaster or a novice, these tips will enhance your cooking skills and leave your family and friends raving about your delicious, smoky creations. Don't forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel for more step-by-step videos, and let's together become the barbecue heroes we were meant to be!
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