Quick Math Help on Pork Butt

[magnum3672]

So, I have about a 7.5 lb pork butt (I already made all the obligatory butt jokes so I'm covered there) and its been rubbed and wrapped according to the sticky post about making pulled pork.  Now saying I want to eat tomorrow at 5ish and allowing a bit of leeway in the way of it cooking oddly.  About when should I throw it on the smoker?

1.5 hours per lb would put it at just over 11 hours (close to 11 1/2 hours).  If I allow some rest time and assume 12 hours total for smoking and resting would that be sufficient?

I'm not aiming for exact science I just want to make sure my assumptions are correct with some verbal yes's or no's.  I've done my research I'm just checking my work.

THANKS GUYS! (and gals)

I'll post pictures as soon as I get more than 2 of me making "does this counter make my butt look big" jokes to my friends (the pork was resting on a counter, it was very funny)

 

[lucky13]

Magnum, i would shoot for 13 hours.  If it gets done early take it off, wrap it and put it in a cooler packed with towels to keep it warm.  It will have no problem resting for a couple hours in a cooler and will come out juicy and ready to pull.  My wife gets a little pissy if my project is not done in time so i always shoot for a little leeway.

 

[fpnmf]

Don't know what sticky you are using...here we cook by temp most of the time.

If I had to have a 7.5 butt ready by 5 pm I would have the smoker heated and ready to rock and the butt in by 4:30 am.

165 to foil then to 205 then to rest for an hour.

 Hope this helps.

  Craig

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/forum/thread/57139/basic-pulled-pork-smoke  

 

[magnum3672]

no I had looked at the sticky and it said to assume 1.5 hours per pound.  I just wanted to make sure I was giving enough leeway and was on the right track

 

[SmokinAl]

12 hours @ 225 is a good estimate, including the rest period.

 

[chef willie]

I put a 3.13 pound butt in a Master Forge gasser this morning at 10:30, bouncing between 230-240 per my Maverick. Just threw some ABT'S in so the temp dropped to 225. It's now 1:30 and I stuck the probe in...reading 122 IT. In theory it should be done around 3:00 but I've been fooled before. This time I'm allowing a lot of extra time, planning to eat around 6.

 

[ccpropilot]

He is right Craig. The sticky says ASSUME 1.5 hrs per pound. Our very own sticky. And if he were to use the "handy dandy search tool" he would also come up with "assume 1.5 hrs per pound." Geez---cut the guy some slack man. It's a decent question and I remember my first butt. 7.58 lbs and it took 12.5 hours from on the smoker to pullin time. Valid question--and my wife got hungry and ate dinner on her own. She didn't get to enjoy my pork... Goodness maybe the man just wants to time it so his wife can enjoy his pork!!!!

 

[smokinstevo27]

This is all sound advice until you have that crazy stall on a butt and it takes 16 hours to cook lol. Its not the norm but it does happen.

 

[magnum3672]

Thanks guys!  I'll let you know how it goes.  I'm planning on throwing it in the oven once I foil it since other people are bringing the delicious sides so I can go take a nap.

Then I'll post pics

I forgot to mention my Pork Butt is boneless, does that affect anything? If its anything like roasts then in my mind it should take less time... but this isn't an exact science so what do I know

 

[fpnmf]

Good luck!!...We are waiting for the pictures!!

 Craig

 

[raptor700]

Good luck Magnum, Just my 2¢ but I would go for a minimum smoke time of 15-16 hrs. I have also had butts that would stall forever and blow right past dinner time.

I've only had 2 butts that never hit a stall and that's very rare.

I forgot to mention my Pork Butt is boneless, does that affect anything? If its anything like roasts then in my mind it should take less time... but this isn't an exact science so what do I know  

   From my experience the bone helps to radiate the heat to the center of the butt which helps it cook from the inside also.

So being boneless it might add a little to your smoke time but not very much.

Hope this helps

 

[rp ribking]

Yes, Never can tell how long, may be 9 hours to 16 hours, ya just never know!!!

 

[rdknb]

I have come to always smoke my butts the day before and re-heat with steam.  The smoke time is so unpredictable

 

[magnum3672]

Think I should start at Midnight?

That would be feasible.  I'd be really tired but it'd be feasible.

 

[rp ribking]

That would be the best idea. All you have to do is take 3-4 hour naps. I do overnight smokes like that regularly. Good Luck!!! 

 

[magnum3672]

And once it hits 165 I'm totally throwing it in the oven, I R LAZY and if I just need the heat at that point why kill myself over running outside to mess with my smoker set up

 

[raptor700]

And once it hits 165 I'm totally throwing it in the oven, I R LAZY and if I just need the heat at that point why kill myself over running outside to mess with my smoker set up

   Now you're gettin the hang of it 

  

 

[magnum3672]

I've already killed myself for more than 3 hours (look at posts time stamp) setting up, and now I play the waiting game. 165º can't come soon enough

 

[raptor700]

I've already killed myself for more than 3 hours (look at posts time stamp) setting up, and now I play the waiting game. 165º can't come soon enough

  

  That's why no one can appreciate the quality of food except the chef!

    165º is a forbidden #

 

[magnum3672]

I think I need to go to Bark Application School or something because the bark looks real weak (should have done a 2nd application of rub).  But the rest looks great!

Stressful smoke though, I'll upload the pics tonight after the partay!

Quick Question about Probe Placement though, I had placed mine horizontally through the butt so it was resting about perfectly centered through the long end. (It'd be like taking a round log with bark on all sides and drilling a hole the long way through to center or taking the probe and running it through the length of a hot dog).  Most pics I've seen just stab it through the top down to the center.  I had some thermo troubles (all 3 of my thermo's had issues, the oven probe, the electronic wireless one and my "old fashioned" dial probe) keeping a normal reading and was wondering if this might be why?  My father said it might be because I had hit an air pocket or fat pocket which would make a bit of sense but I wanted to consult the experts