Hi all. I've got what I hope is a fairly simple question. I've done individual Boston Butts before and they pretty consistently take about 1 1/2 hours per pound. My mother-in-law is having a party this weekend and I'm on the hook to provide the meat and I'm going to be smoking 3 boston butts simultaneously, roughly 6 pounds each.
My question is, should I plan on them taking the same amount of time as a single 6 pounder, or treat them as a single 18 pounder, or somewhere in between?
Thanks for any advice!
I can't help you with times, but there are several who have smoke/cooked multiple butts at the same time. You would not treat it as 18 pounds, it would be treated as timing the largest butt in the smoker once it gets to it's set temperature. Where the additional time comes it, is how long the smoker takes to get up to the set temperature, which could be a much longer time.
Some additional information you can supply to help others answer your question would be the temperature you intend to smoke/cook at, and are they bone-in.
Quote from: Habanero Smoker on August 19, 2008, 01:57:19 AM
I can't help you with times, but there are several who have smoke/cooked multiple butts at the same time. You would not treat it as 18 pounds, it would be treated as timing the largest butt in the smoker once it gets to it's set temperature. Where the additional time comes it, is how long the smoker takes to get up to the set temperature, which could be a much longer time.
Some additional information you can supply to help others answer your question would be the temperature you intend to smoke/cook at, and are they bone-in.
Thanks Habs, you've answered my question for me (and that's what I thought would be the answer). I'll be smoking at 210 and the butts are bone-in. I'll allow some extra time for the BS to get up to temp, and I always allow 4 to 6 hours for FTC with my butts so I should be good to go.
Thanks again!
With the extra mass in the smoker, getting the smoker up to 210°F will add many hours that can extend your smoking time way beyond what you may calculate. There are many who have smoke multiple butts that can give you a better reply.
When I do 4 butts, I start them around 9pm, give them 4 hours of Hickory, empty / refill the water bowl and rotate racks (top to bottom and back to front) around 1am.
Lately I have been transferring them to a 200F oven in the morning, but wether I leave them in the smoker or not they usually reach an internal temp of 190F around 2 to 4 in the afternoon. I then FTC until time to pull.
I continue to rotate racks every 2 hours. When I do that I spot check each roasts internal temp. Sometimes one will finish a couple of hours before the others.
I'm with FLBR on this one. I recently did 2 pork butts that collectively weighed about 15 pounds. 4 hours of hickory at 210 and then into the house oven at 210. Took almost exactly 24 hours total to get to 185 IT then wrapped in foil and stored in the microwave(not turned on) until ready to pull.
KyNola
I smoke on an average box temp of 205 F. When I do two 6 to 8 puunders (bone in) it take me about 4 to 6 hours longer than a single.
One thing I forgot to mention, if you get tight for time, if you are smoking at 200°F the pork generally will pull easily at 175°F. That's is the internal temperature I take mine to. The easiest way to check to see if the pork is done is the fork test. Insert a fork and twist it, if it pulls apart easily it's done.
I do like Habs does....cook at 200 to IT of 175.
The last time I did 4 butts in my 4 rack DBS I smoked for 4 hours at 210 and then moved to my oven. I started at about 4:00 in the afternoon and transfered to the oven around 8:00. In the morining I watch the internal temp and I ended up raising the oven temp up to about 275 at about 10:00 AM so they got to 185 by 3:00. then FTC'd until 5:00. Turned out perfect. Most of my Butts have taken at least 18 hours. I do brine mine for a few days before smoking so that may add a little time. I have never done one without brining first. They have been so good with the brine I am afraid to try any other way. ;D ;D
Good Luck!! Terry
Brining meats generally reduce the cooking time.
Quote from: Wildcat on August 19, 2008, 11:12:36 AM
I smoke on an average box temp of 205 F. When I do two 6 to 8 puunders (bone in) it take me about 4 to 6 hours longer than a single.
Thanks Wildcat. So I'm probably looking at somewhere between 16 to 18 hours plus time for FTC, correct?
Quote from: Habanero Smoker on August 20, 2008, 02:31:23 AM
Brining meats generally reduce the cooking time.
Thanks Habs. Didn't know that, I just figured it would take longer.
Terry
Quote from: pkadare on August 20, 2008, 04:25:28 AM
Quote from: Wildcat on August 19, 2008, 11:12:36 AM
I smoke on an average box temp of 205 F. When I do two 6 to 8 puunders (bone in) it take me about 4 to 6 hours longer than a single.
Thanks Wildcat. So I'm probably looking at somewhere between 16 to 18 hours plus time for FTC, correct?
Many factors come into play here, but on average at the box temp I smoke at, it takes me about 18 to 22 hours for 2 butts that total around 16 pounds. I have finished them in as little as 16 hours and as long as 24 hours. You have to consider the fat content of the meat, density, how often you open the cabinet, how cold the meat is in the beginning, how steady the cabinet temp remains.
You do not HAVE to FTC butts if you cook at a temp of 200 to 210. If it gets done too early then FTC. If it is late then just let it rest in foil for an hour or so. As Habs pointed out, if you cook close to the 200 box temp, then you can stop cooking as low as 175 meat temp. I normally go to about 180 to 185. Good luck.
Quote from: bigredsmoker on August 20, 2008, 09:27:45 AM
Quote from: Habanero Smoker on August 20, 2008, 02:31:23 AM
Brining meats generally reduce the cooking time.
Thanks Habs. Didn't know that, I just figured it would take longer.
Terry
It has to do with the increase amount of water in the meat. Water is a great conductor of heat so it speeds up the cooking process. Others say it may also have something to do with the higher sodium content in the cell, that could also increase heat conduction.
Quote from: Habanero Smoker on August 20, 2008, 01:53:52 PM
Quote from: bigredsmoker on August 20, 2008, 09:27:45 AM
Quote from: Habanero Smoker on August 20, 2008, 02:31:23 AM
Brining meats generally reduce the cooking time.
Thanks Habs. Didn't know that, I just figured it would take longer.
Terry
It has to do with the increase amount of water in the meat. Water is a great conductor of heat so it speeds up the cooking process. Others say it may also have something to do with the higher sodium content in the cell, that could also increase heat conduction.
I happen to believe it is the higher sodium content that increases the heat conduction....but that is the biologist in me. I have never brined a butt before and was wondering what the pros and cons, for/against would be.
Thanks!
SD
Quote from: Smoking Duck on August 20, 2008, 03:46:02 PM
Quote from: Habanero Smoker on August 20, 2008, 01:53:52 PM
Quote from: bigredsmoker on August 20, 2008, 09:27:45 AM
Quote from: Habanero Smoker on August 20, 2008, 02:31:23 AM
Brining meats generally reduce the cooking time.
Thanks Habs. Didn't know that, I just figured it would take longer.
Terry
It has to do with the increase amount of water in the meat. Water is a great conductor of heat so it speeds up the cooking process. Others say it may also have something to do with the higher sodium content in the cell, that could also increase heat conduction.
I happen to believe it is the higher sodium content that increases the heat conduction....but that is the biologist in me. I have never brined a butt before and was wondering what the pros and cons, for/against would be.
Thanks!
SD
I brine my butts. I think they come out juicier, but I'm not sure they are any faster.
Quote from: Wildcat on August 20, 2008, 01:24:38 PM
Many factors come into play here, but on average at the box temp I smoke at, it takes me about 18 to 22 hours for 2 butts that total around 16 pounds. I have finished them in as little as 16 hours and as long as 24 hours. You have to consider the fat content of the meat, density, how often you open the cabinet, how cold the meat is in the beginning, how steady the cabinet temp remains.
You do not HAVE to FTC butts if you cook at a temp of 200 to 210. If it gets done too early then FTC. If it is late then just let it rest in foil for an hour or so. As Habs pointed out, if you cook close to the 200 box temp, then you can stop cooking as low as 175 meat temp. I normally go to about 180 to 185. Good luck.
Ok, so since this is for my mother-inlaw, I'm going err on the side of caution and allow about 24 hours. I'd much rather have to heat the pulled pork up rather than explain to my mother-inlaw why she doesn't have any meat for her party!
Thanks to all who responded in this thread. I don't come here as often as I'd like but I do love this forum! I'll report back on Saturday or Sunday.
Quote from: Smoking Duck on August 20, 2008, 03:46:02 PM
I happen to believe it is the higher sodium content that increases the heat conduction....but that is the biologist in me. I have never brined a butt before and was wondering what the pros and cons, for/against would be.
Thanks!
SD
Besides adding more moisture and reducing cooking time, brining also permeates the food with flavor. As osmosis is occurring it draws in the other water soluble flavors into the meat. I'm not sure which is correct about why brining decreases cooking time or maybe the combination of both, but most articles by food scientists I've read state it's the increase of water content.
So the brining adds more flavor than a dry rub? Do you put a dry rub on it after it's been brined? The only brining I've done has been on fowl and just never considered doing it to pork or beef. I'm very interested in this method.
SD
I brine my Butts 24 hours with molasses, and then they get a dry rub/plastic wrap rest in the fridge 24 hours - then smoke.
You can brine any meat, fish or poultry. A rub or a marinade will only draw the flavors down about about 1/4 to 3/8 of an inch. Brining (do to osmosis) will carry the flavors through out the meat. I generally will not brine a butt if I'm going to pull it. For pork I generally only brine picnic shoulders, fresh ham, or if I'm going to smoke a loin roast.
Thanks guys. Gonna have to give it a try.
Getting back to the original question about timing:
Yesterday, I smoked 2 Boston Butts (about 7 pounds each). Put them in at 7:30 am and they reached an IT of 190 at 4 am this morning. Now, I started the affair out with both boston butts and a good sized brisket in the BS for the first 4 hours of smoke and then transferred the brisket to the oven. So, there was some heat loss when I transferred the brisket (and changed the water), but overall, it took almost 21 hours for the butts to get to the IT I wanted. They're FTCing as I write this. The brisket actually got to 190 at about 4 pm (which surprised me) and I FTC'd it for two hours and we had it for dinner last night.
Hope that helps, PK.
SD
Hey duck, I actually use Duster's brining recipe for my butts that I will post below. I originally found his recipe in a reply to one of your first posts. ;D I am afraid to try any other way because they have all been soooo good. Here is his reply to your post and his recipe.
Boston Butt by Duster:
wow I'm blind now. that tower sure looks perty! anyway I'm getting on this a bit late. I figure your butt is just about done by now. However You might wanna try a good brine on your next one. Yes buts are very forgiving but a good brine imparts a lot of flavor and moisture. also you may have better luck when you get your maverick due to the inaccuracy of the Bradley temp gage.
as far as I am concerned a good pork butt is the best thing that come out of a Bradley. here is the recipe I use over a weekend and never have any complaints.
2@7-8 lbs. Boston Butt – bone-in
1 Large Bottle Yellow Mustard
2 Bottles of Grill Mates Pork Rub (or make your own if you prefer)
3 cans of frozen Apple Juice concentrate
2 12oz cans of beer
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup molasses
¼ cup barbecue sauce
1½ cup of kosher salt
1 Spray bottle
1 Box of Tin Foil
1 Box of Cling Wrap
Internal Temperature Gage
Tuesday evening
Make brine
2 cans of frozen apple juice
2 12 oz cans of beer
¼ cup of molasses
¼ cup of brown sugar
¼ cup of preferred rub
¼ cup of barbecue sauce
1½ cups of kosher salt
21 cups of water
Combine in a plastic cooler (12 pack style) apple juice, beer, and 17 cups of cold water. In a large saucepan combine 4 cups of water, molasses, brown sugar, rub, barbecue sauce, and salt. Bring to a slow boil, stirring constantly. Once all ingredients have dissolved in the water with the exception of maybe some spices in the rub then pour this into the cooler with the other mixture and stir. Once brine cools place butts directly into the brine and place a large sealed bag of ice on top of them to make sure they do not float up, they must stay completely submerged. The ice will help keep them cool but make sure the water from it melting dose not leak into the brine.
Thursday evening
1. Slather yellow mustard all over Pork Butts
2. Coat Butts with Pork rub
3. Wrap in Cling Wrap plastic
4. Put in fridge over night
Friday at around 4:00 p.m.
1. Remove butts from fridge and remove wrap.
Coat butts with more Pork Rub.
2. Let butts sit 1-2 hours at room temperature and preheat the smoker around 210 degrees.
3. Start the smoker with 6 hours (20 briquettes) of whatever smoke you will use
4. Place butts in middle of the smoker fat side up and the larger one lower. Insert your temperature gage into the middle of the lower, larger butt.
5. Heat the smoker to a temp of 210 degrees with top vent at least ½ way open. Shut the door and wait until the butts has been smoked for three hours
6. Open the door and check the water in the bowl; fill bowl with water if needed.
7. When the butt has been smoked for 3 hours,(8 or 9 pm) spray apple juice all over the butts.
8. When smoke is done at the 6-hour mark (about midnight by now) put new water in the bowl and then spray the apple juice on the butt again.
9. Shut door and GO TO BED!!
10. At around 7-8 a.m., check the temperature. If it is not 195 degrees, do not remove. Spray some more apple juice on the butt and wait until it reaches 195 degrees. (Approximately 13 to 16 hours)
11. When the temp reaches 195 degrees, remove the butts from the smoker and spray again with apple juice. Then wrap them in foil and place a bath towel around them and place them in a cooler to let rest and keep it warm.
12. Wait at least two hours to take the butt out of the foil and shred with a fork. (The butts can sit in the cooler and stay hot up to 6 hours till you are ready to eat.)
Thanks Terry! Yours is the first brine I will try when doing my next set of butts.
SD
I did 3 7# Butts last week. 21 hrs total cook time. I ran the Box Temp at 210 and shot for IT of 195. FTC for 3 hrs and they fell completely apart.
BCD