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How long to cook 2 8lb Butts
- Thread starter SteveM.
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I much prefer the results of longer cooks on butts, myself, but that's just our own taste. The longer rendering time at temps in the 225-235 range work magic, and 14 - 16 hours is very easy to maintain using the Minion method of burning. Are these your first butts? If so, then the "Renowned Mr Brown" is an outstanding recipe to use. Go to the Cooking Topics page and you'll see the Renowned Mr Brown shown 2nd in the "Pork" section.
If you're determined to try to cook them faster, be sure to read the writeup HERE on quick-cooking butts. I've never done it this way, but others have and have reported good results.
If you don't use water OR sand in the pan for this long a cook, you're going to be fighting temps and choking your fire down to stay as low as you need to be. May as well use the water pan either with foil-covered sand or water, and take advantage of the design that helps make the WSM such a "set-it-and-forget-it" system. I think you'll be happier and more satisfied with your end product saving the empty foiled waterpan treatment for meats that you want to cook at a high temp such as poultry. In THOSE cases that method is GREAT, helping you run at 325 - 350 with ease. That kind of heat doesn't make for the happiest of pork butts, though.
You can't rush good smoked butts. All just my own humble opinion, of course...
Keri C
Still smokin on Tulsa Time
If you're determined to try to cook them faster, be sure to read the writeup HERE on quick-cooking butts. I've never done it this way, but others have and have reported good results.
If you don't use water OR sand in the pan for this long a cook, you're going to be fighting temps and choking your fire down to stay as low as you need to be. May as well use the water pan either with foil-covered sand or water, and take advantage of the design that helps make the WSM such a "set-it-and-forget-it" system. I think you'll be happier and more satisfied with your end product saving the empty foiled waterpan treatment for meats that you want to cook at a high temp such as poultry. In THOSE cases that method is GREAT, helping you run at 325 - 350 with ease. That kind of heat doesn't make for the happiest of pork butts, though.
You can't rush good smoked butts. All just my own humble opinion, of course...
Keri C
Still smokin on Tulsa Time
I did a "quick cook" over X-Mass and was happily surprised at the results. About 6 hrs at 250 and last couple of hours wrapped in foil. Internal temp at finish was about 200. If you liberally season it after pulling with your rub, you may be surprised with the taste. I agree the longer method is better, but sometimes this quick method comes in handy. I believe it would be better to use this method than to go to a higher pit temp and no water.
Paul
Paul
Russ Hazzon
TVWBB Pro
Steve,
There are going to be average times for cooks, but I can tell you from experience that times vary wildly. I've cooked butts in 9-10 hours, with an average of 12-14 hours for a 7-8lb butt. I just did two butts for Christmas and they were downright stubborn! After 18 hours I pulled them off the WSM at around 186 degrees internal. It still pulled ok, but I'd have been happier with 5 or 10 more degrees.
The funny part here is that I trimmed off more fat than I normally do so that my cook times might be shorter than normal. Go figure!
ALWAYS give yourself extra time for a cook. You never know!!
There are going to be average times for cooks, but I can tell you from experience that times vary wildly. I've cooked butts in 9-10 hours, with an average of 12-14 hours for a 7-8lb butt. I just did two butts for Christmas and they were downright stubborn! After 18 hours I pulled them off the WSM at around 186 degrees internal. It still pulled ok, but I'd have been happier with 5 or 10 more degrees.
The funny part here is that I trimmed off more fat than I normally do so that my cook times might be shorter than normal. Go figure!
ALWAYS give yourself extra time for a cook. You never know!!
Barry McCorkle
TVWBB Super Fan
Count on 2 to 2 1/2 hours per pound at 225 - 250 cooking temp. It depends on the meat, some take longer and some not, but these numbers run pretty true for me.
SC Que
SC Que
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