boston butt

[Nicole]

Hello everyone,

I bought 2 boston butts about 6lbs a piece. I'm going to brine them, so can any one give me a general idea about how long it will take to cook them.

 

[John F Ford]

Nicole,
Not to give you a short answer but I have had it vary from 12 to 18 hours, If you cook them about 225 until they reach 190 or 200, it just "depends" and someone on this site said "when they are done they are done". I would have really liked to make the Mobile contest but I waited too late to request a judging slot.
Regards
john

 

[Doug D]

The rough estimate usually used is 1-1/2 to 2 hours per pound per piece (so 9-12 hours), but there can be variation depending on cooking temp, and each butt is a little different. Butts have a lot of intramuscular fat, so brining isn't really necessary or recommended-- there's not much chance of drying them out. An injected marinade, however, can get some good flavors in there. Butts are also very forgiving, so if you cook at 225°, or 250°, or at some points even a little higher, it won't appreciably affect the outcome. Go by your thermometer, but also look for the bone to start protuding just a little, and test for tenderness with a fork when it does.

 

[Nick P.]

Nicole, I've never brined one so I don't know how that will affect the cook time. I always cook at 210* and butts take me 2 - 2 1/2 hours per pound. I alway give my self extra time because they can be foiled and held for a long time in a cooler.

 

[Larry Wolfe]

Nicole,
Plan on at least 2 hours per lb or until you get an internal temp of 190*. Double wrap in heavy duty aluminum foil and place in a pre-heated cooler for a couple hours. If you haven't already brined skip it, it's not necessary. If you have do not worry about it, just do not add salt to your rub. Then pull and enjoy!