Butts on the smoker


 
J

Jon Paschal

New member
I bought 4 8-10 pound butts and had the butcher cut them in half and tie them. I give them away as Christmas presents. I do this every year but I always forget how long it takes. On a Weber 18.5 Smoker, dome temperature 225*, ambient outdoor temp 35*, how long? Seems like it took about 18 hours last year.

Thanks,

JDP
 
In my experience there is no set time. Go by temp and tenderness. No two pieces of meat will cook the same. If you don't have a good meat thermometer, you should get one. That being said you time seems about right to me.
 
If halved they really shouldn't take much more than 10-12 hours, tops, at that temp. You can always cook 25-50 degrees hotter and shorten cooking time. Results aren't different as long as you cook to tender.
 
I just did my first butt, so I only have one timing example to go by. It took me just shy of 12 hours with temps ranging between 250 - 285 and it was a 12.5 pounder. After 11 hours, 15 minutes, the temp at the bone was 196, fell apart.
 
I`m curious on times as well as I will be doing 4 -6-8lb whole ones myself next Wed and will give me better planning for the day. Only difference is smoker size and will be 55 degrees outside with grate temps at 230-240..

How do I get on your Christmas list Jon? None of my friends give out delicious cooked pork butts. :)
 
It will take a bit longer to get up to temp, probably, as four butts are more massive than one or two, but overall it will take the same time as one or two - which, again, depends on actual smoking temps. Or raise the temp, shorten the time.
 
I'd highly suggest the high heat method like the high heat brisket in the cooking topics. I've never had anything but excellent results. Its about 6 hours on my 22 wsm and I don't miss a bit of sleep. It might take you a little longer if you can't get the temps up. I keep it around 325 to 350. If cooking it twice as long gave me twice the results....I'd do it...but I don't think most people could tell the difference if all else was the same (wood, rub, injection, etc). That just me though....I have 3 kids and time is like gold around my house.
 
O.K., here's the scoop. Filled the charcoal holder with Kingsford charcoal and mixed peach wood chunks into the top layer. Used about 40 briquets in a charcoal chimney (about double what I use during Summer months). Put the chimney full of coals on the top of the pile (Minion method) and waited the peach chunks caught fire. Filled up the Brinkman water pan (2 gallon) with hot water and buit the smoker up and waited til the temp got up to 140* or so. All vents wide open. Put the butts on at 6:00 P.M. Checked back at 11:30 P.M. and filled it up with charcoal. I knew that I had to get more charcoal burning to fight the night cold. Checked back at 6:30 A.M. The air temp had dropped to 30* ad the Weber was down to about 185*. Added more charcoal but couldn't get the temp above 200* by 9:30 A.M. Took the butts off the smoker and wrapped them air tight in foil (I double wrapped them) and put them in the oven @ 350*. Checked internal temps and by 11:30 A.M. the internals were 200* - 205*. Put them in the cooler for 2 hours and then delivered them. I kept one for myself, of course. It was as good as any others I have smoked.

So even with a little bit of panic and uncertainty (I've never foiled before) they came out great. Total time: 17 1/2 hours.
 
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