opinion needed: what temp to smoke pork butt?

[jerseydrew]

up until now i have only done the traditional 225* for pork butt and have experimented a little on what temp to take it off the smoker (i seem to like 190-195). but in watching the tv shows i see there are drastically different temps that teams cook and many different cooker styles.

i run a WSM with water in the pan. 

so my question is how much more heat can i add (to reduce cooking time) without really loosing too much tenderness?

 

[disturbed1]

I usually go for 205. when i can pull on the bone and it slides out with ease it is done. The fat and the connecting tissues start to break down when the IT hits 190. let it ride up to 205 and all the fat should be rendered out. sometime I go as high as 275 but most the time i start out at 225 and if i need to increase heat i ease it up a little at a time

 

[maple sticks]

up until now i have only done the traditional 225* for pork butt and have experimented a little on what temp to take it off the smoker (i seem to like 190-195). but in watching the tv shows i see there are drastically different temps that teams cook and many different cooker styles.

i run a WSM with water in the pan. 

so my question is how much more heat can i add (to reduce cooking time) without really loosing too much tenderness?

I use wood to cook with and find 275 is not a problem. I pull the meat and wrap at 200 knowing its going higher while resting.  The contests you watch on TV have more of a time constraint that we do.

 

[fpnmf]

The last ones I did I started at 240 and then to 275..they turned out perfect!!

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/newsearch?search=a+tale+of+two+butts

  Craig

 

[chef jimmyj]

Butts are probably the most forgiving of all pork cuts. My smoker only goes to 275*F but I have Roasted Butts at 300 to 325*F and have gotten Tender, Juicy Meat. It just becomes more important to keep the humidity up, liquid in the roasting pan or Smoker Water Pan, so the surface does not get too dry...JJ

 

[bama bbq]

I usually shoot for 275* plus or minus on a butt.  If it goes a bit higher or lower it's not a problem and will still turn out great.  I've done water in the pan, no water, and a clay saucer wrapped in foil.  I've found no difference in end result or in effort to maintain temps -- I just have to close the vents different amounts to get the temp range I'm looking for.   I would not say that for a brisket but the pork butt is very forgiving.

 

[sniltz]

I concur with what most are saying.  I usually smoke the pork butts at around 250-275  and will take off around 195-200 and let it rest in the cooler.  I've always had it come out tender (bone comes clean out) with this method.  Sometimes it also depends on the maker of the butts and the way they pack it.  I usually buy Smithfield, but on a couple of occasion I bought a Hatfield Boston butt.  I didn't matter how long I smoked those it always turned out like a loin instead of butt.  Each butt has it own personality, they smoke different.