Question About Cooking Temp for a 12 lb Boston Butt

[KingMikeTheGreat]

I'm cooking a 12 lb Boston Butt for the Superbowl tomorrow. I generally smoke them to around 195° (gets it really tender, but can still mostly be sliced). Since the game is at 5:30 Louisiana time, I would have to start it at roughly 10 pm which I REALLY don't want to do. I've put roasts in the oven overnight after 5 or so hours on the grill numerous times and they come out great, but since the game is so late compared to when we normally eat after doing this, I'm worried about it drying out (or not being cooked enough, for that matter).

My question is, what temperature would I have to set the oven in order for it to be ready around 5 pm or so? Can I set it at 175, or is that too low? Is this even possible considering the long time period?

I normally smoke them on my kettle grill at about 225 the entire time (MAN I miss my old smoker), but since I'm having to do it overnight, have such a long time period, and will be cheating by using the oven, I'm not sure what to do. TIA!

 

[Millberry]

OK folks--help me on here. I am guessing by my pork butt which was 8.2 pounds. Cooked at 325°-350°- Wrapped in foil at 165°--Pull at 195°---------6 hours is all it took. When it reaches 195°--you may want to hold that temperature for 1/2 hour. I didn't but my instructions said to do it. I can't remember why I didn't-------------probably hungry. So if you could figure this out with a 12 pounder--I would say 9 hours + plus "rest time"?

 

[smokerjim]

hard to guess a time with butts, everyone one is a little different you could do the higher temp like millberry suggest, butts are pretty forgiving. but i would say anywhere from 9-12 hours at 300 or so.

 

[Brokenhandle]

Better to start early and have early finish, can wrap and rest in cooler to keep warm for awhile. Better than having a stubborn butt and not being finished come time to eat.

Ryan

 

[noboundaries]

First, let's correct a big misconception. It is practically impossible to "dry out" an intact pork butt. A dry pork butt is an undercooked pork butt. An overcooked butt is mushy and moist. The bark will be crispy but the interior succulent.

12 lb is a weird weight for a pork butt, but not a picnic. I always buy the biggest butts I can find and rarely see one push 11 lbs. With covid though, 12 lbs may be possible due to swine being allowed to grow larger.

That said, I smoke all my pork butts overnight in a 225F smoker. I generally load the meat between 8-10 PM. No meat probe, just chamber probe. No meat wrapping either.

Wake up in the morning and insert meat probe (meat temp is usually high 170s). I crank the chamber heat up to 275F to over 300F+. I start probing for tenderness around 200F IT meat temp. When butter tender, remove, cover, rest for a few hours. Pull apart and serve. I usually pull the butts off the smoker between 11 AM and 1 PM.

Your plan is fine...unless it is two boneless in the package butts that weigh 6 lbs each.

 

[noboundaries]

Soooooo...how'd it turn out?

 

[KingMikeTheGreat]

Sorry for the late response. My crappy phone was having trouble accessing the website.

It came out great. I put it in the over at 175 overnight. It stalled at about 160 so I put it on the grill again for a few hours. It was about 200° by the time the game started. And no one got sick from it either! Lol

 

[noboundaries]

Certainly a novel approach. Proof solid that butts don't care how you treat them. They just roll along. Glad it all turned out.