Got an 8 pound pork butt on sale for $1.45 per pound. I had wanted something a bit smaller so I wouldn't have to get up too early to start it (figuring 1 1/2 hours per pound), but they didn't have any smaller.
So, the evening before, I rubbed it (my own recipe rub), wrapped it and put it in the fridge.
In the morning, I woke before 5:00AM, went out and started 1/2 chimney of Kingsford Blue. Filled the charcoal basket all the way. By 5:30, the charcoal was lit and I scattered it over the unlit charcoal. At 5:50AM, the temperature was up to 200, so I half filled the water pan with hot water , put several mesquite pieces on the coals, put the meat on, and waited for sunrise (yawn).
The Excel 20 temerature rose nicely, and I shut the bottom vents halfway when it got to 240. It held very well between 230 and 250, and several times I added mesquite and oak, alternating. Six hours in, and everything looked good (grill temp on left, meat temp on right).
Since the meat was in the stall stage, I took this opportunity to spray it (and again every hour) with a mixture of half apple juice and half beer. I know it was not yet noon, but I couldn't let the rest of that beer go to waste.
After 6 1/2 hours the temperature started dropping. When it got down to about 210, I poured more charcoal (unlit) over the remaining coals and opened the bottom vents. The temperature rose steadily, and I closed the bottom vents completely when it got to 240. It held steady and after about 10 hours, the meat temperature began to rise.
At 4:00PM, I added a stacker and put sweet corn ( in the husk, soaked in water for 2 hours) on the top stacker. But I forgot to take a picture of the corn, so maybe it didn't really happen.
At 5:30PM, the meat hit 190, so I wrapped it in foild, put it back on and waited for the table to be set (we had sides of potato salad, cole slaw, and macaroni salad, as well as the corn).
At 6:15 PM all was ready, so I brought the meat in.
And pulled it and ate it, with the sweet corn and potato salad.
