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First low and slow smoke.....Pork Butt

Hello All!  New LBGE owner here, located just North of Dalals, TX.  We have done two cooks....pics to come soon, both went well with a few learning experieces along the way.  For the 4th, we are planning to smoke pork butt, based on the advice and info posted here.  Seems like a good cut to try as a first smoke.  We have a few accessories but no fancy digital probes or controls as yet.  We wanted to get used to the Egg first.  So here is our plan.....we have the pork butt pack from Costco, 14 lbs total, two butts in the pack. Will season and let rest while getting the Egg ready.  Planning to stack charcoal large chunks on the bottom to smaller ones on top, to the very top of the fire box.  Smoking chunks will be in with charcoal, spread throughout. Plate setter legs up, drip pan with water, butts on the factory grate. Aiming for dome temp of 225-250. Cooking to internal of just over 200.  I have heard various things on how long it should take....it is two butts, about 7 lbs each.  I have heard everything from 8 hours to 20 hours......we would like to FTC the meat then turn up the heat on the Egg to do some beer and onion brats--recipe I saw here..so we want the butt to rest during that time.  Can someone tell me what the estimated cook time should be so we can plan?  Thanks!!

Comments

  • hapster
    hapster Posts: 7,503
    Butts are pretty forgiving and you have a solid plan. Figure on doing them at 275 and about 12 hours. Schedule around that for your timeline and you should be fine.

    Welcome. Pics please. :)
  • dougbacker
    dougbacker Posts: 277
    sound like a plan to me....You'll do just fine

    --------------------------------------------------------
    South Dakota
    KBØQBT
    Large BGE, 
    Mini BGE
    36" Blackstone Griddle
    Phoenix Gasser
    Cyber Q WIFI

    And a deck box full of toy's


  • sumoconnell
    sumoconnell Posts: 1,932
    Agree with hapster, and recommend a cheap probe to accompany your first long cook.

    If the buts are boned, you might need to tie them up.
    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++
    Austin, Texas.  I'm the guy holding a beer.
  • Hey there. I am in the same boat. Had my LBGE for about a week. Done some burgers chicken and a tenderloin. Did the butt from Costco today. I just did one of the two to make sure it turned out okay. I rubbed in mckormicks pork rub with olive oil last night. Used BGE charcoal mixed with some jack Daniels and applewood chunks. Used same setup as you except I used the v rack. Temp varied from 250-300. Started 10am hit 190s around 830. Took off and put in a big bowl poured some apple juice on it. Let it sit for 45 mins then pulled it. Came around real tasty!!! Good luck!
  • Thanks everyone!!  I appreciate all the advice--as a newbie, its easy to get overwhelmed.  There is such an abundance of info, and you want to piece it together and get the best cook....in doing so, I feel like I am in a constant state of being overwhelmed, like I just bought a car or closed on a house!  With each cook I am learning-this site has helped tons, thanks again!  And yes, I will post pics...I still have pics from our first cook but I havent had a chance to post them!  Will do soon--I know, I know, if there are not pics, it didn't happen...
  • boatbum
    boatbum Posts: 1,273

    Your plan sounds right on target.

    I plan on 1.5 hours per pound of the largest Butt - but cook to temp and tenderness.  If you heat goes up a bit, I wouldn't worry about it.

    Cookin in Texas
  • Hotch
    Hotch Posts: 3,564

    One thing I learned after my first long cook was to raise the drip pan off of the plate setter. Many eggers have suggested to use 3 or 4 of the 1/2" copper tees or elbows. And it works great.

    Good luck... 

    Large BGE, MiniMAX BGE, 2 Mini BGE's, R&V Fryer, 36" Blackstone Griddle, Camp Chef Dual Burner 40K BTU Stove
    BGE Chiminea
    Prosper, TX
  • JRWhitee
    JRWhitee Posts: 5,678
    Hapster and Hotch are spot on, if you don't want to buy the copper tees or elbows right now just make 4 tinfoil balls to get the drip pan off the plate setter otherwise the drippings will burn during he cook. I did 2 Costo Butts a couple months ago and they took about 12 hours at 275. They were fantastic. 
                                                                
    _________________________________________________
    Don't let the truth get in the way of a good story!
    Large BGE 2006, Mini Max 2014, 36" Blackstone, Anova Sous Vide
    Green Man Group 
    Johns Creek, Georgia
  • Welcome.  You've got a solid plan going.  You'll do fine.  Just remember that each butt is different and one may take longer to cook than the other.  I did three similar size butts last night/this morning for work today and one of them took 1/2 hr longer to finish than the others.

    Damascus, VA.  Friendliest town on the Appalachian Trail.

    LBGE Aug 2012, SBGE Feb 2014

  • henapple
    henapple Posts: 16,025
    Idk if it matters but you can season the butts the night before. Whenever I do 2 of anything I use different rubs to experiment to decide what folks like best. Good luck.
    Green egg, dead animal and alcohol. The "Boro".. TN 
  • Thanks again everyone! At the advice of @Griffin, we raised the drip pan on tinfoil balls. I did two different seasonings....olive oil with a kona coffee rub on one, and mustard and my own rub on the other. Hubby reports from home that the temp is holding steady at 250. Can't wait to try all the yumminess!
  • Hotch
    Hotch Posts: 3,564
    So how did the Kona coffee rub?
    Large BGE, MiniMAX BGE, 2 Mini BGE's, R&V Fryer, 36" Blackstone Griddle, Camp Chef Dual Burner 40K BTU Stove
    BGE Chiminea
    Prosper, TX
  • Hotch
    Hotch Posts: 3,564

    OPps!

    How did the Kona coffee rub turn out?

    Large BGE, MiniMAX BGE, 2 Mini BGE's, R&V Fryer, 36" Blackstone Griddle, Camp Chef Dual Burner 40K BTU Stove
    BGE Chiminea
    Prosper, TX
  • Hotch said:

    OPps!

    How did the Kona coffee rub turn out?

    Yes how did this turn out?  That sounds super tasty!
  • It was fantastic! It was a rub I picked up at Kroger.....it sounded good and it was! Rubbed it with olive oil and the kona rub....the other one was coated with mustard and a homemade rub. They were both great....the kona butt literally fell apart when I cut the tie off....the mustard butt was good but not as tender...I think it could have gone just a bit longer...all in all they were fantastic!
  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,168
    Welocme aboard and eggcellent cook!  Enjoy the journey!
    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.