Pork Butt

Super_Dave wrote:

magnusfide wrote:
Put chicken broth in the bottom (1/3 of way up butt side).

That's a lot of liquid to heat up before you start cooking any meat. I use that much for the crock pot but wonder if a little less might be more prudent for the DO?

In a 3-4 hour cook time there is a certain amount of evaporation that happens with DOs as they are not hermetically sealed. The chicken broth which amounts to 1 - 1 1/2 cups keeps it moist for tenderness during the long roast. You know it's ready when you can smell the meat searing. This method has always worked well for us. We put the coals on and take the dogs for a walk. We come back, put more coals on and visit with other campers, etc.

garmp1 wrote:
Found the site I was looking for link. A friend had use this before and really liked it. Explains everything a dummy like me needs to know. I hope.

A guy who plans a fishing trip including a grill, Dutch oven and a cooler of beer doesn't sound like a dummy to me.. :)

Jerrybo66 wrote:

garmp1 wrote:
Found the site I was looking for link. A friend had use this before and really liked it. Explains everything a dummy like me needs to know. I hope.

A guy who plans a fishing trip including a grill, Dutch oven and a cooler of beer doesn't sound like a dummy to me.. :)

:B
That's 5 star dining:W

Hiking Hunter wrote:
Yep, go by the internal temp. of the meat. However - don't get it too hot or it will over cook and dry out. I go for 160. The USDA says 145 is safe.

In a dutch oven though, it doesn't seem like a linear relationship between time and temp. The temp will start rising, then seems to hesitate around 130 to 150. Be patient and keep the coals coming. Once it gets over this "hump" you're good to go!

Don't be afraid to take the top off. The dutch oven retains heat pretty well, just don't over do it. Do your fist check about three hours in. And don't dump your coals on the meat!

BTW - there is an easy to remember formula for knowing how many coals to put on your DO. Take the diameter (in inches), subtract 4 for the bottom, add 4 for the top. So if you have a 12" DO, that would be 8 on the bottom, 12 on top. Good starting place.

195-205 is the temp you need for Butt, that makes it nice and juicy and you are able to pull it apart.

We don't plan on pulling it apart, but rather slicing it as a roast with potatoes and a veggie side. Gonna try it this coming Tuesday, good Lord willing and the creek don't rise, and will have to let you all know.

Use extra Polident. Pork butt isn't a slicing roast but if you insist, go to the high 180's at a minimum.

BTW, a large pork loin roast would work excellent for that at 145 to 150.

Yep, pork butt/shoulder is a pulled pork piece of meat, not a slicing roast. You can do it, but it'll be fatty and tough.

I don't add water/broth/stock to most meat. The moistness you're getting is from breaking down of the fat, not so much the water. The water evaporates almost as quick as you cut into hot meat. In order to get the fat to break down it needs to get to 190-degrees, so you try to slowly get to 190-200 and hold it long enough for the internal temp to get there. Then you usually take it off the coals and let it rest with the lid closed (don't open the lid.

With dutch oven cooking I tend to get the oven hot, sear the roast, then put the lid on with the appropriate number of coals top and bottom.

Pork butt/shoulder can be shredded or rough chopped (big chunks). If you rough chop it into big chunks and put some more coals on the bottom to get the oven hot again you can make carnitas. You fry the big pieces of fork tender pork and you have some amazing carnitas. If I know I'm making carnitas I'll cook the roast with a cut orange, onion and cilantro. That gives the meat a really good flavor before refrying it. You can flip the lid over and use the inside of the lid to heat your corn tortillas. A little diced onion and cilantro is all the rest you need to make amazing pork carnitas tacos.

Well we browned the butt, threw in a can of beer then some onions and later some potatoes. Took a wild guess as the number of coals, top & bottom, and cooked for about 3-1/4 hours. Was quite tasty!!!

garmp1 wrote:
Well we browned the butt, threw in a can of beer then some onions and later some potatoes. Took a wild guess as the number of coals, top & bottom, and cooked for about 3-1/4 hours. Was quite tasty!!!

Stellar! Dutch oven cooking is forgiving. It's quite easy if you keep your nose attentive to the cooking process. We've done the brown ale for liquid and that's terrific with the onions. Came out tasting like a Welsh pie filling.