Doin a pork butt

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 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

forluvofsmoke said:

 
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

Click to expand...

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

cliffcarter said:

 
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

Click to expand...

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.

what power level do you use