Doin a pork butt

[ajsmokes]

Ok so i have not been on here in a while. But just to see what others have experienced. I have been smoking butts for a while now and always get a nasty stall and take 10 - 14 hours to smoke. Thing is ive had friends tell me that they can get a butt done in 8 - 10 hours.
Running the smoker at 225-230 and wrapping. What am i doing wrong or are full of crap

 

[forluvofsmoke]

Those must be pretty small butts to finish in 8-10hrs @ 225-230*. My average butt (8-9lb) takes close to 20 hours, and I've had them run over 24hrs...but I don't foil for the past several years, either. Foiling destroys your bark...just sayin'.

Stalls are a given...expect it...don't sweat it. If you want to torture yourself by watching the thermometer creep and drop for 3-4 hours, go for it. I don't even stick 'em with a probe until the next morning, around 12-15 hours into the smoke. And yes, I plan for 20-24 hours for any pulled pork smoke, so I start the afternoon before the feast. IMHO, if you rush PP, you don't melt away the connective tissues or render nearly as much of the fat...not to mention hot & fast yields less smoke flavor because it's not in the smoke for as long.

That said, I doubt foiling would reduce cooking time by 40-50%. If it did, then may you have the characteristics associated with the hot & fast cooking as I mentioned above. I just can't bring myself to foil a pork butt since I tried the no-foil method...and that's been a long ago.

Eric

 

[GaryHibbert]

I don't know.  I generally smoke butts that weigh in at about 5 lbs.  My average cook time (including foiling) usually runs about 8-10 hours.  I cook at 240* and I always foil when I hit the stall.

Gary

 

[pc farmer]

I do butts all the time in 8-10 hours. Cooker temp at 275 or higher. Little to no stall without wrapping. Its done in my mini which the fire is directly under the meat.

 

[SmokinAl]

I'm with Eric on this one.

Low & slow is the way to go!

Al

 

[cliffcarter]

 
Those must be pretty small butts to finish in 8-10hrs @ 225-230*. My average butt (8-9lb) takes close to 20 hours, and I've had them run over 24hrs...but I don't foil for the past several years, either. Foiling destroys your bark...just sayin'.

Stalls are a given...expect it...don't sweat it. If you want to torture yourself by watching the thermometer creep and drop for 3-4 hours, go for it. I don't even stick 'em with a probe until the next morning, around 12-15 hours into the smoke. And yes, I plan for 20-24 hours for any pulled pork smoke, so I start the afternoon before the feast. IMHO, if you rush PP, you don't melt away the connective tissues or render nearly as much of the fat...not to mention hot & fast yields less smoke flavor because it's not in the smoke for as long.

That said, I doubt foiling would reduce cooking time by 40-50%. If it did, then may you have the characteristics associated with the hot & fast cooking as I mentioned above. I just can't bring myself to foil a pork butt since I tried the no-foil method...and that's been a long ago.

Eric

I must respectfully disagree with the highlighted section above. I have been cooking butts hot and fast, 300°- 325°, for several years now and simply do not see the conditions you mention concerning fat rendering and connective tissue.  IMHO there are several benefits to cooking at higher temps that simply make it my preferred method for large cuts of meat, chief among them is that the quality of the finished product is as good or better than when I cooked low and slow. I have not had dry pulled pork when cooking hot and fast, but I have when I cooked low and slow.

As for the lack of smoke flavor, that simply does not happen either. I cook on a Weber kettle and use 5-6 wood chunks during the cook and get plenty of smoke flavor.

This is a cook I did last winter, it got a little hotter than usual, but that didn't effect the quality, just the cook time.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/242411/15-and-cooking-a-butt

 

[stickyfingers]

 
I must respectfully disagree with the highlighted section above. I have been cooking butts hot and fast, 300°- 325°, for several years now and simply do not see the conditions you mention concerning fat rendering and connective tissue.  IMHO there are several benefits to cooking at higher temps that simply make it my preferred method for large cuts of meat, chief among them is that the quality of the finished product is as good or better than when I cooked low and slow. I have not had dry pulled pork when cooking hot and fast, but I have when I cooked low and slow.

As for the lack of smoke flavor, that simply does not happen either. I cook on a Weber kettle and use 5-6 wood chunks during the cook and get plenty of smoke flavor.

This is a cook I did last winter, it got a little hotter than usual, but that didn't effect the quality, just the cook time.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/242411/15-and-cooking-a-butt

I agree with Cliff. Again, I think it's just a personal choice or one that you're use to. I cook my butts hot and fast also. I did 3, 8-9# butts a couple of Saturdays ago finished in 7.5 hours....sure beats 20 hours. MULTIPLE BBQ Championships have been won cooking hot and fast..aka Myron Mixon.

 

[phyllis esco]

what power level do you use