Low & Slow or Turbo?

Grillmagic · August 2013

First timer here cooking Pork Butts this weekend and I am not sure what method to use, I have looked at several past post on this forum and I am still not sure which is best. I need to cook for 20 people and was thinking about 15/16 pounds (2 pieces)of Boston Butt from SAM's and need to have it ready to plate around 3:30 this Saturday. I plan on trimming it up and putting mustard and Dizzy Pig Dust on them, my set up is a XL, plate setter. I do have a thermo pen but no maverick or Digi Q. Thanks in advance for any input.

sumoconnell · August 2013

It will be great either way - I like turbo since it is faster. If you want to plate at 3:30 and not be up all night, turbo is the way to go. Good luck! Sounds like the guests will have plenty to eat.

JohnInCarolina · August 2013

Either way, the butts are going to come out great. So keep that in mind. I think there's this notion that turbo butts are somehow inferior to low&slows. That hasn't been my experience, and I've yet to see an explanation as to why it should be that way. It's not brisket - pork butts are very forgiving. So in this case I'd recommend getting up early and going with the turbo. This will spare you a sleepless night or, worse case scenario, a busted cook. If you turbo, I definitely recommend injecting as well. Good luck!

Hi54putty · August 2013

Turbo butts are 95% as good as low and slow and take a fraction of the time. I have done my last 10 turbo and probably won't go back.

Only difference is that the bark isn't quite as hard. No one seems to notice except me and I don't mind.

lousubcap · August 2013

While not a direct impact on the outcome of the cook method-the low&slow does provide significantly more supervisory adult beverage time (regardless of when you start the cook) and more opportunities to escape to the protection of monitoring the BGE in lieu of getting roped into SWMBO projects. Just an observation-YMMV

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Mattman3969 · August 2013

Some of the best pulled pork I have had I cooked at 250ish until it hit an IT of 160ish and then let the temp go up to 325-350ish till it was buttah tender, about 195 or so. I can cook a 9 1/2lber in about 7hrs this way. You almost get the speed of turbo but the bark of low and slow.

caliking · August 2013

I wouldn't say that one type is inferior to the other necessarily - it comes down to personal preference.

When I have the time, I like to do an overnight lo n slo cook. With the egg dialed in, I get a full night's sleep, and when I wake up in the morning, the patio is filled with a lovely porky aroma. I do like the bark of a lo n slo cook - it makes a tasty treat for the cook.

If I am pressed for time, a hot n fast cook cant be beat for getting the job done quickly. I find that I definitely need a water pan if I am doing a hot n fast cook. The end product is very moist and the fat renders differently than one done lo n slo.

If you are so inclined, you could try both methods - do one overnight and one hot n fast the next morning. For 20 folks, an 8lb butt may be enough, depending on what else is being served, so even if one gets screwed up (which would be hard to do) you would still have enough pulled pork from the butt that made it.

Good luck!

Low & Slow or Turbo?

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