Smoke butt took longer than books said it should


 
C

chad

TVWBB Member
So I am trying to make Smoked Pork Butt for the first time (and this is my third Q). From what I and my wife read - a 4-5LB pork butt should take between 5-6 hours to reach 180F. Mine took 9.5 hours to 183F, which is the temp I took it out of the smoker even though I was trying to hit 185F. I am guessing that if I left it on for another 30 minutes it would have hit 185, making a 10 hour cook time.

Questions:

Does this amount of time seem "normal" to others?

In the future, should I expect the cook time to take between 8 - 11 hours?


Here is my setup:
WSM 18.5
Kingsford Char
Full water pan at start
Grill Temp = avg. 224
Lid Temp = avg. 251
Wind = Minimal, used wind break
Outside Temp = 70F ~ 75F

Thanks for the feedback
 
Chad, extended slow internal temperature rises are a trademark of tough BBQ cuts like butt and beef brisket.

What happens essentially is that these cuts hit a "plateau" anywhere between 150-180 degrees internal where all the additional heat energy pouring into it from the cooker goes towards rendering fat and converting collagen to gelatin, rather than raising the internal temperature of the meat. The plateau can last up to a few hours and is very frustrating if you're expecting a shorter cook or are on a deadline.

In the future, try cooking with higher temperatures, or foiling your meat at around 150 degrees internal and putting it back on the cooker. Both these techniques will speed up the time it takes to finish a cut, and in the case of foiling can help prevent drying out the edges of your meat. As you develop a feel for your WSM you'll get the hang of how long things take at different temperatures. 2+ hours per pound for a pork butt is certainly within the scope of reason, especially at a low temperature (you said 225 grate). If you cook hotter around 275 it will take more like 1.25 hours per pound but again you want to build some fudge time into that equation, since they can take much much longer than you expect.
 
Can't beleive everything you read.
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1.5-2hrs per lbs is very 'normal'at the temps you were at.
 
Thanks Dave & Stefan

Yeah, I found the plateau for this piece of meat it was 163 - it stayed there for almost three hours.

Two more questions:

If I cooked the butt @ 275, does the meat go through the same steps you described in your comment - Just faster?

Is there any change to the taste/texture cooking it at the higher temp?

Chad
 
No noticeable change in taste or texture in my experience. Pork butt is pretty idiot proof so long as you don't severely over- or undercook it.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"> If I cooked the butt @ 275, does the meat go through the same steps you described in your comment - Just faster? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

In my experience (which is limited) the "rising" time does go a little faster, but the plateau seems to take just as long. My guess is that that the rendering processes happening during the plateau aren't really all that temperature sensitive (maybe oven-type 400F might make a difference, but that's not really Q.)

Generally, I'd just say let it take what it takes. A thermometer is your best friend.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by PerryRT:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"> If I cooked the butt @ 275, does the meat go through the same steps you described in your comment - Just faster? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

In my experience (which is limited) the "rising" time does go a little faster, but the plateau seems to take just as long. My guess is that that the rendering processes happening during the plateau aren't really all that temperature sensitive (maybe oven-type 400F might make a difference, but that's not really Q.)

Generally, I'd just say let it take what it takes. A thermometer is your best friend. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Absolutely! How long a pork butt will take depends a lot on what is actually in it. My first three were "normally" fat and were done at about 1 1/2 hr per lb. But the most recent turned out to be much more meat (less fatty) and took the full 2 hrs per lb.

So try to guess about whether the butt is "fatty" or not to guess at the time needed. If you get through early (good plan), wrap it in foil and towels and stow in a cooler until needed. Or pull it when cooked and keep the pulled meat hot in a crock pot on low until dinner time. (You can verify your crock pot temp ahead of time with water and a thermometer if it concerns you. Mine on low is 160*.)

Rich
 
Chad - one of the things to remember is that the meat is done when it's done. Every piece of meat is different, and will cook differently. My anecdotal experience would indicate that smaller butts take more time per pound to finish than larger butts do.
Another thing to consider is your dome thermometer. Is it the stock Weber thermo? I have read in a couple of places that those thermos can be as much as 35 degrees off. Buy an inexpensive oven thermometer and set it on your cooking grate to see what your actual cook temp is.
 
"In the future, should I expect the cook time to take between 8 - 11 hours?"

For Pulled Pork, I figure on 2hrs/lb.

Some finish a little earlier, some a little later, even had a couple of stubborn ones take closer to 3hrs/lb. Thankfully, they were smallish ones.
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Always plan for the smokes to take longer than expected. Each butt is different and each cook is under different circumstances. I rarely have a cook that goes by the book.

Be patient and let the low and slow & smoke do its job.
 
Yep, and if it happens to finish early, just double or triple wrap in foil and put in a cooler. It will hold nicely.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"> each cook is under different circumstances </div></BLOCKQUOTE> Correct. Other than variances in size, when talking commercial pork each butt is not different. Variances in cook times have much more to do with the cooking, not the butt. Though it may well seem that one is doing the same thing in terms of approach and technique from cook to cook, variances in procedures, even seemingly minor ones, along with differences in starting meat temp, wind and other ambient conditions, can alter cook time appreciably.

It's not the butt that is different.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Stefan B:
Can't beleive everything you read.
icon_wink.gif


1.5-2hrs per lbs is very 'normal'at the temps you were at. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I agree, throw the book out. I cook mostly by temp and give myself an extra 2-3 hrs in case the meat stalls (plateaus). If its done an hour or so before target time I hold it in a cooler untill I need it.
 
I find that maybe 75% of the time a 8 pound butt is done in 13-14 hours. But those last 25%, ugh, I think my record is 17 hours. It's just the way it is. I'm usually in a 225-250 range.

There's a plateau in the 160s and another in the 180s. I don't even start checking for doneness until 190, and I do that by poking a probe into it and feeling for resistance (shouldn't be any).

PS I was really pleased that the 22" Weber did a 17 hour cook without refueling. It was pretty well stuffed with Wicked Good lump charcoal though.
 
I did a 7 lb butt this past weekend and it smoked for 15 hours. It plateaued forever. I ended up pulling at 174 degrees as I had a lot of hungry people and chopped it up. I've had 7 lb butts take me 10 hours. I usually pull at 183 and wrap in saran wrap and towel in a cooler for 2 hours to finish it off. It all depends on the meat. They are just guidelines, it not like baking cake. Was it good?
 
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