Boston Butt recipes

My question is about making pulled pork on the grill. I have yet to find a cookbook recipe (including yours in "Real Grilling") that gives an accurate estimate of the time involved.

On an old discussion here, I wrote the following:

To address Dave's question about the cookbook recipes that claim cooking times in the 4-6 hour range... I simply don't believe them. Weber's "Real Grilling" says for a 5-6 pound butt, cook 5-6 hours on indirect medium, to a temp of 180-190. Raichlen "How To Grill" uses a 5-7 pound butt, medium-low indirect for 4-6 hours to 195 - and that includes opening the grill and mopping hourly. Neither mentions foiling or finishing in the oven. I just don't buy these times. I wonder how many folks have tried these recipes and served dinner either several hours late, or incompletely cooked.

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Many BBQ related sites get questions from first-timers who've followed the cookbooks and panic when they're still "plateauing" at 160-ish when the recipe says they're supposed to be at 190 or so. Company is statrting to show up and they don't know what to do. All we can tell them is that 1.5 hrs per pound is a much better estimate.

So I wonder why all the cookbooks are so far off.

I think the answer lies in the cooking temperature. Many of the people on this forum may be most accustomed to cooking Boston butts on a bullet, with the cooking temperture at 250 to 275 degress. In that case, sure, a 6-pound butt will take something close to 9 hours. In "Weber's Real Grilling," I call for indirect medium heat (about 400 degress), which will definitely cook a 6-pound butt in 5 to 6 hours. I done it more times than I can remember, on my Gensis and Performer. In "Weber's Charcoal Grilling," I brought the cooking temperature down to indirect low (about 300 degrees), which will add another hour or so to the required cooking time. Again, I've tested recipes over and over. And I've sent them to other cooks for independent testing. I am confident in the times and temperatures. However there is at least one more thing to keep in mind. We're dealing with individual pigs. They are not all exactly alike. Each one has a slightly different mix of muscle structure, fat content, and sinew. If you cooking 2 butts on the same day with the same grill/smoker, one of them may take a couple hours longer than other. That's just the nature of nature.

I like to plan some slack into my schedule so that if the butts take longer than expected, I still have plenty of time to let them rest and to pull them. With a good sauce, the pulled pork holds for hours, I beleive.

I hope that helps to answer your question. If not, let me know. It's a subject near and dear to me. We could talk about it for hours.

Thanks,
Jamie

Thanks for the reply. I'm a gas grill person - I had an old Charbroil until recently, and I use a Genesis now. The butts I've done have been done at medium indirect (on the Genesis, the lid thermometer reads 300 to 325).
All of them (sizes from about 4 lbs to about 9) were nowhere near done at 6 hours. Or 8. The last one I did was a 9-pounder and it was on the grill for 13 hours, internal temp. 192 degrees. In my experience, 1.5 hours per pound is a good guideline.

I know that the folks who use smokers (the bullet, etc.) can go much lower in temperature and they often say "2 hours per pound". 18 hours on a bullet is pretty common. Right folks?

Clearly we've got a misunderstanding somewhere, but I don't know what it is.

p.s. On my Genesis, I put the butt in the left rear corner of the grill. I run only the front burner, high enough to get my packets of wood chips to smoke, which usually turns out to be medium or even slightly higher. The lid thermometer on the right side, as I said, will read 300 to 325. Hope that helps.

Yeah, on my Genesis, if I’m cooking with indirect medium heat, I usually have the front and back burners on medium and, of course, the middle burner off. That gives me about 400 degrees, which is hotter than what you are using. That must be one reason your Boston Butts are taking longer. I'm sure you get some really tender results without the risk of some charring on surface. Some folks are crazy about charring "the bark," as it adds a textural contrast to the soft, wet meat underneath.

I am curious. What do you think of wrapping the Boston butts in foil? When is the best time to do this, if at all?

Jamie