8lb pork butt cooking too fast!! Please help!

[prosio33]

My butcher didn't have a 7lb butt cut so I got two 4lb cuts and he did a great job tying them together. However, my meat is now just at 5 hours of cooking at exactly 225 degrees and is already at an internal temp of 154. Is this do to it being 2 seperate cuts tied together? Not exactly the 14 hour cook I was expecting. Anyone have a similar situation and advice for me??

 

[superdave]

I've never had a butt take more than an hour a pound when smoking at 225 - 250.  If you are trying to hit a certain meal time, I've keep them hot for as long as 3 hours in the ice chest wrapped in old towels or blanket.

 

[prosio33]

Thanks SuperDave! I wonder why Jeff insists a 6-8lb will be a 14+hour cook? Obviously my first attempt. The dinner isn't till tmrw so I will store in bags and reheat for it. Any advice on storage for 24hrs?

 

[chef willie]

They are not the same as one large butt. With no bone in the middle it will cook faster. You were correct in allowing (IMO) 2 hours per pound, that's my general rule. As the previous poster suggested, if your IT is for sure correct and you wish to quit at 205 or so for PP, by all means wrap in foil, then a towel and hold it hot till you are ready. The microwave works great as a holding tank BTW. 

 

[superdave]

One of Jeff's posts about one of his best pulled porks was the time he stopped the cook when he pulled the meat to wrap and finished the next day.  When you are ready, don't be afraid to pull out of the smoker, foil wrap and finish tomorrow in the oven. 

 

[Bearcarver]

I must be a Dumb Bear, because I'm sitting here wondering why anyone would tie 2 butts together.

I can see cutting an 8 pound butt in half so you can get a lot more bark and less time to smoke, but I don't know why you would tie two small butts together.

Bear

 

[superdave]

prosio33, did everything turnout alright?