# First try at a Boston Butt



## yankeesmoker77 (Oct 17, 2013)

So I am going to be trying my first Boston Butt on Saturday morning.  I have decided to inject it, rub it an foil it.  I know everywhere I read it says 1 1/2 hours per pound, but is that really true.  I will be smoking between 235 and 250.  I have a group of people coming over and I want to ensure it would be ready by 6pm.  I was planning on putting it on the smoker at 6am.  Should I leave more time or is that enough


----------



## pgsmoker64 (Oct 17, 2013)

YankeeSmoker77 said:


> So I am going to be trying my first Boston Butt on Saturday morning.  I have decided to inject it, rub it an foil it.  I know everywhere I read it says 1 1/2 hours per pound, but is that really true.  I will be smoking between 235 and 250.  I have a group of people coming over and I want to ensure it would be ready by 6pm.  I was planning on putting it on the smoker at 6am.  Should I leave more time or is that enough


Hi Yank!  Your best bet is to smoke to an internal temperature.  I recommend 200* IT for pulled pork and 185 - 190 for sliced.  In the South we like to mince our BBQ (at least in Va and NC) so 175 is good if you are mincing.  1.5 hours per pound is a general rule of thumb to use just for planning purposes and you should be okay at the pit temp you are using.  It never hurts to plan on 2 hours per pound though.

BTW...you won't get any good bark by foiling.  If you like the bark I recommend planning on the long smoke and not worrying with the foil.  It will only reduce your cooking time by an hour or two anyway.  If you need it done quicker - crank up the temp to 275.  You really have to over or undercook a pork butt for it to be dry because of all the great fat marbeling in the meat.

Good luck and here is a link to some great sauces - PGSMOKER SAUCES

Bill


----------



## so ms smoker (Oct 17, 2013)

Good advice from PG (as always). However , you did not say what weight the butt is? Average of 7-9 pounds? If you do foil you can crank up the heat to finish faster. Either way, go by internal temp to determine done!

   Mike


----------



## yankeesmoker77 (Oct 17, 2013)

Well let me clarify what I am doing.  I am smoking uncovered for 3 hours then covered till done.  Using the Myron Mixon method.  The butts are between 7 and 8 lbs each (cooking 2).


----------



## pgsmoker64 (Oct 17, 2013)

YankeeSmoker77 said:


> Well let me clarify what I am doing.  I am smoking uncovered for 3 hours then covered till done.  Using the Myron Mixon method.  The butts are between 7 and 8 lbs each (cooking 2).


Everything above still applies.  You are looking at about 15-16 hours.  Nothing wrong with Myron's method, unless you like bark.

Have fun and good smoking!

Bill


----------



## so ms smoker (Oct 17, 2013)

12 hours should do. Set temp at 250. Foil when IT reaches 160. Cook to 200 IT. Rest 30 mins to 1 hour and pull.

  Mike


----------



## cliffcarter (Oct 17, 2013)

YankeeSmoker77 said:


> Well let me clarify what I am doing.  I am smoking uncovered for 3 hours then covered till done.  Using the Myron Mixon method.  The butts are between 7 and 8 lbs each (cooking 2).


I don't know where you got your info on Myron Mixon's "method" because he cooks butts at 350°-375°, at those temps your 7-8 lb hunks of meat will most likely be done in 6 hours. I cook mine at 300°, give or take. My last one was a 9.25 pounder that was done in 8 hrs. IMHO there is no reason to cook butts at temps as low as you propose because of the long cook times. If you cook at a higher temperature, you power right through the "stall" and you get more predictable cooks. Just for the record, I do not foil, it is not necessary at 300°, and I don't probe for doneness or check the internal temp until 6 hours into the cook.

If you put your meat on at 6AM, cook at 300° then you will be done by 2-3PM, if you cook at 235°-250° you may not be done in 12 hours.

Why did you decide to foil after 3 hours? People who foil most generally wait until the meat hits 165° internal temp before foiling, after 3 hours at 250° you still won't be near that temp.


----------



## yankeesmoker77 (Oct 17, 2013)

I got the direction from his book "smoken with Myron Mixon". He specifically says cook uncovered at 250 for 3 hours then cover with foil, with apple juice on the bottom of the pan, and cvook till 205 internal. The uncover and add glaze for 1 hour adding no heat. If this is stupid please let me know.


----------



## cliffcarter (Oct 18, 2013)

YankeeSmoker77 said:


> I got the direction from his book "smoken with Myron Mixon". He specifically says cook uncovered at 250 for 3 hours then cover with foil, with apple juice on the bottom of the pan, and cvook till 205 internal. The uncover and add glaze for 1 hour adding no heat. If this is stupid please let me know.


I, in no way, characterized your plan as stupid. What you have read will work, but it will not have much smoke flavor and it will not have any of that great textured and flavorful bark developed on the outside. Good Luck


----------



## smokinhusker (Oct 18, 2013)

cliffcarter said:


> YankeeSmoker77 said:
> 
> 
> > I got the direction from his book "smoken with Myron Mixon". He specifically says cook uncovered at 250 for 3 hours then cover with foil, with apple juice on the bottom of the pan, and cvook till 205 internal. The uncover and add glaze for 1 hour adding no heat. If this is stupid please let me know.
> ...


Cliff after is spot on when he says it won't have much smoke and next to no bark. Most of the recipes in Mixon's book are not how he does competitions. 
I just did two 10 lb butts on Tues at 285°- 300° smoker temp in 10 hrs. No stall that I know of but I didn't put my therm in until after 6 hrs, lots of bark and rolled smoke the entire cook time. Just rubbed - no injection and no brine. 

Keep the Food Safety rule of getting the meat IT from 40° - 140° in 4 hours in mind  if you are injecting. 













IMG_20131015_164033_952.jpg



__ smokinhusker
__ Oct 18, 2013


----------

