Large Boston butt or multiple smaller ones?


 
Bill Thompson

Bill Thompson

TVWBB Member
I have been smoking bone-in boston butts about 8lbs on my wsm 22. I normally have done 2 at a time and it takes about 16 hours at 225. My question is, would i be better cooking 6lb butts (I'm thinking about 12 hours) and will 4 fit for a total of 24lbs?
 
Bill, first off; yes, your WSM will easily hold 4 6lb butts. Either 2 on each grate, or I would think if you placed them on their sides, you may be able to fit all 4 on the top grate. My question is; is time your concern on these cooks? We each have our own favorite methods and techniches, but if you were to go with a dry foil covered water pan, and increase your temp from *225 to *275, you would be able to reduce the cook time by +/- 6 hours.. I have smoked 2 8lb or 9lb butts at *275 and I'm always in the 10 hour range. Of course every cook is slightly different, and nothing in this wonderful addiction we call
Q-ing is absolute, but with my target temps between *265-*275, my Boston butts are pretty reliably in the 10 hour range.
Hope this helps,
Tim
 
Tim K said:
Bill, first off; yes, your WSM will easily hold 4 6lb butts. Either 2 on each grate, or I would think if you placed them on their sides, you may be able to fit all 4 on the top grate. My question is; is time your concern on these cooks? We each have our own favorite methods and techniches, but if you were to go with a dry foil covered water pan, and increase your temp from *225 to *275, you would be able to reduce the cook time by +/- 6 hours.. I have smoked 2 8lb or 9lb butts at *275 and I'm always in the 10 hour range. Of course every cook is slightly different, and nothing in this wonderful addiction we call
Q-ing is absolute, but with my target temps between *265-*275, my Boston butts are pretty reliably in the 10 hour range.
Hope this helps,
Tim
Click to expand...


Thanks Tim. Not extremely concerned with time but trying to cut down from 16 hours. Also I don't seem to get the amount of smoke to meat that I like after it has been pulled. I am thinking multiple smaller butts would solve that. Also I have a hard time with the 8lbs fitting on the racks and was thinking I could actually do more with the smaller 6 lb's. I normally cook at 225 for a few hours and then insert probe, wrap about 160 but It seems to always come out 16 hours. I was also thinking if I can get about 12 hours, it matches my fuel consumption about right without having to add, and I can put on about 10 at night and have ready about 10 the next morning.
 
Bill, another way to get more smoke on/into your meat is to increase its surface area. The way you could do that on your pork butts would be to split them lengthwise (i.e. butterfly them) and cook them that way. Kind of like spatchcocking a pork butt! The meat would probably cook faster, you'd get more surface area exposed to smoke and you'd still be able to keep your temp at 225. I've never done it myself but it might be worth a try.
 
I have to go with Tim's suggestion of raising the temp. If you're comfortable messing with the temp mid-cook, I'd go 225F until internal hits about 150F and then jack the temp up to 275-300F. If you'd rather not adjust mid-cook, just shoot for 275F the whole way. You should have virtually no stall and you should cut hours off your cook time.

It sounds like you want to try the smaller butts, so I say go for it. The only way you'll really know if there's a difference is to try it.
 
I have no problems with changing temps, i use a cyberq. The butcher had a couple closer to 7lbs, think i will try changing the temp like you suggest. Still smaller than the ones I've been smoking.
 
Bill Thompson said:
Thanks Tim. Not extremely concerned with time but trying to cut down from 16 hours. Also I don't seem to get the amount of smoke to meat that I like after it has been pulled. I am thinking multiple smaller butts would solve that. Also I have a hard time with the 8lbs fitting on the racks and was thinking I could actually do more with the smaller 6 lb's. I normally cook at 225 for a few hours and then insert probe, wrap about 160 but It seems to always come out 16 hours. I was also thinking if I can get about 12 hours, it matches my fuel consumption about right without having to add, and I can put on about 10 at night and have ready about 10 the next morning.
Click to expand...

Keeping that in mind, I agree that you're best bet would be smaller chunks of meat, either smaller butts to start (sometimes hard to find) or cutting a large butt into smaller pieces.

BTW, where in NC?





BD
 
I just had to explain to the wife of how many options I was going to have to try :) It will be horrible but I will try each LOL. WNC near hendersonville, south of asheville.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

 

Back
Top