Pork Butts.... take forever

[Jdhaffie]

Hey Smoker's...
The last couple of times I have smoked a pork butt it has taken a long time and they're still not reading over 200. I smoked a 6.5lb bone-in pork but- at 225 on a WSM 18.5" for 16 hours and it looked good but was still reading around 190 or so. It was really tender and easy to pull after resting but it was the same last time I smoked a pork butt.. I felt 16 hours was more than enough time to get it to temp but is this because of the cut of meat? I didn't spritz it at all.. minimal opening of the smoker.. perhaps I am just not patient enough!

[Jerod Broussard]

The goal is tenderness. But I would crank the heat up some, they can take it.

[RonB]

I agree with Jerod - crank the heat up. They can easily handle 275° to 300°.

[rlozinak]

Where are you measuring the temp from? If it is the dome thermometer that could be reading 25-50 degrees above the actual temp of the grate, where the pork is.

[Stuey1515]

This

[Donw]

@riozinak has it right if you are just using the dome thermometer and haven’t done test to figure out the offset. And everyone else has it right too in that a pork butt can be wonderfully smoked at much higher temperatures.

[Steve R.]

After 16 hrs, it's time to git 'r done. Agree with the others who said to bump the temperature up. I usually wrap in foil when it gets over 190° or so, just to speed things along.

[mrichie1229]

If the meat was really tender and easy to pull at 190 F, the thermometer may be dysfunctional. I'd probe it with an instant read thermometer or stick a fork and twist method for a second opinion.

[Jerod Broussard]

16 hours is not THAT long for an unwrapped butt in that type of smoker.

[bbqLuv]

Good point, unwrapped. I'm a wrapper so that didn't occur to me.

[smokenoob]

yup, mine go 16-18 hrs and yup, that is a loooooooooooooooong time!

[rickgregory]

I smoked a 6.5lb bone-in pork but- at 225 on a WSM 18.5"

And here's where I pull out the '225F is not the One True number' card. Smoke those puppies at 275F. They'll be fine and done HOURS earlier.

[Michael_in_TX]

Absolutely. I do mine on my PBC at 275-300 F and it's done in 6-8 hours.

[Oak Smoke]

Same here, 275 F in a kamado, they will be done by the 6 hour mark. I wrap in foil at 180 IT which speeds up the process some too.

[Starsky]

I typically smoke a 7-8 lb. butt for about 7 hrs.at 235 - 250 degrees which gets it to approximately 173 degrees, then wrap and finish in the oven at 250 degrees for maybe 1.5 hrs.

[BourBonQ]

275-300 and I get great results and power through the stall. I rarely go past 7-8 hrs cook time, then an hour or two hold in a cooler wrapped in foil and towels.

[WayneT]

Butt it looks good!

[DaveD]

Yup that's a long time, nothing further to add to the above comments, but if it tasted as good as it looks, well worth the wait!!

[Dadof3Illinois]

I assume you're using a thermometer at the grate level and know it's running 225 right? If not then it could be the dome thermometer isn't reading correctly.
But like others have said, it's pretty hard to hurt a pork butt.....get that temp up higher and get it done!!.

[jwwphotos]

Well dang... wish I had read this before yesterday. Appreciate the tips, even if I didn't ask!!

I am reading my temp at the grate, but always thought 225 was the number to shoot for. I will try 250 - 260 next time and cut my time a bit. I also never tried wrapping, but I guess if I did that at 170 I could cut my time a bit more.

[Steve R.]

I would only add that there is no magic IT that means it's time to wrap. You can base it solely on how the bark looks. It might be fine to go ahead and wrap before it reaches 170° as long as the bark is formed.

[RonB]

Welcome to the posting side of The Pit.

[SmokeyGator]

225 is a safe general guideline. You are not going to burn anything. And it DOES work, although cooking times are increased. But you can go higher. Poultry certainly goes higher, unless it is skinless or you like mushy skin. Ribs are thinner and CAN burn, so be careful above 250 or so. But brisket and pulled pork can go up to 300. Really the most important temperature reading is from the meat probe. When it says done then it is.