How Many Hours of Smoke for 6-Pound Butt?

[Count Porcula]

I have six pounds of pork shoulder. The directions that came with my Smokin-it, which have always worked for other meats, say to give it 1-2 hours per pound, which is more than a little vague. It doesn't say how much of that time is smoke and how much is post-smoke baking.

How much smoke time should I give this thing? I don't want to leave it in the smoker forever, so I'm going to smoke it and then throw it in the oven in foil. The plan is to pull the pork and freeze it in vacuum bags so I'll have sammiches on demand for a while.

I wonder why people don't cut pork butts into smaller pieces to smoke them. That just occurred to me while I was reading about country-style ribs.

 

[smokerjim]

I'd smoke it 4-5 hours around 250 before putting in oven, you could definitely cut it smaller if you wish

 

[Count Porcula]

Thanks. I haven't smoked one of these in years. Should I peel the fat off?

 

[smokerjim]

I leave at least a quarter inch, but it you dont like the fat take it off, they're is probably enough fat through out the butt to keep it moist

 

[SmokingUPnorth]

I Leave the fat. If you have time. Plan to finish it early, and pull it off when it hits 203-205*, then wrap it in foil (if you didn’t wrap it in foil throughout the cook to save time) then wrap it in towels and let it sit in a cooler for an hour or two. Then pull it out and shrewd. Still is steaming hot when you go to shreds it and comes out really juicy

 

[Count Porcula]

Thanks for the help. I never peeled one before, but I thought maybe there was something I didn't know.

 

[Fueling Around]

I have six pounds of pork shoulder.
...
I wonder why people don't cut pork butts into smaller pieces to smoke them. That just occurred to me while I was reading about country-style ribs.

I cut down pork butts when I smoke in my Weber Jumbo Joe (18") kettle.

 

[Count Porcula]

I was thinking of even smaller pieces.

 

[Fueling Around]

Looking to maximize bark surface area or minimize cooking time?

Mine end up being around 2-3# and I smoke until the pellets burn out from the half tube.
I'm usually right at the 140° internal temperature in 4 hours. Then wrap the pan and in the 220° oven for 5 hours or so until around 200° IT and the probe pushes easily. No bone to twist so I use the thermometer probe.

 

[TripleLindy]

I like to cook pork butt kinda hot - around 300°. For me, I get better bark and the higher temp lets me power through the stall without wrapping, which also helps with the bark. I trim the fat cap to roughly 1/4-1/2” and then cook fat cap down so that I get some crispy cracklins that add texture. Cook until blade bone moves easily and ultimately slides out. Should be in the 205° range. Enjoy your cook!

 

[Count Porcula]

Thanks for all the help. This thing came out like takeout from heaven.

I decided not to worry about the hours. That really didn't make sense. I went with the wood recommendations; about 6 ounces. That, of course, determines how long the smoke lasts.

I had to speed this thing up, because it was going to take around 13 hours. When the smoke was done, I put it in the oven at 225 under foil. When the internal temperature hit about 180, I went up to 275. When it got to about 195, I went to 350 and took off the foil. It worked perfectly and knocked about three hours off the time.

It took about 30 seconds to pull the meat off. The fat was beyond belief. Crunchy and greasy and full of flavor. I wish I could make a butt that was all fat.

My house smells better than Chanel headquarters.

Today I'm going to fry all of this in fat with onions, celery seeds, salt, and garlic. Then I'll freeze it in vacuum bags, apart from what I eat for lunch. I'll have sammiches for days.

 

[JLeonard]

Looks good.

Jim