Butt times?

[Guest]

I've only done about 10 cooks on my WSM so far. Last night I put a 10lb butt on there for a work party on Friday. In the past that size usually seems to take about 2hrs/lb. I've done a couple this way in the past. Start them around 10pm and when I get home from work the next day it's just about done. Did the same thing last night except my wife called me at 10am this morning saying the alarm was going off. The temp reached 195. Hmmm... I told her to wrap it in foil, put it in a cooler and cover with a towel and close the vents to shut down the cooker. The temps never went above 260 and I added more charcoal at 6am (butt temp was 173) to keep it going through the day.

I know everyone says that butts are done when they are done, but 12 hrs seems short.
If for some reason it doesn't pull when I get home can I cook it some more to finish it?

I don't know if the bone was larger than what I've done in the past.

Thanks,
Rob

 

[Jason M. Park]

Rob,

Every butt IS different, and will therefore cook differently. I have a feeling it should pull just fine. You say that temps never reached over 260, but if it was around that temp for a while, that may explain the short time. 2+ hours per lb. is about reported for the 225 temps. 40 degrees is a big deal for Q.

If needed, just warm it up in the oven.

 

[mattD]

Hi All,
Don't know if this will help but I did 6 butts last weekend, used the Mr. Brown rub and set 3 butts on the lower and 3 on the upper. Butts averaged about 5 lbs. per butt set the coals, filled the water pan, and put it on at 5:00 pm.
10:00 pm opened basted and switched top to bottom and bottom to top and set for the night and went to sleep. Temps averaged about 235 to 250 for the whole cooking time, didn't need to add extra coals but filled water pan at 10:00 pm before going to bed. Next morning pulled butts off at 8:00 am (I was tired!) and wraped in foil and wraped in newspaper. With the paprika I tend to stain the dish towels, got the brusies and foot prints on my *** from my wife when she foundout.
Put butts in the cooler and went diving. Pulled out the butts at 6:00 pm that evening and they pulled apart like butter, meat was moist and tender, great flavor. I don't use the thermometer just time, temp and Chris's and this bullets suggestions.
I did this for our annual Wrestling Teams potluck with the kids parents and I can tell you I made 4 butts and made pulled pork with sauce and at the end of the evening oh wait after the first 20 minuets of the pot luck the pan was empty, no crumbs, pieces no nothing. Guess what they are gonna sell at the Winter Wrestling Invitational Tournament at the concession? I can only make 12 butts total for the Tournament...hope I don't cause a riot, "what no pulled pork sandwiches?!!!" Do ya think this would sell? yeaaa. Thanks Chris, Mr. Brown and all of you!