I did a 3.5lbs picnic a couple of weeks ago and the cook time was nearly 7 hours with no crutch. I'm thinking a 6lbs butt is going to be closer to 12 hours unless I go for a crutch? So the question is do I set my alarm clock for 3.30 or do I go for the crutch?
EDIT - I guess option 3 is to cut it in half and cook two 3lbs chunks?
According to Meathead thickness determines cook time. Cutting it it half might not change things unless the halved butts are thinner than the original thickness.
Put butt on before 9am, but as early as 8. Starting temp 275, after an hr crank temp to 300, to as high as 350, but not over 350. That baby will be done @ 2pm or even a bit earlier.
Are you allowing any time for holding the butt? Holding for several hours in a faux cambro will improve the butt. A cooler with towels asurrounding the wrapped butt will keep the temp in a safe range for at least several hours and help the butt be come more tender.
The cook time wont change that much. Like others have said, its more about thickness than weight of the meat itself. I would just get up early and crutch it. Or cook at 300 F. Pork shoulders can take the heat.
According to Meathead thickness determines cook time. Cutting it it half might not change things unless the halved butts are thinner than the original thickness.
I know, but even Meathead offers it as a solution in the sidebar on the pulled pork page:
"Purists will fall out of their lawn chairs when they read this, but a good shortcut is to and cut your butt into two hunks. This will give you more surface area with more crunchy, tasty bark, more smoke penetration, and significantly speed up the cooking. The tradeoff is that the meat will lose a little more moisture. It can take it. Here's how:
Let's say your butt is about 10" long, and 6" diameter. If you feel around you will find the blade bone embedded in there. You may even see it sticking out. It is usually pretty much on one end, the slightly fatter end. You can cut it across the width, just below the bone. You will end up with one part slightly larger than the other. On an 8 pounder, one half will be about 5 pounds, and the oteher about 3 pounds.
Put the large piece on the smoker first, and then the small piece about two hours later."
This easy pulled pork recipe skips the slow cooker to create authentic low-and-slow smoked pulled pork on a smoker or grill. With smoke woven through the moist meat, bits of seasoned crust, and a gentle splash of BBQ sauce, pulled pork is perfect for your next backyard cookout.
It makes sense, after all you're increase the surface are that is exposed to the heat and from which moisture can evaporate.
Thanks for the various responses. I think I might go for a combination, earlyish start, higher temp (~275), crutch and then get in the faux cambro hopefully for a couple of hours, then back on the grill just before serving to dry the bark.
That will also make it easier to do a batch of thighs without having to worry about dropping the butt to the lower grate, protecting it from the chicken juices etc...
Follow up question - the boneless butt came wrapped 'encased' in the butchers mesh/twine making for a real barrel of meat (see pic), can it cook like that or should I remove it and do something different?
I remove it from mine. If its boneless I tie it up myself after brine and seasoning. That netting has some kind of elastic in it that I do not want to cook into my meat.
Since your original post was concerned about cook time, I think I would cut it loose and spread it out to see how thick it is. You can retie it anyway you like if necessary.
Last edited by LA Pork Butt; October 7, 2016, 09:01 PM.
Turns out my decision was somewhat made for me, when I took the mesh off it was actually in two pieces, I guess from where they deboned it? They've been in for 90 mins now and the smaller piece (2.6lbs) is up to 139 already...
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