When to start a butt for a party at 4?

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drgonzo2k2

Newbie
Original poster
Jun 14, 2017
27
14
Santa Cruz, CA
Having a few folks over for some BBQ and good times on Saturday, and scratching my head a bit trying to figure out when I should start smoking my butt for the pulled pork.

I'm doing one of the butts that come in the boneless two packs from Costco, so should be 7-8 lbs or so.

This is only my second butt; however the first time I did one (the other one from the package) it took just under 12 hours to finish, then sat for another hour or so before I pulled it.  So I figure I should account for about 13 hours or so.

I was thinking I could start it the night before, but we're not really night owls, so 10 pm or so would likely be about the latest time it would go on.  That would have it ready to go around 11 am the next day, but then I'm not sure what to do with it for the 5 hours before the party starts.

Another option would be to get up really early, get the butt on around 3 am, and then head back to bed.

The other thing I was thinking was that last time I foiled it at 160, so maybe this time I skip the foil, which would make it take longer.  Then maybe starting it at 10 pm the night before would work out?  I'm just a little nervous as I've not done one that way before, so I don't know how long to expect.  I suppose if things started looking tight I could always foil it closer to the party.

What does everyone think?
 
Start at ten and if done early, double foil and towels in a cooler will hold hot 5-6 hours easily. Yes, no foil will take a bit longer. You should be fine...JJ
 
Start at ten and if done early, double foil and towels in a cooler will hold hot 5-6 hours easily. Yes, no foil will take a bit longer. You should be fine...JJ
Thanks for the fast response!  So you think start it at 10, no foil, let it finish when it finishes, cooler, and I should be good?
 
Personally I smoke all my pulled pork a day or two in advance and then reheat it. I think the couple days resting in the fridge with a finishing sauce on it makes a better finished product. Also less stress the day of the event.
 
Personally I smoke all my pulled pork a day or two in advance and then reheat it. I think the couple days resting in the fridge with a finishing sauce on it makes a better finished product. Also less stress the day of the event.
yeahthat.gif
 
Thanks for the fast response!  So you think start it at 10, no foil, let it finish when it finishes, cooler, and I should be good?

Yes this will work fine. If you have the time, get it done ,as Case described, pull it and reheat in a Crock Pot while you enjoy your company...JJ
 
Or you can run your smoker at 280-300 & the butt will take just over an hour per pound to cook.

Just as tender & juicy as the low & slow method.

Al
 
Thanks for all the great feedback and advice everyone!  I think I'll go with the first recommendation from Chef JimmyJ.  I'll get it on the smoker at 225 the night before, pull it off the next day when it's done and go with foil and towels in a cooler to keep it hot until the guests arrive.  I'll report back how it wen in case anyone has a similar question in the future.
 
As promised, pics of my party butt! 
sausage.gif


Here it is rubbed down and going on the grill at 8 pm the night before the party:


8 am the next morning it was just about 160:


At noon it hit 205:


I double wrapped it in foil and towels and put it in a cooler until 4 pm:


It basically fell apart by looking at it:


Nobody went home hungry that night!
 
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Personally I smoke all my pulled pork a day or two in advance and then reheat it. I think the couple days resting in the fridge with a finishing sauce on it makes a better finished product. Also less stress the day of the event.
Ditto...

Pulled pork, like chili, are always better the day after they are made IMHO.
 
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