17 1/2 hours for a 5 lbs butt???!!!

[Albert E]

Hi,

Finally the weather is warm enough for outside cooking, so I had decided to do some pulled pork yesterday. Got hold of a (roughly) 5 lbs butt which I dry brined overnight and then applied some oil and rub to marinade for a second night as well.

It took 17 1/2 hours to get the butt up to 203 deg internal temp, at 225 deg in the smoker. Lost patience and pushed the wsm to 260-270 the last hour I was under the inpression that normal time is somewhere around 8-12 hours. What the xxxx happened? Or maybe I should ask what did not happen?

(I used a maverick, and checked both probes in boiling water before I started smoking. After about 13 hours I got worried and double checked the internal temp with a thermapen, it showed 180 deg, the same as the maverick.)

Is this really within the normal time frame? Any feedback is appreciated!

 

[Darren C.]

Last one I did took that long. I'm not sure how much the butts weighed. And I was cooking two. So, the circumstances are a little different. Nevertheless, it took that long for me, too.

 

[Rich Dahl]

Might have been your temp of 225. I cook mine a little hotter 250-260 as butts are pretty forgiving. Although 17+ hours does seem like a long time for a 5 pound butt.

 

[Keith R]

weight is not always the best indicator, thickness of the meat comes into play a lot as well I believe. regardless I think 225 is on the low side as well and I can see that it might take that long at that temp

I just did a 8.5 lb and kept my temps in the 235-245 range (usually closer to 245) and it took me 16.5 hours to get to ~ 201 degrees where I took it off.

how did it taste?

 

[Albert E]

Thanks for input!

The butt was not overly thick, more like a loaf of bread. Tasted ok, but with some dry spots.
I'm getting more and more convinced that I'm a "rib guy"!

 

[Dan A]

The last butt I did took about that long too. I finally foiled it because I got tired of waiting. I think I'm just going to start foiling when I hit 175 degrees since it didn't seem to affect the final product.

 

[DaveW]

weight is not always the best indicator, thickness of the meat comes into play a lot as well I believe. regardless I think 225 is on the low side as well and I can see that it might take that long at that temp

I just did a 8.5 lb and kept my temps in the 235-245 range (usually closer to 245) and it took me 16.5 hours to get to ~ 201 degrees where I took it off.

how did it taste?

Yep. Weight is really irrelevant overall as it's the thickness of the meat that determines the cook time. 5lb's sounds small for a butt, so it might very well have been a split (1/2) butt.

 

[Matt Rector]

Seems a little long, I do mine at 225 and usually fits right into the 1.5 hours per pound rule. When I load up the smoker, 4 butts or more at a time (22.5 WSM), it will go beyond that some.

 

[Jerry N.]

I think at 225° that time is a bit long, but I also think 225° is a bit too low to cook at. Also, I know you checked your thermometers, but you might be running a little cooler than 225° and not realize it. I would recommend a higher temp. I target between 250° and 275° and they turn out great and do not take that long.

 

[S.Six]

I also think 225°is too low. I gun for 275°+or-.

 

[~Mark~]

I'm agreeing that this was a split butt, and I also run between my butts around the 250 to 275 mark. With a split, or half butt I run the temp a bit higher striving for 275 mark so the meat doesn't have a chance to dry out.

Ribs are good, and I admittedly a country cut rib man, but when there's a lot of people there's not much better than a pulled pork sandwiche.

 

[Brian (Mass.)]

Thanks for input!

The butt was not overly thick, more like a loaf of bread. Tasted ok, but with some dry spots.
I'm getting more and more convinced that I'm a "rib guy"!

Try injecting with Mojo Criollo...it makes for amazing pulled pork...the Cubans know what they are doing with their pork...
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B003L8RKWY/tvwb-20

 

[JRAiona]

That would make some awesome porkage.

 

[Butch F.]

Good Deal on Marinade

Try injecting with Mojo Criollo...it makes for amazing pulled pork...the Cubans know what they are doing with their pork...
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B003L8RKWY/tvwb-20

Ordered this today off Amazon thru TVWBB: Good Price!! I see Cuban pulled pork in the next couple weeks!!

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00032CV8O/tvwb-20

butch

Well, when I ordered on 5/10/15 the price was $3.30 per 2=pack ( I ordered 3 , 2-packs for $10.00) Now they bumped the price to $10/ 2-pack.. bummer...