Smoke Time

[gatorgriff]

Smoking is typically recommended 1 hour per pound. If you're smoking 3 10b Boston Butts at once, do you smoke for 30 hours (total weight of meat) or for 10 hours (individual weight of each piece of meat)?

 

[jbills5]

1.5 per pound. 30 hours is not the time for 3 10 pound butts. It would be closer to 15 hours or so. The 1.5 is for whatever size one piece of meat is. The 1.5 is usually a guideline for larger pieces of meat such as pork butt, brisket, etc. Always go by internal temp and tenderness though as the 1.5 is just a guideline. 

Everyone here will tell you to plan 2 hours per pound just to be safe unless you are cooking hot and fast.

 

[gatorgriff]

Thank you for the assistance!

 

[mdboatbum]

It really all depends on the temperature of the smoker, the size of the individual pieces of meat, how fast your smoker rebounds once the 30lbs of cold meat is added and about a million other variables.
3 10lb butts sounds like you may be planning to do this for some sort of party. If you've not smoked before, please don't try to time the cooking to coincide with a whole bunch of hungry guests' dinner time. Smoke the butts a day or two ahead of time, pack the pulled meat in ziplock bags and reheat the day of the event. The flavor will actually be better after a couple days in the fridge. And you won't be facing down a bunch of folks who've been smelling BBQ for hours but can't eat because it's not ready yet.

 

[bmaddox]

The answers above are great answers.

The 1.5 hour per pound is a generic rule that applies to a few items. It is far from universal. Some items smoked at 1.5 hours per pound would be way overdone (like tri tip or prime rib). Other items take a lot longer than that (like a pork but smoked at 220). 

If you are really uncertain about cooking times then you should get Jeff's book. It is a great tool to get you started. 

 

[timberjet]

2 hours per pound 2 hour rest. You want some wiggle room with Butts. Better to be done early then ordering pizza and midnight Pulled Pork.

 

[themule69]

The answers above will get you where you need to be. Remember to post pics.

Happy smoken.

David

 

[smokinadam]

I did 6 on my pellet grill and they took close to 14 hours. I did place in pans and wrap them. Normally wrap individually but way to many to do that.