2 7 lb pork butts on my WSM


 
M

m grau

New member
So we have a bunch of people coming over tomorrow night for dinner and I am smoking 2 7 lbs pork butts. They are trussed and rubbed and waiting in the fridge. Now I have never smoked quite that size before. I am thinking of getting up at 3 AM and have the butts on the smoker by 3:30 - 3:45. Now is that going to be enough time to get them to 195-200 F and let them rest for an hour before dinner time arrives?

Is 13 hours for smoking these too short?

Should I start at 2 instead?

Luckily with the Modified Minion method (Thank you Mister Minion) I can smoke it easy for 12-14 hours without having to refuel, just check the water every 3 hours or so.

So what do you guys think? 2 or 3? Also, to wrap at 160 or not?

Thanks
Joerg
 
The last time I did two 8.0 lb. Bone-In Boston Butts it took about 9.0 hrs. at 275 degrees (my preferred temperature). I use the tin can minion method and didn't need to add any coals. I use the Maverick 732 and run grate temperature.

Keep in mind that each piece of meat differs. I would allow a couple of hours extra and if they finish early, hold them in a cooler (after allowing them to cool a bit to stop the cooking).

I always foil my butts when the bark has set (generally runs about 165-170 degrees. My butts have reached their desirable point of tenderness when the internal temperature runs from 195 degrees (and some needed as much as 205 degrees before they were tender).

Keep on smokin',
Dale53:wsm:
 
m grau said:
So we have a bunch of people coming over tomorrow night for dinner and I am smoking 2 7 lbs pork butts. They are trussed and rubbed and waiting in the fridge. Now I have never smoked quite that size before. I am thinking of getting up at 3 AM and have the butts on the smoker by 3:30 - 3:45. Now is that going to be enough time to get them to 195-200 F and let them rest for an hour before dinner time arrives?

Is 13 hours for smoking these too short?

Should I start at 2 instead?

Luckily with the Modified Minion method (Thank you Mister Minion) I can smoke it easy for 12-14 hours without having to refuel, just check the water every 3 hours or so.

So what do you guys think? 2 or 3? Also, to wrap at 160 or not?

Thanks
Joerg
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I would recommend foiling. You definitely want them to be finished before and resting. You don't want people to be waiting for them to finish.
 
I usually smoke 2 pork shoulders at a time when I do them - between 7 and 9 pounds each (trying to get them as identical in size as I can). Smoke them at between 250 to 275 with water in the pan. They can take anywhere between 9 to 11 hours. I never foil. So I think 3:00 am is fine - if I'm not doing an overnight, I usually get them on at 4:30 or so for a dinner.
Now I see that you're doing this as I peck this out, so tell us how you did it and how it came out.
 
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If it were me I would put them on before you go to bed say around 11:00-12:00. In my experience these could take anywhere from 12-16 hours depending on method, amount of fuel, size of butt, etc. I always start them the night before, even for a dinner get together as the worst thing that can happen is they get done a little early (that's good thing). Better to be done early than take a chance and have to wait past dinner time for them to finish. Then you just wrap them up in tinfoil, cover them with a couple towels and put them in an cooler/ice chest then close the cover. You just have to wait and pull them out and shred them right before you need them. They will stay hot in the cooler and it almost seems they go up in temperature and I've held them this way easily for a couple hours. Takes the stress out of wondering if they will be done on time or not. Good luck!
 
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Going to be trying the same thing this weekend. 9-11 hours while wrapping? Seems long. Does it go that much slower cooking 2 butts? Using a 14.5" and plan to run 275 degrees.
 
My butts, usually around 8-9 pounds take about 9 hours at 275*, plus resting time. I foil when they get the right color I like.
 
An 8 to 9 pounder usually takes 13 hours for me, but I never foil a Pork Butt (I like to mop regularly). 2AM is my wake up time for a Butt! :)
 
I'm doing 2x 9 pounders and put them on at 4pm, in my WSM 18.5. I need them to be done before I leave for my bike ride at 7am tomorrow, and have faith I will make it..that's 15 hours to git er done.
I'm hoping for some Juicy meat so I put fat side up. Did I do good??
 
I just smoked 6 10 pounders last weekend. 12 hours at 225, give or take 5*. Couldn't even lift them up off the grill deck in one piece. They were so tender, they fell apart. Inside temp was around 195. Very yummy. I'd say 13 hours would be plenty of time. Man, I'm getting hungry again just reading this blog!:rolleyes:
 
I usually start getting things ready to go at 10pm and put them on at 11pm and they are usually ready around 4 or 5pm. I usually always take them off . . . foil and put in a cooler with a towel under and on top and they stay hot for 2 hours easily . . . I usually cook two 6.5 to 7.5 pound butts . . .
 
While I think 13 hours at 240 - 250° should be good enough, I also recommend putting them on by 10 pm. This gives you a few hours or so to stabilize the temps and then go to bed and enjoy your night of sleep. You will have plenty of time to finish the butts and you can hold in a cooler if they finish too early. I've done this on graduation cooks for my daughters where I was cooking 6 butts or more at a time and needed them by 6pm the next day. Take advantage of the WSM's ability to hold temperature for long periods of time.
 
I always put it (I've only done 1 at a time so far) by about 10pm, and try to keep the grill temp at 250. Usually done (195 or higher) by about 4pm the next day, when I take it off and let it rest in foil for an hour or so. I don't foil during the cook, as I like to spray some apple juice on there now and then. Plus, part of me thinks that foiling is cheating!

Did one last weekend, but had to get up at 3am because the grill temp had dropped to 210 after having been at 260 when I went to bed. It was kind of chilly out though (37F), and I guess I hadn't taken that into account enough when setting things up.

Next time I do one, I'll put it on even earlier... I'd rather have it done earlier and let it sit longer than have it done too late.
 
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