Need help with some butts

It's been awhile since I have smoked some butts :tsk:. I am doing 3 tomorrow on the UDS between 225 and 250 degrees. Each of the butts is around 5lbs. I know the general rule of thumb is 1-1.5 hours per pound. With 3 butts I am not sure how much time I should assume these will take. I plan on getting them on the smoker by 0400 and plan on eating around 1830-1900. WIll this give them enough time to get at least a 2 hour rest, or should I put them on even earlier, or is this too much time? I know there is not a for sure answer, but what time do you think would be the smartest to get them on? Thanks for the help. Pron to come.

fnbish said:

At that temperature range 5lb butts should take 7.5hrs'ish (obviously plus or minus a little). But that is a decent estimate. So you might be putting them on too early. Get a little more sleep :razz:. They don't even need a 2hr rest. I say put then on around 10am

Click to expand...

Thanks. I just wasn't sure if I should give it more time since I was smoking three butts and basically think of it as adding the total weight of all the meat or just think of it as smoking 5 lbs of butt but it just so happens I have 2 more on, if that makes any sense. This gives me some relief though because I really would like to sleep more:thumb:

El Ropo said:

If the time is there to use, I'd suggest 2 hour minimum rest. It's not an absolute, but I feel the result is better with a long rest time.

On cook time, I'd count on 8 hours. Sometimes smaller butts can be stubborn, and take longer per lb than larger butts. When purchasing butts or picnics, I never get anything less than 7.5 lb butts, 9 lbs for picnics. After the skin and extra fat is trimmed off a 9 lb picnic, it'll be around 8lbs.

Click to expand...

I am going to shoot for at least a 2 hour rest. I usually go for the 7.5 lb range also but my butcher happened to be fresh out and the store I went to only had a couple left, the largest ones being about 5.5 lbs. That's why I went for three of them.

Thanks everyone for the input. I will be sure to post some pron.

Ron_L said:

Unless you're reaching the capacity of the cooker and airflow is being effected, having one or three will make little difference. If it were on hunk of pork that weighed 15 lbs, then you would be looking at longer cooking time, but with each piece separate the cook time will be about the same.

Click to expand...

Thanks Ron, that was the main thing I was unsure about. Just got them on the smoker now, so there is nothing to do now but hope that the smoke gods cooperate.