Is one butt as long as 2?

Jameson19 · February 2012

I've always done one pork butt/shoulder during a cook, and I'm good at knowing how long it takes at what temps. Anyone ever compare the difference in time it takes for two butts being cooked at the same time instead of just one?

All weights will be within a half pound at the most and the meats all came from the same place, will be cooked in the same large BGE, using the same BGE charcoal and apple wood chunks. Very few variables.

ribmaster · February 2012

If they are separated, there is no additional time, if they are touching they keep the area cold longer and increase cook time.

Jameson19 · February 2012

Thanks, sounds good. These will be apart to allow air flow. If I can get enough people to come over tomorrow, I'll post comparisons. Otherwise, I'm only cooking one.

jbates67 · February 2012

I cooked two this weekend, Friday overnight, they were separated and didn't take any longer, I kept the temperature probe in the larger of the two.

I suspect you could get some company on this forum if you need it. :-)

thechief96 · February 2012

Why not just do two and keep the second one for yourself for other things later on?

stilllaughing · February 2012

The only thing that may affect cooking time is that it can take a little longer getting your egg back up to temp because of the larger cold mass. As far as touching goes it doesn't have much if any bearing. Butts almost immediately start shrinking and will pull away from each other. When I cook 40-50 butts at a time they come in 2-packs that are sometimes frozen together. They get done at the same time as all of the others.

Jameson19 · February 2012

I haven't seen anyone on here from Vegas yet! As of now it's gonna be one butt unless I get some more reservations!

Jameson19 · February 2012

So the final result was that I smoked two in my large BGE. The combined weight was barely over 15 pounds and they were the same size chunks of pork. I
The egg held it's ground at 230° dome temp for practically just over 16 hours.

I would say that the only difference (for me) in cooking two instead of one added between 30-60 minutes extra. The initial stabilization was a key factor in this extra time. I didn't notice anything else really stand out to make it take longer.

Pulled pork turned out great any everyone was happy!

Chubbs · February 2012

Sounds great, good job. Prob would have finished a little earlier if the dome was a little higher, say 250-260, but if you want to wait 16 hours that is more than fine. I usually have company chasing me with forks so I try to minimize cook time without "turbo" cooking them for lack of a better phrase and 250 dome is a good target for me.

Thanks for the follow up.

stike · February 2012

they can even be touching. you can cram on three or four. the only thing that adds a little time (and that's hard to determine given lots of variables anyway), is the dome temp recovery from the cold meat

Jameson19 · February 2012

No prob

Is one butt as long as 2?

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