Time to cook 2 pork butts

Approximate cooking time is based on separate piece weights, and yes, I would figure the 10lb for 20 hours. If you foil when internal temp is around 165-170* it can cut a few hours off the total time. The draw-back is that foiling will kill your bark's texture and soften it enormously, although foiling to rest for several hours can as well.

For placement of the two butts on the grates, I can't say which area will be hotter in the Bradley (middle or top), but if you know which will be hotter, that's where you'd want to put the heavier piece. Do stay well above the water pan...if too close, this area will get reduced smoke reaction and higher humidity which tends to steam the food more than smoke it.

You could smoke at 240-250* instead of the usual 225* you hear everyone smoking at without any noticeable difference in tenderness. Take to around 200* internal temp and poke around inside to feel for resistance. If your probe slides in easy in different directions should be tender enough to pull and rest. You can also just grab the bone with tongs and give it a gentle pull...if it feels like it's ready to pull out, it's time to pull it to rest. I rest my pork shoulder for at least 1 hour before pulling.

Me? I'd get ta smokin' now...the dreaded stalls can add some time...a 2hr/lb estimate allows for some stall time as well, but you need to rest them before pulling, so 20 hours may be jacking things pretty tight on time. If you get lucky and they get done early, just foil and wrap in towels and toss in a warm cooler (be sure to bring one indoors to warm-up if it's in the garage or shed)...butts can sit for several hours foiled/toweled/coolered and still be piping hot for pulling.

Have a GREAT smoke!!!

Eric

Yep.  Two for the price of one.

Just more fuel.

Assuming you can keep pit temps up to normal in your climate.

Time?  Hard to say?  Therms for internal temp will determine that.

As Eric said, get them done early.  They need the rest time.  Also, they rest much better than they rush.

Good luck and good smoking.

SJSob said:

The 10 pounder that was on the bottom rack is sitting at 185 and the 8 pounder that was on the top rack is 174. I switched racks about 2 hours ago and everything is coming along nicely. Even with the temps hovering around -8 c the smoker was pretty consistent around 215. I am going to pull them at 195 and wrap them in the cooler until the party starts at 6:00.

Click to expand...

You may want to bump chamber temps a bit, say 225-230*, and if it goes a bit over that will be fine. Your current temperature differential is getting pretty close already, and to make 195* or so could take a lot longer than you might think. The closer the temp differential is, the longer it will take for the internal temps to rise, and as internal temp approaches chamber temps, internal temp rise will continue to slow down, until at some point, internal temp climb just stops.

Good luck!

Eric

SJSob said:

Thanks Eric. The smoker is on full heat and both butts are sitting around 185. As the day warms up I believe the smoker temp should be able to get to at least 220+. Luckily I still have 7 hours to play with.

Click to expand...

Oh, crap! I forgot you're using a Bradley...500 watts is not a lot of BTU's for hot smoking...it definitely pushes the threshold of limitations in winter conditions.

7 hours may be enough with internals that far along, as long as chamber temps will peak out a bit more. Keep your cabinet closed so you don't lose heat and the meat sits in limbo until temps are back up...that's the best you can do at this point. If it's windy, block the wind with anything you may have available...wind will zap a cooker's effectiveness quicker than anything else. Even though the Bradley is already insulated, the wind can pull some heat away through the cabinet walls.

Eric

Awesome! Glad it went well for you...just goes to show, even when the odds are stacked against you, somehow there always seems to be a way to get the desired end result.

Now you know what it takes under these circumstances...keep smoking and learning!

Eric