Pork butt cooking time

[Touchngo]

I have some questions regarding Boston butt smoking time and temps. I am planning to BBQ two 10 pound bone-in Boston butts I picked up from Sam's Club and would like them ready for pulling at 5 in the evening. The equipment:

1. I use a UDS with a large coal basket. The bottom of coal basket is the coal rack from a Weber 22.5" grill and it's about 10" tall.
2. Two cooking racks about 4" and 8" from top of UDS.
3. I typically use a water pan with some Apple cider mixed in. (Typically, as in the 5 times I've smoked meat on the UDS.....LOL)
4. I plan on injecting the pork but and rubbing it about 12 hours or so before starting to BBQ it.
5. I do have PID temp controller and it seems to work well, though so far I have only used it a couple of times and on shorter (4 hours) smoke sessions.
6. I have never done an overnight smoke and want to avoid if possible (Though I'm willing if others think I should)
7. I can start early in the morning (4:30 - 5:00) if need be

So now for my questions:

1. Would I be better off cutting the 10# pork butts in half to avoid the "overnight" part. If so, what is the best way to do so?
2. How long should I expect four 5# pieces or two 10# pieces to take? (I know, go by internal temps. just looking for some guestimates)
3. Foil, or no foil?
4. What temp should I start and end at?
5. What time should I start and end at?
6. Is 20# uncooked going to be enough for 30 or so adults?

I would rather have it done too early and throw it in a cooler until it is time to pull, but I do have some leeway on the 5:00 ready time as well. Could stretch that to about 6:30 if need be.

Any thoughts and ideas you could share would be greatly appreciated!!! If ya need more info, just let me know.

Thanks!
Touchngo

 

[Ron_L]

What temp does your UDS like to run at? That should be your cook temp. Then figure your start time by working backwards from serving time.

Plan 1.5 hours per pound at 250, 75 minutes at 275 or 45-60 minutes at 300. Add in at least two hours rest time and this will be a buffer in case you get a stubborn butt.

Don't cut them in half. You won't save much time. cook hotter and you won't have to cook overnight.

Foil is up to you. I foil when the bark color is where I like it!

20 lbs raw will yield 10 lbs cooked. That's enough for 30 1/3 lb servings

 

[Beentown]

I would get up at 6am and cook them hot and fast (300ish) and wrap them in foil, towels and place in a cooler to hold when ready to eat.

At 275-300 you could wrap them after 6 hours of smoke and be done by around 2pm. Then just hot hold in the cooler until ready to eat. That way you have some extra time if it is stubborn. I pull butts of the smoker when the bone jiggles pretty easy.

 

[Beentown]

Ha, Ron is a faster typist. Lol

 

[Mint]

Ron L nailed it for you.

 

[Ron_L]

Ha, Ron is a faster typist. Lol

:thumb:

And that was left-handed :-D

 

[tnfan47]

I would pre-trim everything the night before so i only have to apply the rub, get the smoker going, and don't forget to start the coffee pot...haha.

I always try to avoid overnight cooks if I can. I rather wake up real early to get things started.

 

[Fwismoker]

Plenty of moisture in those butts, you can nix the water pan...besides it'll use less fuel and cook faster.

 

[akoda]

I just did two last Sunday and I am really having to adjust my times since I started injecting, it's amazing the impact injecting has on cook times.

I did two nine pound butts trimmed the night before and injected with apple juice only, rubbed in the AM while prepping a smoker. I put the meat on at 5AM, wrapped at 10AM and we were resting at 1:30PM. I smoked at 275 to 285 on my WSM. These were by far my best ever.

 

[pjtexas1]

I always try to avoid overnight cooks if I can. I rather wake up real early to get things started.

This^^^

 

[Touchngo]

Thanks for all the replies so quick! Think I'm going to go the 275 route, skip cutting them in half, and make sure the meat is on the smoker by 5am. Never ran the smoker at 275 before (well, at least not intentionally), but I have run it at 250 before without a PID controller. With the PID pushing in some air, I don't think 275 will be a problem!

Should I turn the heat down when I foil it, or just let 'er keep going at 275?

 

[Touchngo]

I just did two last Sunday and I am really having to adjust my times since I started injecting, it's amazing the impact injecting has on cook times.

I did two nine pound butts trimmed the night before and injected with apple juice only, rubbed in the AM while prepping a smoker. I put the meat on at 5AM, wrapped at 10AM and we were resting at 1:30PM. I smoked at 275 to 285 on my WSM. These were by far my best ever.

Do you find that injecting reduces the time to smoke? I've only done about 5 smokes so far so I'm a noob and have no idea. I do plan on injecting the night before with Chris Lilly's injection recipe.

 

[Ron_L]

Should I turn the heat down when I foil it, or just let 'er keep going at 275?

That depends on how it is doing relative to your serving time. I would keep it the same or crank it up if it looks like it is stubborn.

Do you find that injecting reduces the time to smoke? I've only done about 5 smokes so far so I'm a noob and have no idea. I do plan on injecting the night before with Chris Lilly's injection recipe.

Yes, Injecting will typically speed up the cook, but I haven't found it to be a significant decrease.

 

[Fwismoker]

Thanks for all the replies so quick! Think I'm going to go the 275 route, skip cutting them in half, and make sure the meat is on the smoker by 5am. Never ran the smoker at 275 before (well, at least not intentionally), but I have run it at 250 before without a PID controller. With the PID pushing in some air, I don't think 275 will be a problem!

Should I turn the heat down when I foil it, or just let 'er keep going at 275?

PIDs or no PID won't have any bearing on what temp you can achieve if your smoker had enough air intake to begin with.

Foiling at 275 just means your meat will actually be cooking at 275....with out foil you'll have a cooling effect with release of moisture from the meat. So basically YES you don't need to change the temp.

Still should consider nixing the water pan. The end result is just more fuel burned.

 

[Touchngo]

PIDs or no PID won't have any bearing on what temp you can achieve if your smoker had enough air intake to begin with.

Foiling at 275 just means your meat will actually be cooking at 275....with out foil you'll have a cooling effect with release of moisture from the meat. So basically YES you don't need to change the temp.

Still should consider nixing the water pan. The end result is just more fuel burned.

Smoker can maintain 225 with one of three 3/4" intake vents open, so I'm hoping 275 won't be a problem. When the coal is burning hot, it will hit temps above 300 even with one vent open, but won't maintain it.

In regards to the water pan, what about just putting in a foil pan w/o water to catch drippings? Any negative effects doing that, or get rid of it all together and just let the drippings fall into the coals?

Thanks!

 

[akoda]

In my experience (twice) the cook time was significantly reduced by injecting. I am sure volume of liquid injected impacts, mine have been ~1/2 cup AJ per butt. YMMV.

 

[Fwismoker]

In regards to the water pan, what about just putting in a foil pan w/o water to catch drippings? Any negative effects doing that, or get rid of it all together and just let the drippings fall into the coals?

Thanks!

It's all personal preference you might want to experiment with. Yes the pan can be foiled ala WSM. Some like dripping to the coals flavor some don't .... I like it

No pan it's a traditional UDS...Full direct heat energy (more of a sunburn effect) and all drippings going in.( little faster cook)

Holy diffuser- I call a blended heat and it catches some drippings while letting the rest go to the fire.( little faster cook)

Foiled pan= no drippings to the fire and more of a indirect cook (less of the sunburn effect)

Best way i can explain it.. hope that helps.

 

[Touchngo]

Thanks for all the help everyone! I am a lot more at ease about this now! Will let you know how it goes!

 

[Touchngo]

So, I'm at 125 IT at 3 hour mark, UDS is at 280 - 290 temp. Is this about on track to be done by 5 pm (8 hours remaining) or still too early to tell?

 

[tnfan47]

So, I'm at 125 IT at 3 hour mark, UDS is at 280 - 290 temp. Is this about on track to be done by 5 pm (8 hours remaining) or still too early to tell?

Sounds like you're on track. You might finish earlier than you think which isn't a bad thing since it has to rest.