Pork Butt on the grill

[Rob_In_MO]

Hello all, I threw a pork butt on the Weber Kettle this morning. While theoretically a grill and not a smoker, it's setup to smoke. Using fire bricks to hold the charcoal in the back, I only get indirect heat to the butt. I also foiled the charcoal grate so that all of the air coming in from the bottom vents has to pass through the charcoal/smoke wood instead of just flowing up and out. I also used the Minion method of lighting the coals - should get 5-6 hours before adding more charcoal.

This calls for a bowl of Dunnhill 965!

It's been on for 2-hours now and looking good so far. Temp holding steady at 275-deg.

Sorry about the poor picture quality, the wife has the good camera.

 

[Muddler]

What's the Minion method? Never come across it before.

 

[Rob_In_MO]

What's the Minion method? Never come across it before.

It's named after the guy that came up with it - Jim Minion. Instead of lighting all of the coals at once, you place 6-8 lit coals on top of the pile of unburnt charcoal. The lit ones on top slowly burn down, catching the charcoal below and beside them. This also helps in temperature control - no blast of heat from very hot coals in the beginning.

BTW, I only use the 100% hardwood all natural briquettes or lump - not the cheaper briquettes with fillers/binders. Kingsford Competition or Stubbs charcoal briquettes are some of the best for charcoal, with lump there doesn't seem to be much of a difference between brands - as it's all hardwood chunks anyway.

Using this method, plus restricting the airflow, can easily give 5-6 hours burn time in a charcoal grill or smoker without having to add more. After 5 1/2 to 6 hours, i'll have to add probably a dozen coals to finish this pork butt. No big deal there though...

 

[Muddler]

Thanks Rob - I like the idea & will use it.

 

[Rob_In_MO]

Thanks Rob - I like the idea & will use it.

Here's a link if that helps - they explain it a lot better than I did.

Minion Method

Here's the Pork Butt at 6-hours. Shouldn't be too much longer, already up to 180-deg. IT (internal temp) - aiming for 195 deg...

 

[Rob_In_MO]

After 8-hours on the Weber Kettle, it hit 198-deg. and came off.

I let it rest for 2-hours before it was 'pulled' and ready to eat.
Overall it was a success and we'll have sandwiches for a couple of days...
Time for a smoke after a meal like that...

 

[mark]

Nice job,,,can almost smell it,,,