Let's talk cooking time for Boston Butt.


 
JeffB

JeffB

TVWBB Pro
I know a lot of you have said that 1.5 to 2 hours per lb. is about the "standard" for cooking BB, but I'm just not sure that is entirely accurate. Maybe if you are cooking between 200* to 225*, that would be close. But BB is a very forgiving cut of meat and fairly simple to cook, so I'd suggest running the temps closer to 275* and reducing the cooking time to around 1 hour per lb.

See the video below. Aaron Franklin cooks this BB in about 8 hours and it appears to be about a 8 lb, bone in BB. I understand that he foils at 5 hours to plow through the stall and this speeds things a bit. But, I have cooked a number of BB's in the past and I think that 2 hours is a pretty long cook time for this cut of meat. I'd say 1 hour per lb to maybe 1.5 is a bit closer to reality.

Maybe I'm splitting hairs and the answer is "it's done when it's done," but for somebody who does not like missing sleep on an overnight cook and would rather start the cooker at 6am, I'd suggest running hotter and reducing the cook time.

Thoughts?

 
Jeff, my first pork butt in the WSM I did low & slow, started at 4:00 am. My next one (and every one since) has been high heat. My wife and I can't tell the difference between the two methods, but I know there are members here that can. I haven't ever considered going by time - I go by temp until it gets close to 190ish internal, then go by probe tender. I just figure it's done when it's done, and make sure I have the day free if it goes long and enjoy the free time if it's done early!
 
I think 1.5 is a pretty good guideline and I know people cook them at a higher heat and get them done quicker as well. I have had stubborn ones take longer or something go goofy during the cook and stretch it out to 14 or 15 hours a few times too. I end up cooking at around 250 on a WSM (dome thermo) because that is where that cooker likes to settle in. I'd prefer to cook faster but I find it is more work to try to force that cooker to cook lower or higher than 250. So I try to make the cooker happy and leave it at 250. :D That usually equates to 1.5 hours a pound.

Like you said, pork butt is very forgiving.
 
I think the 1.5/lb is a good guideline if you need a starting point...but like everyone has said, Butts are very forgiving and hard to screw up. I've had two minor failures with two pork butts (Maverick failing in the first one and it cooking for most of the night at 160-180 degrees instead of the 225-230 I thought it was at) and then the second time running out of fuel at around hour 10 and having to finish the last two hours in the oven...

...and still getting awesome tasting pulled pork with a decent smoke ring and bark.

I dunno man, I haven't done it enough to have a real good opinion.
 
I know i have always shot for 250ish with cooking them, and i know in the first few cooks i did not foil. They took forever. 1.5 to 2 hours a pound. My best cook to date was foiling a 6 lb butt and having it done in 6 hours. I for one did not care about the bark when pulling it. I liked the flavor of the foiled butt better as i foiled in a pan with apple juice, honey and rub.
 
It just depends on the temperature you cook at. The higher the temp the faster the cook. I've been doing them at 325 and it takes less than an hour/lb.
 
I am with Bob and Mike above, I did an 8 and a 9lb bone in two weeks ago that were absolutely fabulous. I did them at 300 to 325 at the grate. Once I had a nice bark set which was about 165 internal I put them in a foil pan and foil sealed the top with some ACV and AJ with a little finishing sauce added. It was about seven hours where they went perfect tender, maybe a few minutes more.
That is how I will do them from now on.
 
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My last Boston Butt (bone in) weighed 8.7 lbs. and took nine hours at 225-250 grate temperature. I foiled at about 5.5 hours (when the bark was set) and pulled when it was tender. This one was injected as per Mr. Harry Soo and was, without a doubt, the best pulled pork I have ever done.

FWIW
Dale53
 
I'm in the same camp as you Jeff. Before I became a member here I lurked on another board and read a few tips on cooking butts in the 300 deg range.
Thats what I do measured at the top vent with a cheap turkey fryer therm, and I can let it go 275-325 and always like my results. The key is foiling to me when the color is right. I have a few on right now and I started them about 8.30 am. I used some crap-boy lump and had a hard time getting that scrap up to temp. A few hits with a propane torch and cracking the lid finally gave me an acceptable target temp and I'm just getting ready to foil now.
I love a curve ball when the BBQ gods so see fit, butt it's all good now.:wsm:
Edit: to add a pic.
https://plus.google.com/photos/110895182115686217100/albums/5600251720320799489/5907997577252916098?banner=pwa&authkey=CJKgyOOw0fLtwQE&pid=5907997577252916098&oid=110895182115686217100

Tim
 
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It still takes me about 12 hours and I prefer to kick off at midnight. With the maverick on the nightstand, q'ing can't be easier. :D
 
I usually cook a butt at 250 - 275* and they go about 1.5 hrs/lb. I never use foil. The last one I did LOW -- about 200 - 225* which took FOREVER. SWMBO said "you finally nailed it". I was kinda surprised because I thought I had been producing some pretty good BBQ. I think it was a 17 hr cook which was over 2 hrs/lb. She went on and on about it not knowing about the different temps. Interesting how she could detect a difference.
 
Dwain Pannell said:
I usually cook a butt at 250 - 275* and they go about 1.5 hrs/lb. I never use foil. The last one I did LOW -- about 200 - 225* which took FOREVER. SWMBO said "you finally nailed it". I was kinda surprised because I thought I had been producing some pretty good BBQ. I think it was a 17 hr cook which was over 2 hrs/lb. She went on and on about it not knowing about the different temps. Interesting how she could detect a difference.
Click to expand...


If it takes 17 hours to nail it, I'd prefer to just get it edible. I don't have 17 hours to spare.
 
I've never foiled. I usually try 225, but often it's like my cook yesterday: 245-260. And, I have never been beyond 1.5 hrs/lb.
 
I usually budget about 12-14 hours for two average range butts - 8-9 pounders, cooking 225-240 at the grate on an 18" WSM, followed by an hour to 90 minutes in foil in the faux-Cambro, then hand-smooshing it in a roasting pan in front of a salivating group of hungry Q-fans.
 
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