Butterfly a pork butt

[Steve W in NC]

I am new to the WSM and just received my Maverick 73 wireless probe and thermometer yesterday.

I am looking at my first overnight pork butt cookout very soon. I am interested in butterflied pork butts. It seems to me that if you de-bone the butt, why tie it back together. Just leave it flat. More surface area for spices/marinade and quicker cooking times. After all ribs are pretty thin and they turn out great in 4 to 6 hours. How about you old heads weighing in here with some advice.

 

[r benash]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Steve W in NC:
I am new to the WSM and just received my Maverick 73 wireless probe and thermometer yesterday.

I am looking at my first overnight pork butt cookout very soon. I am interested in butterflied pork butts. It seems to me that if you de-bone the butt, why tie it back together. Just leave it flat. More surface area for spices/marinade and quicker cooking times. After all ribs are pretty thin and they turn out great in 4 to 6 hours. How about you old heads weighing in here with some advice. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

You have an excellent point. An I for one am interested in what the experts have to say.

I've cooked a good number of butts, but others here have done more than me.

To your point though if you low slow it I don't think it matters if you cook till done (metal probe test, etc not depending on temp alone). I think you will end up with more or equal flavor. I definitely am a proponent of leaving the bone in though.

I'd say just do a cook and tell us how you like it!

 

[Dale Perry]

I have done it and it can work well to speed the cook up and you can get more bark. Boneless has worked just fine for me. I was a proponent of bone-in until costco forced bone-less on me and since have found that we cant really tell any difference after the meat is pulled.

 

[Robert T.]

When I use the boneless butts, the only reason I tie them back up is get more of a uniform shape to help them cook more consistently. Otherwise, some of the parts are thin and will cook faster.

Bob

 

[Tim Clendenning]

Why do you want to de-bone it? But yes, if you butterfly it then you will have more surface for bark and will cook a little quicker! I always cook mine whole-bone in, but im going to try it your way too!