Boston butt advice

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buckaholic84

Fire Starter
Original poster
Jul 30, 2016
42
24
MD
This will be my 2nd boston butt. The first one turned out pretty good.
I have my fantasy draft saturday at 4pm and want to have the butts ready. Its 2 butts i got from sams totalling about 13.75 lbs. My plan is to put them on about 11pm friday night and smoke them until they reach internal temp around 160. Wrap in foil and maybe put in oven and try to catch a quick nap while they finish. Hoping they will be done between 11 and 1 so i can let them rest for a few hours in a cooler.
Does that sound like a good time to start them to ensure they are done in time? Would it be better to finish in smoker or is there no difference in oven since its foiled? And lastly whats the best temp to complete them to 195 or 205...will they be more tender at 205? Thanks all i really hope it turns out well
 
A butt is done when it is probe tender or you got decent bone wiggle. Most of the time I'm pulling them about 205.

What time to start depends on what temp you are smoking at and also what type of cooker.

@ 300 degrees they would be done on my smoker in 6hrs.
@225 - depending on the smoker it would probably take at least twice as long.

If you had good success with your first butt you should have an idea when you need to start.

I wrap in a 1/2 pan at 165 and then finish the butt wrapped in the pan with a little apple juice.
 
Last edited:
Sorry should of mentioned ill be smoking at 225 on a masterbuilt vertical propane. The last ones took just under 12 hours so i wasnt sure if there done at 11 would they still be warm at four if i keep them wrapped in cooler until 3 or 330. Thanks
 
If wrapped up good in foil, towels & in the cooler they will stay warm for 4 hrs easily !
 
I take it off the smoker at 165-170 wrap it and back on the smokers til 205 then in the cooler with news papers on top for 1 1/2 hours. Then pull the bone
It comes out clean it's done!!!
 
All butts are different. (Did I just say that?)

If you are concerned about them being done, put them on earlier. Once they are cooked, they will hold just fine wrapped in foil and towels ... even longer in a cooler. Even pulled, the pork can sit awhile before serving and can easily be reheated if you have to put it in the reefer.
 
Lately instead of doing the cooler thing I just wrap it in foil & put it in a 170 degree oven.

It will stay nice & warm until you are ready to pull it.

Al
 
Thanks all for the advice...im going to start them around 11 and when they are done put in cooler and oven at 170 if i need to.....its going to be an all nighter tonight!!!!!
 
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