Let's Talk BBQ
Welcome Center => New Member Introductions => Topic started by: tlg4942 on October 14, 2013, 02:22:51 PM
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I had a two pack of pork butts in the freezer and decided to cook them both over the weekend. I set up the RED grill with center heat and placed a grid inside the trough with hickory chunks on it for smoke. I got a late start so after about 4 hours I decided I was done and needed sleep. I took one of the butts and placed it in the crock pot. I took the other and wrapped it in foil.
I set the crock pot to low and left it on all night. It was 12PM at this point. Turned this off at 7AM.
I placed the other butt in a counter top over with a timer on it and set it for 375 for two hours. I woke back up at 1PM and turned it down to 350.
This is not a big surprise on the crock pot but the flavor was more salt than spices while the oven finished retained the seasoning flavors and the bark much better.
What surprised me most was when I went to shred it. The oven roasted one I was able to just shred in my hands very quickly and easily.
The crock pot must not have gotten hot enough because it was tougher even though the bone popped right out. The smoke flavor and the spices were in the large amount of liquid found in the pot and not the meat..
Bottom line was that finishing in wrapped foil produced a much better end result. Texture and taste were much better. Pieces of bark were mixed in which added nice flavor bits...
In the picture the foil finished is on the left side of the pot. I tried to separate it right down the middle.
I normally would not finish the meat in a crock pot or the oven. I do foil wrap from time to time after 4-6 hours of smoke. And typically leave it on the grill or smoker to finish. Was just too tired this time. So it was a good time to experiment..
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Terry, My lack of mental capacity prevents me from using all of those types of appliances and that is why I have an electric smoker. Just set that sucker and forget it. Dee
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Good experiment, and good to know the results ;)
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Good experiment and thanks for sharing!!! Don
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Sometimes you have to play around to see what works.
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Just for the record, I've had a significantly different experience (http://www.letstalkbbq.com/index.php?topic=949.msg8318#msg8318). I often smoke two butts at once, finish one in the crockpot and the other racked over a pan in a 225-250o oven and mix the two when pulling. Results are usually excellent. As you noted, the oven one is characterized by great bark. The one in the crockpot is really juicy but not dried out - might be a difference in cookers. I set my crockpot probe to 180o (the highest it allows), set the crockpot to LO, and test when it gets where it's going. If it pulls, I'm done. If not I let it go, checking every hour. It's always worked well for me; sorry yours didn't come out that way.
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When cooking butt or brisket at home I almost always finish (do the foil stage of the cook) in my oven in order not to burn pellets just for heat. I usually foil at about the 130-140 degree point. I've never had a problem with getting good bark or retaining moisture or flavor.
Hadn't thought about using a crockpot, but really don't need to since the oven finish method has worked so well and saves on the ol' pellet bill ;D
Hub