Timing - 3 Boston Butts = 1 Large Boston Butt?

[pkadare]

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!

[Habanero Smoker]

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.

[pkadare]

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!

[Habanero Smoker]

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.

[FLBentRider]

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.

[KyNola]

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

[Wildcat]

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.

[Habanero Smoker]

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.

[Tiny Tim]

I do like Habs does....cook at 200 to IT of 175.

[bigredsmoker]

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

[Habanero Smoker]

Brining meats generally reduce the cooking time.

[pkadare]

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?

[bigredsmoker]

Brining meats generally reduce the cooking time.

Thanks Habs. Didn't know that, I just figured it would take longer.

Terry

[Wildcat]

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.

[Habanero Smoker]

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.