Pork butt cooking chart


 

Monty House

TVWBB Pro
I can't find the thread where a member posted what I thought was a really helpful chart, e.g., 225-250 ---> 1.5 hours/lb, 275---> 1.25 hours/lb, etc.

Does anyone know where that is? Thanks.
 
Monty,

Sorry I missed your question. Those times are what I have experienced with grate temp. However I just roll with dome temp now because I know when it is at x temp I am good, depending on the meat load and what part of the cook I'm at.

All I'm interested in is if I am holding temp, losing temp or gaining.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Glenn W:
Monty,

Sorry I missed your question. Those times are what I have experienced with grate temp. However I just roll with dome temp now because I know when it is at x temp I am good, depending on the meat load and what part of the cook I'm at.

All I'm interested in is if I am holding temp, losing temp or gaining. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Glenn, I copied your chart to MS Word. Have it handy on my desktop. It works for sure Sir. Great observations.
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Glenn W:
I just roll with dome temp now because I know when it is at x temp I am good, depending on the meat load and what part of the cook I'm at.

All I'm interested in is if I am holding temp, losing temp or gaining. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yep.

Hard to be certain of exact cooking temps when rising meat temp is affecting temperature readings, no matter where you check it. Even measuring at the grate, obviously, temps will vary greatly depending on how much meat and where the tip of the probe is. Those two statements sound like a good case for measuring at the vent, but for some reason that always ends up stretching out my cooks....even if I take into account that I need higher temp readings. Aside from the first couple of hours or so where I'm doing good to get a gauge temp of 200* with a full grate, I just feel more comfortable when I see that dome gauge somewhere close to 12 o'clock. If the sun comes up shining the next day I'm looking for 235-250* from then on. If the water in the pan is just sitting there than I'm not cooking fast enough.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Dave Russell:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Glenn W:
I just roll with dome temp now because I know when it is at x temp I am good, depending on the meat load and what part of the cook I'm at.

All I'm interested in is if I am holding temp, losing temp or gaining. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yep.

Hard to be certain of exact cooking temps when rising meat temp is affecting temperature readings, no matter where you check it. Even measuring at the grate, obviously, temps will vary greatly depending on how much meat and where the tip of the probe is. Those two statements sound like a good case for measuring at the vent, but for some reason that always ends up stretching out my cooks....even if I take into account that I need higher temp readings. Aside from the first couple of hours or so where I'm doing good to get a gauge temp of 200* with a full grate, I just feel more comfortable when I see that dome gauge somewhere close to 12 o'clock. If the sun comes up shining the next day I'm looking for 235-250* from then on. If the water in the pan is just sitting there than I'm not cooking fast enough. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Which method tastes better Dave? That's been my ultimate guide of late.
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Mike, my exact sentiments!

Lately, the long cook I'd rather pass on is the overnight cook that's for supper the next day. I find that I might as well just foil during the cook than have to rest the already tender bbq in a cooler for hours and start diluting and drying out all that great flavor I spent so long to get. I'd much rather cook overnight for a midday bbq or get up at four and keep the butts in the 7-8lb range if needed for supper time.

As for stretching out cooks, like I said earlier, if the water in my pan is just sitting there then I'm cooking too slow, but I don't want to cook so fast that the variance between the outer and inner grate is 50*.

Guess all I'm saying is that it's for good reason that most bbq's are at midday. THAT's my favorite method, and as long as my charcoal is dry the wsm lets me get some sleep.
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Dave, I have yet to attempt an overnight cook but want to try it with a brisket or the like. I see you have your timing down. That has to be just as important as every other aspect of the cook for Great results.

Quote: if the water in my pan is just sitting there then I'm cooking too slow,

That makes perfect sense and should serve as a guide to all regardless of temp readings!

Thanks.
 
Mike, timing was no big deal to me before I came to the realization that there was no way a perfectly cooked pork butt would get any better than right off the pit. I'd hold bbq hot for up to six hours or even more in a hot cooler and ignorance was bliss....and my bbq was quite often a little (or a lot) dry. Now, timing is one of my biggest challenges, and no, I don't have it down. Quite frankly, it's a good case for an ATC, but even if you can keep temps fairly consistent cook to cook though, you're gonna have a hot side to the cooker or another variable that can come into play.

Heck, back to the topic though, most folks say that every piece of meat is different, and then some would say that meat has gotten fairly standard. Well, if it's a myth that every pork butt (or brisket) will cook differently, and if every eight pound pork butt takes about the same time/temp to turn it into bbq, then we needn't to go poking every butt on the cooker then....other than with a Thermapen for a certain finished IT* reading...like 195* or whatever. Well, that's not the case, and it's done when it's done. Right?
 

 

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