How long to smoke, not cook, a butt?

[stratmeister]

Just got my A-Maze-N pellet maze and plan to do a butt to try it out in my MES30. How full should I fill the maze?

I usually just smoke with chips and don't smoke for the entire cook, maybe the first half or so to not "over smoke". I figure this butt will cook @225 for 10 hours or so, how long do you guys put smoke on butts with the pellet maze and how full do you fill it for a butt?

I'll probably start with hickory or oak pellets.
Thanks.

 

[daveomak]

One full row will smoke about 3 1/2 hours... That about what I smoke everything... I don't care for too much smoke... it detracts from the flavor of the meat... IMO....

 

[westby]

Light both ends and run it once.  Should get good smoke and not need any more after that.

 

[themule69]

I light one end and apply smoke the whole time. So now you have 3 different answers and none are wrong. It is all a matter of taste. Start with a little and see if you need to go longer next time. Remember to keep notes so you know how to repeat it.

Happy smoken.

David

 

[bmaddox]

I fill it up then light one end. If I feel the meat has been in the smoke long enough I will remove the AMNPS and separate the burning pellets so I can save the leftover. 

 

[dr k]

 
I fill it up then light one end. If I feel the meat has been in the smoke long enough I will remove the AMNPS and separate the burning pellets so I can save the leftover. 

I just separate the ashes from the pellets and dump the pellets in a zip lock bag.  Write the name of the pellets on it and burn those first in my next smoke with that flavor of wood pellet.  The charred ones develop a coal faster on the next smoke.

-Kurt

 

[stratmeister]

Well I used one row of hickory which ran about 3 hours. The butt cooked about 9 hours, and that was plenty of smoke for my tastes.

Thanks for the answers!