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Pork Butt on a Large Egg

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Tettletime
Tettletime Posts: 52
edited March 2015 in EggHead Forum
Hey Eggheads,

I just got my large BGE a few weeks ago, I love it, I can't believe I waited so long to get one. Anyways, I bought an 11 lb pork butt for lunch tomorrow at 1 PM. I've already got it rubbed and in the fridge, I was just hoping for some advice on time/temp. So far I've had better luck holding the egg at 250 than 225, but that range is where I've always done my briskets. 

Also, I have quite a bit of leftover lump charcoal from my cook last week. I was planning on using this for the cook, but I've heard that old lump doesn't burn as efficiently as fresh. Should I save that for a shorter cook? I don't want the fire to go out overnight, I'm planning on sleeping while the egg does its thing.
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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,385
    edited March 2015
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    If you are planning to run over-night w/o a controller then you are much better with the 250-280*F calibrated dome cook temp.  At that temp figure  around 90-100 mins/LB.  Aiming for a 1 PM eat means you have got to get cooking around 7-8 PM local time.  You can always dial the temp up or down ( or as a last resort foil) to get finished in time when you see where you are in the AM.  Each hunk has a cook time of its own but the above are ball-park numbers.
    Regarding lump-I always cook low&slow with a new batch of lump.  Big pieces on the bottom and then build from there.  Save what you have and use it for hot and fast or to top off another cook.  FWIW-
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
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  • EGGjlmh
    EGGjlmh Posts: 816
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    I agree with the big pieces on the bottom.  Also when going over night, you should probably clean all the ash out of the egg first.  If not, you run the risk of ash clogging your air holes and the fire can go out.

    1MBGE 2006, 1LBGE 2010, 1 Mini Max, Fathers Day 2015

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  • minniemoh
    minniemoh Posts: 2,145
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    As @lousubcap said, ALWAYS fresh lump for a low-n-slow here. I tried a pork butt with about 1/3 of the firebox full of old lump (the rest was fresh) and had an ash clog even with my CyberQ. Good thing this one wasn't an overnighter. 
    L x2, M, S, Mini and a Blackstone 36. She says I have enough now....
    eggAddict from MN!
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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
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    I stir the old lump and top it off with new. Never sort or arrange lump. For 5 years now. The day I have to do that is the day I stop using charcoal. I do use a wiggle rod to make sure the fire grate holes aren't blocked. Haven't lost a cook yet. 

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • theyolksonyou
    theyolksonyou Posts: 18,458
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    I'm with Michael on this. Stir, dump, light. Fill it up to the top of the fire ring or you'll be adding lump in the middle of the night. 
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