15 lb pork butt

[Zacknes96]

i plan on smoking a 15 lb pork butt for Saturday afternoon/evening. I didn’t want something this big but was all my local butcher had available. I am trying to figure out what time to start. As much as I want to wrap the meat, I want the extra char, but hear this takes even longer. Should I expect to put it on around noon on Friday and cook through the night?
Thanks

 

[Silverado65]

Depends what your smoking it on? I'd get up and start it around 2am and run it for 12 hrs at 230`

 

[SmokinVOLfan]

What temp are you going to smoke it at? If you don't want to wrap id put it on early Friday afternoon and let it ride. Use a good probe therm and keep an eye on the temp of the butt. It could get done in 12 hours or it could stall and take 18+ hours. Every one is different! Worse case you get done a little early wrap that sucker up in a cooler of old towels and will hold for hours.

 

[noboundaries]

I'd be interested in seeing a pic of a 15 lb pork butt. Sounds like the picnic and shoulder (aka butt) together.

As far as time, I haven't had a 9-10 lb butt finish in less than 12 hours unless I was cranking the grate heat to 275-300F from the start. When I was working and taking PP for a potluck, I'd stick a 9-10 lb butt on the smoker after work, about 7 PM, crank the heat up to 300-325F, and it would finish about 4-6 AM the next morning. I'd wrap it up and throw it in the cooler with towels. About 10 AM we'd fire up a slow cooker, put the butt in it, pull it apart, then set it on low for a couple hours until lunch was served.

Getting that "extra char," aka bark, does require an unwrapped butt. I don't know what kind of smoker you have, but I put my 9-10 lb butts on the smoker about 6 PM at 225F, let them go all night, then in the morning when I wake up I crank the chamber temp up as high as I can go, which is usually 300-350F, no wrapping. The butt(s) will finish in about 3-5 hours. A 15 lb'er might take an extra hour or two at the higher temp.

 

[6GRILLZNTN]

If you are smoking at "low and slow" temps and you're not going to wrap, then I would figure around 24 hours. I've had pork butts take 2 hours per pound sometimes.

 

[TomKnollRFV]

I've never seen a butt that big in one piece, but I've done two butts at once...and I just run them overnight.

I generally put them in around 10 to midnight, at around 225f-230f. <Depending on ambient temp..and wind> and check them around 10 AM. Then I'll run the temp up to 250f, and if needed, 275f to hit my finish time of around dinner.

I use an electric though, making it much easier as I do not need to constantly check the smoker. What type of set up are you using? I'm also curious to see this monster of a butt!

 

[Zacknes96]

i thought 15 lb sounded really big haha but I would post a pic when I take it out of the package. I have an offset smoker, I plan on keeping it around 225. And I am buying a good therm this week to make sure I get it perfect.

 

[Zacknes96]

So when I thawed the meat and opened my package, it fell apart into two separate butts. So now I am wondering what time to start. Do I cook it as if it’s two 8 lb butts or do I have to still do 1.5-2 hours a lb

 

[SmokinVOLfan]

Cook it as if its 2 8 pound butts which it pretty much is. Makes your smoke a little easier. Put it on around 10 tonight and you should be good. Wrap them up and toss them in a cooler if you get done early until its time to eat. And don't forget the cold beer

 

[tallbm]

i plan on smoking a 15 lb pork butt for Saturday afternoon/evening. I didn’t want something this big but was all my local butcher had available. I am trying to figure out what time to start. As much as I want to wrap the meat, I want the extra char, but hear this takes even longer. Should I expect to put it on around noon on Friday and cook through the night?
Thanks

Hi there and welcome!

If you smoke at an accurately measured 275F smoker temp then you can expect around or just a little over 1hr a pound unwrapped (the entire time) for the meat to pass the tenderness test. The pork butt will be done when it is tender not strictly based on time. I usually take my pork butts to 205-208F Internal Temp (IT) for them to pass the tenderness test for me to shred them :)

I smoke my pork butts this way as well as my briskets this way. Those cuts don't care that you are smoking at 275F.

If you are smoking two 7.5 pound butts it should still apply.

For the bark you want and the time estimate you want I would say that if you want to eat it for lunch at noon, you will want to have that 15 pounds of meat in and going at 275F at 3pm the day before. That means at 1 hr a pound at 15 hours the meat will come off at approximately 7-9am the day of eating.
When the meat comes off, wrap in 2 layers of foil and then wrap the meat in 3 bath towels and set on the counter. They will be piping hot until you eat. 15 minutes before you eat (at noon) then unwrap, shred, and add seasoning or finishing sauce if you want and you will be ready to eat at noon!

If you are eating dinner at 6pm then put the meat in to begin smoking at 9pm the night before and follow the same steps.

Finishing early is an advantage. Not finishing on time is a major disappointment.

Again I do exactly what you are asking about with both my pork butts and my briskets so this should have you covered. If you are set on smoking at 275F then not much I can tell you about timing things. I nail it with this approach every time :)

 

[solman]

If you are smoking two 7.5 pound butts it should still apply.

So you're saying the time to cook will be the same whether it's one 15lb or two 7.5lb?

 

[Bearcarver]

Two 8 pound butts should take at the most 1 hour longer than one 8 pound butt.
The only reason it should take longer for the two butts is the initial hour or so of the overwhelming load of cold meat.

This of course is not to mention one of them could be one of those Rogue Butts that puts on a big old Stall.
This is also allowing that your smoker has the cojones to do that much meat at once.

Bear

 

[gmc2003]

So you're saying the time to cook will be the same whether it's one 15lb or two 7.5lb?

Basically yes, but two short and fat butts will take longer then one long and thin one.

Chris

 

[solman]

Two 8 pound butts should take at the most 1 hour longer than one 8 pound butt..
Bear

Basically yes, but two short and fat butts will take longer then one long and thin one.
Chris

Now I'm thoroughly confused. :)

 

[gmc2003]

Think of it like a thick steak compared to a thin steak. The thin steak will reach temp well before the thicker one. Even if they weigh the same.

Chris

 

[TomKnollRFV]

Just remember no matter what method you use..don't panic, and it's all always a learning experience!

You'll do fine as long as you keep an eye on the smoker :)

 

[Zacknes96]

Little side thought here.. is there any such thing as too low and slow?

 

[Bearcarver]

Little side thought here.. is there any such thing as too low and slow?

Yes,
When smoking meat, we try to use Temps @ 225° or higher to keep the meat out of the Danger Zone (40° to 140°) as long as possible, especially if the meat has been injected, probed, or punctured in some way, in which would mean it should be treated like Ground Meat. Cured Meat would be an exception.

Bear

 

[TomKnollRFV]

I used to immediately stick the probe in but I realized I was just making it easier for wee little things I didn't want inside to get in there.

I don't bother sticking in the probe for hours now. I also suggest using an alcohol wipe to clean them off when done using them. <Since I wear glasses I always have those glass cleaning patches. Clean my glasses and then wipe down the probe! Waste not want not!>

 

[Bearcarver]

I used to immediately stick the probe in but I realized I was just making it easier for wee little things I didn't want inside to get in there.

I don't bother sticking in the probe for hours now. I also suggest using an alcohol wipe to clean them off when done using them. <Since I wear glasses I always have those glass cleaning patches. Clean my glasses and then wipe down the probe! Waste not want not!>

Exactly!!
I clean my probes with a sponge, but then just before I insert them at about 3 hours in, I wipe them with an Alcohol wipe.
Some say "You worry too much". I say "what's the hurry, it's not hard work sterilizing the probes!!"

Bear