# Pork shoulder smoking time?



## ron5175

Smoking my first pork shoulder tomorrow.im planning on 225 and allowing 1.5 hours per pound, I will be away from it for the first 5 hours.my question is will the pork dry out without me being there to spray a little apple juice on it? I'm using a pellet smoker.


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## noboundaries

Ron, at 225F you might want to budget 2 hours per pound just to be sure.  I'm not using a pellet smoker but my last 9.2 lb butt took 19.5 hours at 225F, no wrapping.  I don't spray or use water in my smoker either. I don't even give it a second thought for 12 hours, which is when I usually start cranking chamber temp up to the 275F range.  Always comes out moist and delicious with a fantastic bark. 

Wrapping will cut the cook/smoke time closer to your 1.5 hours, but still, give yourself some time.   

Edit: I just looked at my log and a 10 lb'er I did two weeks later took 21.5 hours.


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## ron5175

Sounds like great advice,thanks.


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## joe black

Ron,  a pork butt is done when it's done.  That's the rule of thumb.  It's hard to go for an exact time.  It will be ready for pulling when the IT is around 200-205* or when the bone pulls out very easily.  With that, it really doesn't matter if your smoker is happy at 225 or 275, just go with the IT and you will have a good piece of meat.

  You will usually experience a stall at about 150-160* IT.  This is when the meat will not easily take any more internal heat until the collagen or connective tissues begin to break down.  This is the time to wrap the butt in a double layer of foil.  Add 1/2 cup of apple juice when you wrap.  The juice will help it through the stall and add moisture and some flavor.  The acid will help with tenderness.

Good luck and let us know how it turns out.


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## ron5175

Thanks for the helpful advice.


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## SmokinAl

Try smoking it at 270-280, it will cut the time down to about 1 hour per pound, with little to no stall.

Al


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## ron5175

I'm using a green mountain smoker, right at 10 hrs at 225 internal temperature 154 has been that temp for the last 2 hrs looks really good.


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## ron5175

7 lbs pork butt 17 hrs total time 15 hrs 225 last 2 hrs 275 reached internal temp 201 letting it rest for another hour then I'll start pulling it apart.Thanks for all the advice, it really helped.


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## submariner

Welcome and where are the pics???


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## ron5175

18842.jpeg



__ ron5175
__ Jun 25, 2017





Pulled pork


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## ron5175

18748.jpeg



__ ron5175
__ Jun 25, 2017





I put a rack of baby back ribs on with it


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## ron5175

18757.jpeg



__ ron5175
__ Jun 25, 2017


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## joe black

Ron,  That all looks really good.  The color on those ribs is awesome.Thumbs Up


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