Butts 2hrs a pound?

[Dupree]

So I am looking to cook 3 6-8lb Bone in butts for my daughters 1st birthday (hey it was here request

) Everything I read on here suggests planning on 2 hrs per lb but that puts me at 36 to 48 hours of smoking

I know it varies butt to butt but should I really plan it this way?

I intend to do it low and slow 230-250 at the lid. And the party is scheduled for noon. I was planning to start the butts after work on Friday around 6pm but that only gives me 18hrs.

I am not afraid of making folks wait for an hour or two, we have a lake and I will do a some ABTs and Fatties but I don't want people waiting all night.....

Thanks for your guidance.

 

[John Bridgman]

No worries -- you don't need to multiply the cooking time when you have more than one butt. Wouldn't hurt to add maybe an hour or so for the extra meats because the smoker will take a bit longer to come up to temperature, but it's more the size of each chunk of meat that matters, not the total # pounds.

Your daughter has excellent taste.

 

[Ken Nelson]

OK. I checked the calendar and it doesn't say April 1 so I'll bite.

Three butts would take the better part of two days to cook, if you cooked one after the other after the other.

However, if you are going to cook them all at the same time, you'll be done with all three within 12 to 16 hours. The two hours per pound rule of thumb is used to estimate the cooking time of the individual butts not the combined weight of all three.

Look at it this way. If you go to a two hour movie with three friends, does it take two hours or eight to watch that movie?

It can be dome but three butts are a bit of a squeeze for the top grate, so put the smallest butt on the bottom and the larger two on top. The bottom grate is likely to be a bit cooler so all three should finish at approximately the same time.

If the butts get done early, wrap them in foil and store them in an empty cooler. With the lid left shut, the meat will still be too hot to handle even after two or three hours in a cooler.

I hope this answers your question. Enjoy the party.

KN

 

[J Reyes]

Dupree, the timing is per butt, not the total weigth.

My last cook was for the 4th. Two butts, bone in, went on at 11pm (tues) and were done by 3pm on the 4th for a 15 hour cook or about 2 hours and 45 min. per lb (for each butt.

I would suggest going with 4, 5 pounders, two to a rack, instead of the larger ones mentioned. You'll get a faster cook and more bark. Cook time should be in a range of 12 to 15 hours.

Get them on no later than 7pm and I bet you should be in good shape for lunch time. Let us know how it went.

John

 

[Dupree]

Yeah I was off reading up on some smoke wood tips and it hit me....exactly what you all have said here.....what I get for running on little to no sleep...

As always, on this board it seems, silly question beget good answers and some related knowledge.

Thanks for sharing!