Boston Butt Advice

u-joint · 12-28-2012, 08:58 PM

Hey Brethren,

I am hosting an event this Sunday in which I will be preparing pulled pork. I have smoked a Boston butt a few times before, but each of those times it was more of a "it's done when it's done" approach, and we ate dinner whenever the pork decided to get done. This being an event with guests and specific timing, I am fretting a little more about making sure the timing works out.

I've purchased a bone-in, roughly 9.5 lbs, Boston butt. From my experiences, and what I've read, I can expect about 1 - 1.5 hours of cook time per pound. This works out to about 10-15 hours. That's a pretty big window.

I'd rather err on the side of caution, and get it done early, but I am not sure what I'd do with the butt to keep it as fresh and tasty as possible while waiting on guests.

Suggestions?

Big Mike · 12-28-2012, 09:05 PM

My normal cooking temp is about 230-235. At that temp, you would probably be around 14-15 hours for that 9.5lb butt. If you get done early, just double wrap in heavy duty foil and place in a small cooler. You should be able to hold the butt for quite a while that way.

1911Ron · 12-28-2012, 09:27 PM

What temp are you wanting to run at? I run my drum at 275-280, should go a little faster. You could also foil it at 160 it would help power thru the stall. Good luck!

thompson238 · 12-28-2012, 09:30 PM

I agree with Big Mike , I also like to cook on the cooler end and I always double wrap in tin foil then wrap in a beach towel and let rest inside a cooler. I have let it rest for up to 3 hrs and it was still to hot to pull by hand without getting burnt! Just start early and if you finish rest up until guest are suppose to arrive and shred away!

u-joint · 12-28-2012, 09:41 PM

Thanks for the advice guys.

This will be my first run with my UDS, so I am not sure what temp she likes to run at... I guess I'll figure that out tomorrow. Generally, though, I usually shoot for 250.

Freddy j · 12-28-2012, 10:25 PM

I just did these 2 beauties a couple days ago, 225 for 12 hours, no foil or anything (didn't really stall) incredible results

PatAttack · 12-28-2012, 10:32 PM

Cooked two the same size last weekend @ 300. Done in about eight hours.

I'm now a fan of hot & fast!

kingstar · 12-28-2012, 10:38 PM

Another one for the double foil, towel, and into a cooler. I like to wrap them in as many towels as I can fit in the cooler. I held a butt this way for about 4.5 hours and it was still too hot to handle when I went to pull it. I just plan to get done early and know I can hold it this way.

Bludawg · 12-28-2012, 11:43 PM

I cook mine at 300 on the grate time averages 45 min lb .There is no stall just a steady march to perfection!

caseydog · 12-29-2012, 12:11 AM

Easy. Start your cook early. When the butt is done, wrap it in foil, and a towel, and toss it in a cooler. You have a good three hours and it will be hot and ready to pull.

Don't stress out with a pork butt. Pork butt is very forgiving. Start early, finish early, and let it rest in a cooler like I described. Pork butt is the easiest meat to smoke. Just get it done early, foil it, wrap it in a towel, and stuff it in a cooler, and you can be done three hours early, and it will taste like it just got done five minutes ago.

Can any brethren give me an Amen?

CD

jrn · 12-29-2012, 12:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by caseydog

Easy. Start your cook early. When the butt is done, wrap it in foil, and a towel, and toss it in a cooler. You have a good three hours and it will be hot and ready to pull.

Don't stress out with a pork butt. Pork butt is very forgiving. Start early, finish early, and let it rest in a cooler like I described. Pork butt is the easiest meat to smoke. Just get it done early, foil it, wrap it in a towel, and stuff it in a cooler, and you can be done three hours early, and it will taste like it just got done five minutes ago.

Can any brethren give me an Amen?

CD

Tell it brother!

Few days ago I cooked two 9lbers. The one to be sliced was foiled and coolered at 1:30. When I sliced it at 6:30 it was steaming hot!

u-joint · 12-29-2012, 07:49 AM

Thanks everyone. I really do appreciate the suggestion. I will be starting it early and putting it in the cooler for sure.

The event is at 1pm Sunday. I am thinking about starting cooking at 10pm tonight, sound about right?

Johnny_Crunch · 12-29-2012, 07:59 AM

Good luck!

jonboy · 12-29-2012, 08:09 AM

Cooking at 250 has pork done at 10 hr mark for me.
It takes about 5 hrs to hit plateau and then 5 hrs to finish.
We have been cooking fat side up for first 5 hrs then flipping/saucing for the finish.
You can wrap at the turn if you are trying to finish quicker or want to protect the color.
After you remove the pork from the cooker, put it to bed. Wrap it in some foil, a pan, butcher paper and stash it somewhere to keep it warm and to stay out of it. It should hold for several hours with no problem.
Pork is very forgiving. Enjoy the cook.
jon

HankB · 12-29-2012, 08:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by caseydog

Easy. Start your cook early. When the butt is done, wrap it in foil, and a towel, and toss it in a cooler. You have a good three hours and it will be hot and ready to pull.

Don't stress out with a pork butt. Pork butt is very forgiving. Start early, finish early, and let it rest in a cooler like I described. Pork butt is the easiest meat to smoke. Just get it done early, foil it, wrap it in a towel, and stuff it in a cooler, and you can be done three hours early, and it will taste like it just got done five minutes ago.

Can any brethren give me an Amen?

CD

Amen brother!

The other thing I do is to put the meat into a roasting pan that has been warmed in an oven. Then I set that in a picnic cooler which has been prewarmed with some hot water. That really extends the time the meat will stay hot. (For safety, you want to keep the meat above 140° to prevent bacterial growth.)

12-28-2012, 08:58 PM	#1
u-joint Got Wood. Join Date: 12-12-12 Location: Tulsa, OK	Boston Butt Advice Hey Brethren, I am hosting an event this Sunday in which I will be preparing pulled pork. I have smoked a Boston butt a few times before, but each of those times it was more of a "it's done when it's done" approach, and we ate dinner whenever the pork decided to get done. This being an event with guests and specific timing, I am fretting a little more about making sure the timing works out. I've purchased a bone-in, roughly 9.5 lbs, Boston butt. From my experiences, and what I've read, I can expect about 1 - 1.5 hours of cook time per pound. This works out to about 10-15 hours. That's a pretty big window. I'd rather err on the side of caution, and get it done early, but I am not sure what I'd do with the butt to keep it as fresh and tasty as possible while waiting on guests. Suggestions?

12-28-2012, 09:05 PM	#2
Big Mike is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 10-12-07 Location: Dayton Ohio	My normal cooking temp is about 230-235. At that temp, you would probably be around 14-15 hours for that 9.5lb butt. If you get done early, just double wrap in heavy duty foil and place in a small cooler. You should be able to hold the butt for quite a while that way. __________________ ROLL TIDE!!!! Big Mike Eagle River Barbecue Yoder YS640 Stumps Platinum 5 Trailer Members Mark 8 Burner Gasser

12-28-2012, 09:27 PM	#3
1911Ron is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 04-09-12 Location: Ft Mudge AT Name/Nickname : Ron	What temp are you wanting to run at? I run my drum at 275-280, should go a little faster. You could also foil it at 160 it would help power thru the stall. Good luck! __________________ A bunch of Webers, a UDS and a Happy Cooker!

12-28-2012, 09:30 PM	#4
thompson238 Got Wood. Join Date: 07-18-12 Location: Toney Alabama	I agree with Big Mike , I also like to cook on the cooler end and I always double wrap in tin foil then wrap in a beach towel and let rest inside a cooler. I have let it rest for up to 3 hrs and it was still to hot to pull by hand without getting burnt! Just start early and if you finish rest up until guest are suppose to arrive and shred away! __________________ Weber Performer,SamAdamsWeber,Smoky Joe,22.5 WSM, Weber Genesis E-310,red thermapen(the fast one)

12-28-2012, 10:32 PM	#7
PatAttack somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 07-19-11 Location: In the Marsh	Cooked two the same size last weekend @ 300. Done in about eight hours. I'm now a fan of hot & fast! __________________ "You have never lived until you have almost died". "For those who fight for it, life has a flavor the protected will never know".-Unknown Vietnam Soldier 22" WSM 22" Weber Gold Weber Smoky Joe Weber Gasser Rec-Tec 590

12-28-2012, 09:41 PM	#5
u-joint Got Wood. Join Date: 12-12-12 Location: Tulsa, OK	Thanks for the advice guys. This will be my first run with my UDS, so I am not sure what temp she likes to run at... I guess I'll figure that out tomorrow. Generally, though, I usually shoot for 250.

12-28-2012, 10:25 PM	#6
Freddy j is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 11-22-12 Location: Boston	I just did these 2 beauties a couple days ago, 225 for 12 hours, no foil or anything (didn't really stall) incredible results

12-28-2012, 10:38 PM	#8
kingstar Got Wood. Join Date: 12-06-12 Location: Mesa	Another one for the double foil, towel, and into a cooler. I like to wrap them in as many towels as I can fit in the cooler. I held a butt this way for about 4.5 hours and it was still too hot to handle when I went to pull it. I just plan to get done early and know I can hold it this way.

12-28-2012, 11:43 PM	#9
Bludawg somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 07-04-09 Location: Jonesboro,Tx	I cook mine at 300 on the grate time averages 45 min lb .There is no stall just a steady march to perfection! __________________ I'm a Proxy Vegetarian> Cows eat grass & I eat cows.

12-29-2012, 12:11 AM	#10
caseydog somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 07-08-10 Location: Texas	Easy. Start your cook early. When the butt is done, wrap it in foil, and a towel, and toss it in a cooler. You have a good three hours and it will be hot and ready to pull. Don't stress out with a pork butt. Pork butt is very forgiving. Start early, finish early, and let it rest in a cooler like I described. Pork butt is the easiest meat to smoke. Just get it done early, foil it, wrap it in a towel, and stuff it in a cooler, and you can be done three hours early, and it will taste like it just got done five minutes ago. Can any brethren give me an Amen? CD

12-29-2012, 07:49 AM	#12
u-joint Got Wood. Join Date: 12-12-12 Location: Tulsa, OK	Thanks everyone. I really do appreciate the suggestion. I will be starting it early and putting it in the cooler for sure. The event is at 1pm Sunday. I am thinking about starting cooking at 10pm tonight, sound about right?

12-29-2012, 07:59 AM	#13
Johnny_Crunch Babbling Farker Join Date: 04-03-10 Location: Cypress TX	Good luck! __________________ J Crunch

12-29-2012, 08:09 AM	#14
jonboy is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 01-14-07 Location: Mount Washington, Kentucky	Cooking at 250 has pork done at 10 hr mark for me. It takes about 5 hrs to hit plateau and then 5 hrs to finish. We have been cooking fat side up for first 5 hrs then flipping/saucing for the finish. You can wrap at the turn if you are trying to finish quicker or want to protect the color. After you remove the pork from the cooker, put it to bed. Wrap it in some foil, a pan, butcher paper and stash it somewhere to keep it warm and to stay out of it. It should hold for several hours with no problem. Pork is very forgiving. Enjoy the cook. jon