2 pork butts (advice needed)

jtippers · May 2012

Hey folks!

This is my first post on this forum. I bought my egg 2 months ago and have decided it is the best investment I have ever made...

My question is this:

I am smoking 2 pork butts this weekend and am curious how much longer I need to allow for cooking when there is more than one chunk of meat in there. While smoking one butt, I coat in mustard and Bad Byron's butt rub, then smoke with apple wood chunks for 10-12 hours at 280. I pull them at 195.

You guys have any suggestions to make it better?

Thanks!

JT

Hi54putty · May 2012

Welcome.
I have not noticed any significant difference in cook time when I cook 2 butts as opposed to one. Make sure you keep track of the temp of each. One will usually cook more quickly than the other.

jjmills · May 2012

I've one 2 butts three times. 250 dome temp and it took about 14-15 hours all three times.

Hi54putty · May 2012

The variable is the size of the largest butt. Cook times are relative.

jtippers · May 2012

Wow, thanks for the fast response! That answers my question. Have a great night!

rsmith193 · May 2012

Just keep you eye on the temps, not the time. I do 4 butts @ 230 and cooked to 195 then let sit in a hot box until about 200 to 205 before we pulled it. Those cooks take about 14 to 15 hours.

The Cen-Tex Smoker · May 2012

No diff in time if you are doing 1 or 2 (or 10). Cook to internal temp and don't worry about time. But no need to expect them to take longer because there are 2. Good luck and enjoy your cook.

troutgeek · May 2012

I swear 2 butts actually cook faster than 1. Cook to temp no matter what.

xraypat23 · May 2012

the fuller the cooker is the more efficient it is. My guess it will take the same amount of time, if not shorter.

SteveWPBFL · May 2012

If you're holding a constant dome temp and there is say at least an inch of space between everything, meats and dome, the cook time should be the same but you should expect to use a little more fuel.

stike · May 2012

Even touching, there wont be any additional time

I've never done this many at once, but those who have say the only real impact on time comes from maybe adding four or five cold butts all at once. Recovery time to dome temp might take an hour or so. Even then, with all the variation in cook times between two butts of the exact same size, it's hard to attribute any difference purely to having more than one butt

Little Steven · May 2012

True but the cold mass adds an hour or more.

stike · May 2012

Yes. That's what i said esteban.
Hahaah

My point though is althiugh doing four butts might add an hour because of the cold mass, doing four butts the exact same size the next time can still take an hour more or less anyway

Too many variables to say that 1 butt at 250 will be done in 'x' hours. So even if doing four will require an extra hour, who knows when they would have been done anyway

They could finish an hour early, negating the extra hour anyway

jtippers · May 2012

Cool, thanks for all the advice and theory! I can already tell that this forum is a wealth of information. I will post pics after they are finished... Thanks again!

Little Steven · May 2012

Yes. That's what i said esteban.
Hahaah

My point though is althiugh doing four butts might add an hour because of the cold mass, doing four butts the exact same size the next time can still take an hour more or less anyway

Too many variables to say that 1 butt at 250 will be done in 'x' hours. So even if doing four will require an extra hour, who knows when they would have been done anyway

They could finish an hour early, negating the extra hour anyway

I was speaking in terms of average your grace. I rarely cook one butt at a time.

stike · May 2012

yeah, but i guess i'm saying the concept of average is out the window anyway.

each cook varies enough that the extra hour would hardly be noticed.

that cook may take an hour longer as you stand there watching the thing try to rcovere, but who's to say when they were going to be done anyway?

sent you an email, btw.

Little Steven · May 2012

Not to question your assertion and I guess I am assuming the time that it takes the egg to recover to the preset temp reflects in the total time but there is a noticeable difference there. I'm sure you will find a way to convince me that has nothing to do with it though. (winking emoticon here)

stike · May 2012

holy christ. once again we completely agree, but you don't see that i am agreeing with you.

a play in three acts:

ACT I:
split stage, exterior of two similar and instinct back yards, we see two grills at each end of stage, identical in their ovoid greeness. smell of woodsmoke. the characters share the stage, but are not aware of each other.

faceless narrator: "steven and stike, at their own homes, and unbeknownst to each other (that means they dunno wtf the other is doing) each decide to both cook four identical 7-pound butts at 250."

"both notice after putting them on that, gee, the BGE is taking a long time to return to 250. in fact, it takes each cooker an EXTRA hour longer than it does when they cook a single butt."

steven and stike: (together, but unaware of the other) "hmmmm", they both think... "dinner is going to be an hour later than i thought".

....aaaaand scene

ACTII:
exterior, evening. smoke is chuffing gently upward from each grill. we hear exaggerated sizzling sounds. smell of pork fat should be wafted into the theater if possible, mixed with the woodsmoke to heighten the effect.

Narrator (with narrator's description acted out by steven and stike): "as the cook progresses, and the vagaries of fat, ambient temps, etc. come into play, stike wanders his front yard, kicking dirt, and ranting to himself that his pork is now going to take an hour longer than he thought. he screams profanities at passing motorists, and in frustration, begins drinking heavily, calling ex-girlfriends and old bosses on the phone. ranting at them as though the extra time is their problem and not a reflection of his own failed career and life and alcoholic loneliness.

steven, 1500 miles away in another country, shrugs and decides he's in no rush anyway. the extra hour won't hurt things."

....aaaaand, scene.

ACT III: late evening, crescent moon appearing at center stage, between each grill.

Narrator: (again, steven and stike act out the narration, each unaware of the other)
"putting down his bible and cherry coke, to check his maverick wireless probe, steven finds his cook done at 17 hours, when he determines they are at his 'perfect' temp (sadly, we do now know what that temp is, just that he considers them 'done'). he takes them off the grill and carrie them into his mid-century modern home, designed by Neutra, and furnished with period pieces he has collected over the years. his stunning wife praises the look of the pulled pork, and his guests regale him with praise. he no longer is upset that his cook took an extra hour.

back at stike's double-wide, we find him stamping his foot. gawdammit. the cook is now only just finishing up at his perfect 'done' temp for pulled pork. 16 hours!. that extra hour really screwed him up. he angrily plops the pork into a cheap foil pan, drunkinly stumbles into the 'house' past the wooden home made screen door hanging off one hinge, kicks aside the cat who wants in and the dog who wants out, and yells at the freeloading inlaws to come get the dinner and to not even DARE complain that it is an hour late.

stike is mad. his cook took 16 hours.
steven's happy. his only took 17."

steven and stike move to center stage, recognize each other, hug, holding one hand between them, they turn to audience and exult together, in shared revelation
Narrator; "the moral of the story..."

steven and stike together (still holding hands, stike weeping, but happy; steven wiping stike's tears with free hand and an oven mitt) "he who tries to time pork butts to the hour is on a fool's errand. you can't control all aspects of the cook, and trying too will turn you into an angry drunken frustrated old man."

they turn, exit stage left, as steven puts his arm around stike's shoulder. pats twice

fade out and quickly fade in, spot on center stage, under the moon. a small dead tree, small dirt mound

enter Estragon stage right.
(sits and tried to take off boot): "there is nothing to be done"

<curtain>

Fin

(steven: did you like how i mixed it up and reversed who was who ?)

The Cen-Tex Smoker · May 2012

That was epic.

Little Steven · May 2012

You have never been to my double-wide

brianwdmn · May 2012

@stike, that was genius and I'm in awe. You sir, are a treasure.

JYerby · May 2012

I always cook at least 2 at a time even if I am only needing 1. The foodsaver packs in the freezer are awesome for quick meals. They always cook great for me as long as they aren't touching too much. If they touch too much it seems like the sides that are touching take longer to get done. I usually cook 18lbs on my medium.

BYS1981 · May 2012

I wanted to bump this thread because I am cooking for my childrens bday party tomorrow. I am doing 2 butts at once. I am doing a total of 15lbs.. I am guessing a total of about 16 hours cooking time? So for a party at 2pm, with meat done earlier and wrapped in foil, I am planning on putting the butts on at approx 10pm, does that sound right?

The Cen-Tex Smoker · May 2012

I wanted to bump this thread because I am cooking for my childrens bday party tomorrow. I am doing 2 butts at once. I am doing a total of 15lbs.. I am guessing a total of about 16 hours cooking time? So for a party at 2pm, with meat done earlier and wrapped in foil, I am planning on putting the butts on at approx 10pm, does that sound right?

That's the way I would do it. I might even do it earlier and let rest in a cooler so I wouldn't be pulling it off the pit as everyone showed up.(can be a little hectic). Should be good either way though

BYS1981 · May 2012

How long will it stay warm in foil? I can do it at 8pm or even earlier.. I would like it done about 11-12 so I can keep it warm and not be worried about it cooking in time.

The Cen-Tex Smoker · May 2012

How long will it stay warm in foil? I can do it at 8pm or even earlier.. I would like it done about 11-12 so I can keep it warm and not be worried about it cooking in time.

It will stay warm for a long time. I've had them stay warm for 12 hours in a cooler, although I would not recommend holding them that long. 4-5 hours EASY and still too hot to pull with your hands. Wrap them in foil and wrap them in old towels and put in a cooler if you are done early. This does soften the bark so be aware of that. I like a crisp bark so I'm torn between pulling them right off the egg or resting and having everything ready when peeps come over. Your call but usually my wife is happier when I'm not running in and out of the house with flaming meteorites of pork when people arrive

BYS1981 · May 2012

Last question, for now, haha, so I am using the Best of the West charcoal and using large pieces, what's the best strategy for building a fire that will last this long?

The Cen-Tex Smoker · May 2012

That's the stuff I use. Just clean out the egg and stack all the big pieces by hand up to the top of the fire box (that line where the ring and box meet). I light mine in the middle and let it go for like 20-30 min until most of the lump is getting white. Then I shut the dome and let it come down to temp (throw wood chunks in right before this). Once it's rock steady (could take some time) I throw on the meat. Don't adjust temps up for at least an hour after throwing the butts on. Their cooler temp can bring the egg down for a bit. If it's not where you want it in an hour, make small adjustments until it creeps up or down to where you want it. By small I mean minute turns to the daisy or 1/8" to the lower vent. They can both have dramatic affects on the temp and it takes a while to be fully realized. Alright- you should be all set. Enjoy your cook.

drainpipe · May 2012

I have two pork butts of different sizes, one 8 lb and one 3.5 lb. I'm trying to plan when I should put these on for a 5:00 pm serving time. I figured I'd put them both on at 10pm tonight and take them off when their done and keeping them in a cooler till its time to serve.

It sounds like most of the advice is for 2 butts of the same size. I'm assuming, if they don't touch, that they 3.5lb butt will be done in about 8 hours while the 8 lb will be in the 14 hour range.

Should i put both of these on at the same time and just take the 3.5lb butt off if it finishes early?

Also, how much smoke should i use for a cook this long? I've only done 3.5lb cooks till now and I'd usually throw in 2-3 fist size chunks of apple wood. I figured I'd add a couple more for this cook, but I don't have much to go on as far as experience.

The Cen-Tex Smoker · May 2012

You can either pull the smaller one early and rest it or throw it on a few hours later and let them finish close to the same time. Just depends on how you want to sleep and all that good stuff. I would probably throw the larger on on at 10, drink a bunch of beer, then throw the smaller one on at midnight or 1 when I went to bed. No difference though, they will rest for many hours in a cooler (wrap it in foil and wrap that in towels then throw in cooler).

2-3 fist sized chunks of apple is plenty for a cook like this. I only use 2-3 chunks when I go 20 hours. Sometimes there is still wood left!

stike · May 2012

" throw it on a few hours later"

bingo.

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