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Hawkeye's post about a large butt makes me wonder...

RRP
RRP Posts: 25,880
edited May 2014 in EggHead Forum
In his post he asked about egging a 13 pounder. I swear the largest butt I have ever even seen was a 9 pounder that I bought. Then I trimmed off 1.5 pound from an excessive fat cap carefully hidden by packaging. So my question is how large are most butts? What I always see and buy are 6 to 8 pounders. Are huge butts better? Also aren't they just from older fatter hogs?
Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.

Comments

  • Mattman3969
    Mattman3969 Posts: 10,457
    I have smoked/turbo a couple of 10 1/2lb butts. These are too big for this method. I now will cut them in half if over 8lbs

    -----------------------------------------

    analyze adapt overcome

    2008 -Large BGE. 2013- Small BGE and 2015 - Mini. Henderson, Ky.
  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,880
    I have smoked/turbo a couple of 10 1/2lb butts. These are too big for this method. I now will cut them in half if over 8lbs

    In half? You have a butcher's saw to cut through the bone, or are you just carefully de-boning it in a sense so the smaller half is pure meat and the other half has the bone in it? Don't the two pieces cook a helluva lot different or do you egg them separately?
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
  • Chris_Wang
    Chris_Wang Posts: 1,254
    10 is the largest I've ever cooked. Not even sure if I've seen larger poundage around these parts. I personally think 7-9 pounds with the bone in is the sweet spot...

    Ball Ground, GA

    ATL Sports Homer

     

  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    It could be a small whole shoulder but that doesn't change the cook.

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

  • Chris_Wang
    Chris_Wang Posts: 1,254
    Maybe there are two butts wrapped in there... That's common.

    Ball Ground, GA

    ATL Sports Homer

     

  • Mattman3969
    Mattman3969 Posts: 10,457
    RRP said:
    I have smoked/turbo a couple of 10 1/2lb butts. These are too big for this method. I now will cut them in half if over 8lbs
    No saw here, just the trusty knife. So you are correct one boneless and one bone-in.And yes they do cook at different rates of speed. I put the mav probe in the boneless one and check both when that one hits 197-200. And then cook accordingly. The problems I had with turbo on the 10+ lbs is the center didn't want to pull very easily and if it went much longer the bark would turn into crust. Not good
    In half? You have a butcher's saw to cut through the bone, or are you just carefully de-boning it in a sense so the smaller half is pure meat and the other half has the bone in it? Don't the two pieces cook a helluva lot different or do you egg them separately?


    -----------------------------------------

    analyze adapt overcome

    2008 -Large BGE. 2013- Small BGE and 2015 - Mini. Henderson, Ky.
  • SGH
    SGH Posts: 28,791
    RRP said:
    In his post he asked about egging a 13 pounder. I swear the largest butt I have ever even seen was a 9 pounder. So my question is how large are most butts? What I always see and buy are 6 to 8 pounders. Are huge butts better? Also aren't they just from older fatter hogs?
    Large butts are not better. They are usually of poorer quality in my opinion. The 4-9 pound butts are the most common and the best. There are exceptions to every rule. There are large butts that  come from specially bred, raised and fed hogs that are of exceptional quality but you usually will not find these in the supermarket. 12-14 pound butts in the deep south are not uncommon at all. As I said I usually avoid these unless purchased from a farm or specialty shop. The very large butts that you see in supermarkets do indeed come from older swine. Stick with the 4-9 pounders and you cant go wrong.

    Location- Just "this side" of Biloxi, Ms.

    Status- Standing by.

    The greatest barrier against all wisdom, the stronghold against knowledge itself, is the single thought, in ones mind, that they already have it all figured out. 

  • Chris_Wang
    Chris_Wang Posts: 1,254

    Maybe there are two butts wrapped in there... That's common.

    Not the case

    Ball Ground, GA

    ATL Sports Homer

     

  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    SGH said:
    RRP said:
    In his post he asked about egging a 13 pounder. I swear the largest butt I have ever even seen was a 9 pounder. So my question is how large are most butts? What I always see and buy are 6 to 8 pounders. Are huge butts better? Also aren't they just from older fatter hogs?
    Large butts are not better. They are usually of poorer quality in my opinion. The 4-9 pound butts are the most common and the best. There are exceptions to every rule. There are large butts that  come from specially bred, raised and fed hogs that are of exceptional quality but you usually will not find these in the supermarket. 12-14 pound butts in the deep south are not uncommon at all. As I said I usually avoid these unless purchased from a farm or specialty shop. The very large butts that you see in supermarkets do indeed come from older swine. Stick with the 4-9 pounders and you cant go wrong.
    Me no understand. Best butts I've cooked have been the bigger ones. Maybe a national thing.

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,880
    SGH said:
    RRP said:
    In his post he asked about egging a 13 pounder. I swear the largest butt I have ever even seen was a 9 pounder. So my question is how large are most butts? What I always see and buy are 6 to 8 pounders. Are huge butts better? Also aren't they just from older fatter hogs?
    Large butts are not better. They are usually of poorer quality in my opinion. The 4-9 pound butts are the most common and the best. There are exceptions to every rule. There are large butts that  come from specially bred, raised and fed hogs that are of exceptional quality but you usually will not find these in the supermarket. 12-14 pound butts in the deep south are not uncommon at all. As I said I usually avoid these unless purchased from a farm or specialty shop. The very large butts that you see in supermarkets do indeed come from older swine. Stick with the 4-9 pounders and you cant go wrong.

    Thanks for confirming my suspicions!
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
  • SGH
    SGH Posts: 28,791

    @Little Steven

    As I said brother there are exceptions to every rule. But in general when speaking of store bought butts the smaller ones are usually superior in my opinion. Again that is my findings and im sure others have different thoughts on this as we all have different tastes. As I said above there is no doubt that some large butts are of outstanding quality but are not usually found at the local grocery. Most competition guys do indeed cook very large ones but I know of know one who buys them from Walmart or the chain grocery stores. As I stated above they are more often than not purchased from an individual farm or specialty breeder. Please don't think that im arguing your point as I am not. Just pointing out my own personal findings and thoughts on this my friend. In my area any thing over 10 pounds out of the local chain stores is usually very lacking in quality. Again other areas may be different.

    Location- Just "this side" of Biloxi, Ms.

    Status- Standing by.

    The greatest barrier against all wisdom, the stronghold against knowledge itself, is the single thought, in ones mind, that they already have it all figured out. 

  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    SGH said:

    @Little Steven

    As I said brother there are exceptions to every rule. But in general when speaking of store bought butts the smaller ones are usually superior in my opinion. Again that is my findings and im sure others have different thoughts on this as we all have different tastes. As I said above there is no doubt that some large butts are of outstanding quality but are not usually found at the local grocery. Most competition guys do indeed cook very large ones but I know of know one who buys them from Walmart or the chain grocery stores. As I stated above they are more often than not purchased from an individual farm or specialty breeder. Please don't think that im arguing your point as I am not. Just pointing out my own personal findings and thoughts on this my friend. In my area any thing over 10 pounds out of the local chain stores is usually very lacking in quality. Again other areas may be different.

    I started it so you can't be arguing my point. I'm a dumbass northern boy far from the world of BBQ. I was only saying that the larger butts I have done have been more flavourful. Just wondered is all.

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

  • Tjcoley
    Tjcoley Posts: 3,551
    Biggest for me was early on in my Egg cooking. Did 3 ten pound butts at 225 for 29 hours. They were fantastic. Have since gone to turbo with 7 or 8 pounders that turn out just fine.
    __________________________________________
    It's not a science, it's an art. And it's flawed.
    - Camp Hill, PA
  • SGH
    SGH Posts: 28,791
    SGH said:

    @Little Steven

    I'm a du***ss northern boy far from the world of BBQ.
    Brother you and I both know that is not true. You are one of the more accomplished and respected cooks on the forum. Your advice is always true and sound my friend.

    Location- Just "this side" of Biloxi, Ms.

    Status- Standing by.

    The greatest barrier against all wisdom, the stronghold against knowledge itself, is the single thought, in ones mind, that they already have it all figured out. 

  • sstripes96
    sstripes96 Posts: 152
    The largest Butt I ever did was 13 lbs. 200 degrees indirect for 18 hours. They have been awesome.
    Bud
    Large BGE
    Lawrenceville, GA
  • plumbfir01
    plumbfir01 Posts: 725
    I did 2 13lb butts for one og the first LowNSlows i did....not bad but definitely different then a 9lb
    Beaufort, SC