How long do I smoke 4 boston butts in my MBS?

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dwcowles

Newbie
Original poster
May 5, 2008
3
10
I just purchased a MBS and planning on trying it out next weekend. The instruction booklet states for one boston butt to smoke it for 5 hours and 1-11/2 hours wrap in aluminum foil. My question is how do I smoke 4 butts for?
 
First make sure you season the smoker per instructions listed. As far as time, it's approximately 1.5 hours per pound. But every piece of meat is different. You might have all 4 done at different time. The important part is that its cooked to temp. Make sure to take internal temps after about 5 hours.
 
your best bet is to leave at least 12 hours from starting point until expected(desired) service. 6 1/2 hours seems a little too short to me for even 1 butt, at least at 220 where I do mine. Although the 5 hours unwrapped followed by a wrap until done is about right, I would go from there.allowing for at least an additional 4hours in the oven to finish(or in the smoker if your anal). Have a cooler and some towels ready where the meat will settle and remain hot for at least 3-4 hours if need be. If you dont have any time restraints then plop em on at 7 am when you wake. If your trying to serve at a decent hour 3-5 pm, your probably gonna wanna start at 3-5am
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DW, welcome to the site. Before anyone else nails ya, better get over to the "roll call forum" and posts some info about yourself, se we know we aint talkin to a terrorist, or child molester!
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Then do a search on the "pork forum" and there is a sticky about pulled pork, by meowy, It will give you all the info you need to properly smoke a pork butt!
 
Williamznzinger, what's with the "if your anal" part of your post?

Don't be hatin'!
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Call me anal, i leave mine on the smoker till done. What if a guy had an electric cooker and electric oven ,same thing basicly? or a gas cooker and a gas oven, would you still pull it of the cooker to finish in the oven?
 
The advantage of my oven is I can cook by time OR temp. I can program 200° in there and the oven shuts off at 3 AM or whatever. Nice. I have finished a couple on the smoker, but the oven is great when I don't have the extra time to babysit the fire. Not that I don't enjoy it, it's just impractical sometimes.
 
You seem to have taken up with the idea that there are negative connontations to being anal. I make my living being anal. I meant to emphasize that it was not at all neccesary to finish in the smoker. The only reasons one would have to finish in the smoker is to continually defy convention. Seeing as the whole art of smoking is ancient and primal I cannot deny that finishing in the smoker does give you more of a sense of accomplishment because it is not the quicker path. The oven is just a convienience.
 
Yeah I think I would smoke them until they are done, read meowys thread and buy a device to check temperature ( thermometer). good luck and good reading,
 
ok, i'm going to do two 10lb butts instead of four. do i smoke them in my masterbuilt electric smoker at 225 degrees for 30 hours which will be 1-1/2 hours per pound? i already trim some of the fat off of them and got them rub down with Mr Brown rub. i will be putting them in the smoker around 9am this morning.
 
Not 30 hours. The guide is about 1.5 hours per pound of the largest piece of meat in the smoker, not the total. I did 4 butts totaling 37 pounds about a month ago, and the time in the smoker was based on the largest (11.5 lb) and the cook took about 16-17 hours.

Your cook should take about 15 hours. Remember this is just a rough estimate. Please take the temperature of your butts to determine when they are done.

Hope this helps!

Take care, have fun, and do good!

Regards,

Meowey
 
First of all I want to thank you all for your help. After 15.5 hours the butts were taken out and wrap in foil and towels (very carefully) than place in cooler for 2 hours. The internal temp was 203. After 2 hours my wife pulled the butts they just fell apart. They were absolutely delicous. Love the Masterbuilt electric smoker. Again thank all of you for the great tips.
 
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