Boston Butt - how long is too long for the rub?

[CZinSC]

For you BBQ masters out there......

I wanted to smoke a Boston Butt this weekend on Sunday, but I'm shooting the GA State match Saturday afternoon and probably won't be home until close to midnight. Don't really feel like prepping a Butt that late at night. I'm thinking of trimming and applying the rub on Friday night. Would 36 hours be too long for rub to be on before smoking? Would it effect the quality of the taste?

[dmd6x]

I don't think it would hurt it at all. Check out www.virtualweberbullet.com....Awesome stuff

[n2ipsc]

Absolutely not. I've left rub on for 48 hours, and can't tell any difference between overnight to ~12 hrs to 1-2 days...

[EEH]

Glenn,,

Go ahead and apply the rub, wrap in foil or plastic.I do very little trimming on the butt itself.I always put the fat side down and cook for 8 to 10 hours 225 deg..you did good sat.in spartainburg

[Speedemon45]

Yep. Leave it on as long as you want. I sometimes vacuum seal the whole thing to infuse faster if I can't give it 36hrs

[mpeltier]

I've smoked a lot of but. Dry rub as long as you want. Three tips I will give you if you like an exterior with a distinct "bark". Trim the fat. It does nothing but fill the drip pan and wash the rub off meat thets on a lower rack. It does not make meat juicer, tender or anything else some will claim. Without the fat you have twice as much surface area for spices and bark. Immediately before you put the meat in the smoker rub the entire outside of each piece with brown sugar. As much as you can get to stick. Do not do this too soon or it will melt away and drip off. Lastly use a mustard based sauce applied only during about the last 1/2 hr. just long enough to carmalize.

[Flexmoney]

You guys are gonna make me break out the smoker!!

[leas327]

I have rubbed one a day earlier than I needed. Nothing was different from normal.

I like to rub my butts down with yellow mustard before I put on the rub. It helps the rub stick and makes a better bark IMO. After 14 hours on the smoker you can't taste any mustard flavor, only the rub.

[Roe14]

I've applied my rub up to a week ahead of time. That was a little long, but 48 hours seems to give the right flavor for me. If I don't have that long, I'll apply it and vac seal it.

[velo918]

I rub mine 5 minutes before placing on smoker. No difference in taste. The rub turns to bark anyway. Flavor comes from smoke and seasoning after. I've even injected before. Not much difference.

[Shadowrider]

Like said before trimming the fat is best in my opinion. I don't apply rub until it's going in the smoker, because the rub I use has salt in it. Some say that the salt applied too early before cooking will make it "hammy". After all it basically is almost a ham. Unless you take it to an extreme and do it like a week before, I can't really see where it would be a problem. A day or so? I have my doubts. I need to thaw out the one I have in the freezer and get it going.

Edited September 1, 2013 by Shadowrider

[mpeltier]

Like said before trimming the fat is best in my opinion. I don't apply rub until it's going in the smoker, because the rub I use has salt in it. Some say that the salt applied to early before cooking will make it "hammy". After all it basically is almost a ham. Unless you take it to an extreme and do it like a week before, I can't really see where it would be a problem. A day or so? I have my doubts. I need to thaw out the one I have in the freezer and get it going.

Good point about salt. I make my own rub, and it is salt free.

[Steve RA]

Or when she complains - in a pronounced New England accent - "That is Enough" !!!