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Boston Butt Temp???

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Legedouj
Legedouj Posts: 32
in EggHead Forum
I'm about to cook two boston butts. What's the best cooking temp? I got the DigiQ DX2 for Christmas and can't wait to use it. I don't plan to foil till the end via FTC. FYI , I love the bark.
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  • stompbox
    stompbox Posts: 729
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    Two school of thought low and slow (225~250ish) or a turbo cook (~350).  I prefer L&S around 225 shooting for an internal temp of 195~200.
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  • Mattman3969
    Mattman3969 Posts: 10,457
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    Are you wanting a slow cook or a quickie? I generally run 350 all the way through with no foil. This method is called turbo and you will generally see a 7-8lber finish in 5 -6hrs. You will get a bunch of hits if you search turbo on this forum. 250-275 will result in good eats but will take longer. You can count on 1 -1 1/2hrs per lb at these temps

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

    analyze adapt overcome

    2008 -Large BGE. 2013- Small BGE and 2015 - Mini. Henderson, Ky.
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  • Legedouj
    Legedouj Posts: 32
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    Slow and low! I want to serve for lunch tomorrow and I can put it on anytime today.
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  • Legedouj
    Legedouj Posts: 32
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    I have two 9.5 pounders and I picked up a jar of Bad Byron's.
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  • stuckman
    stuckman Posts: 11
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    Agree with stombox.  Also, I pull the butt at 170F and wrap in foil.  Before sealing the foil, I pour about a cup of apple juice on the butt then seal it up.  Makes for supoer moist BBQ.  Pull off the grill when final temp gets to 195F-200F.  Good luck! 
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  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,771
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    250 dome is easier to maintain than 225 but anywhere the egg wants to ride between 225 and 275 works out well
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
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  • Mattman3969
    Mattman3969 Posts: 10,457
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    Because you want low and slow I would prolly put them on a stabilized egg about 8-9 tonight around 250°. You can always bump the temp in the morning if they need to be sped up or you can FTC if they finish early. The good thing with butts is you can pull them as soon as they come of the egg, no rest needed. So as long as you can handle them you can pull them.

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

    analyze adapt overcome

    2008 -Large BGE. 2013- Small BGE and 2015 - Mini. Henderson, Ky.
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  • logchief
    logchief Posts: 1,415
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    Legedouj said:
    Slow and low! I want to serve for lunch tomorrow and I can put it on anytime today.
    Pulled Pork warms up great and I too love the bark so I cut mine half, speeds cooking and gives you more bark.  Try the Memphis Dust at amazingribs.com.

    LBGE - I like the hot stuff.  The big dry San Joaquin Valley, Clovis, CA 
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  • Legedouj
    Legedouj Posts: 32
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    I'm going to start around 5:30pm. And cook at 250F. Will post pics. If they are ready early then they'll just sit in the cooler.
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  • SGH
    SGH Posts: 28,791
    edited December 2014
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    There is no right or wrong temp to cook them at. However a great middle of the road temp is 275 degrees. Why? Its low enough that even a very engrained butt will render completely down and its just high enough that it doesn't take farking forever to cook. For the record, I have ran butts upward of 400 degrees as well as sub 200 with great results. More often than not, I determine cooking temp by how much time I have on my hands. If im pressed for time I blast them from 350-425 degrees on my BGE. If I have all day to kill, Unit #6 or Unit #1 idles comfortbly at 200-250 all day long.

    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. 

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  • stompbox
    stompbox Posts: 729
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    fishlessman said:
    250 dome is easier to maintain than 225 but anywhere the egg wants to ride between 225 and 275 works out well

    I have read this many times on here (now keep in mind I am a newbie though) and I wonder stability at 225 is dependent on the egg size.

    I have an XL and have no problems maintaining at 225.  I have always wondered if it is just because the XL has more ceramic so it is easier to maintain at a certain temp.

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  • SGH
    SGH Posts: 28,791
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    stompbox said:

    I have an XL and have no problems maintaining at 225. 

    I have the same findings. I have a large BGE and can hold as low as 180 degrees without any issue at all. I think, and this is just a opinion, most folks that are having issues have not let the fire really stabilize and then suffocate it by over adjusting the vents. I can easily hold 200 on my mini. Havent tried to go any lower on the mini, but in due time I will just to see. 225 is not a problem on the large nor the mini. I can hit and hold those temps at will.

    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. 

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  • SpartanPride
    SpartanPride Posts: 161
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    stuckman said:

    Agree with stombox.  Also, I pull the butt at 170F and wrap in foil.  Before sealing the foil, I pour about a cup of apple juice on the butt then seal it up.  Makes for supoer moist BBQ.  Pull off the grill when final temp gets to 195F-200F.  Good luck! 

    Would foiling and adding liquid to a butt reduce or worsen the bark?
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  • SGH
    SGH Posts: 28,791
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    SpartanPride said:
    Would foiling and adding liquid to a butt reduce or worsen the bark?
    Worsen.

    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. 

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  • SGH
    SGH Posts: 28,791
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    You can compensate for this some what by unwrapping during the end of the cook to reset the bark though.

    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. 

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  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,771
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    stompbox said:
    fishlessman said:
    250 dome is easier to maintain than 225 but anywhere the egg wants to ride between 225 and 275 works out well

    I have read this many times on here (now keep in mind I am a newbie though) and I wonder stability at 225 is dependent on the egg size.

    I have an XL and have no problems maintaining at 225.  I have always wondered if it is just because the XL has more ceramic so it is easier to maintain at a certain temp.

    i have no problems with holding low temps with the large, mainly wanted the op to see that you can cook in a range without trying to hold a certain temp. i also reread his post and see he has a controller so it shouldnt be a problem.
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
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  • Wylecyot
    Wylecyot Posts: 203
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    SGH said:
    SpartanPride said:
    Would foiling and adding liquid to a butt reduce or worsen the bark?
    Worsen.
    SGH...does foiling add any benefit when when cooking in the BGE?  I imagine your other units may zap some of the moisture out of the pork...
    Large BGE, Medium BGE, Kamado Joe Jr, 36" Blackstone Griddle Blackstone Tailgater and Roccbox owner/operator from Los Angeles
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  • Legedouj
    Legedouj Posts: 32
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    Is there any chance that cooking low, like 220-250, will result poor bark?
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  • fusionhq
    fusionhq Posts: 1,707
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    Fwiw...I put a 10.9lbs butt on at 8am...been rolling at 250 since. Wrapped around 165 once the bark was set, and it's now 5:36, and my IT is 192.
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  • CoalCreek
    CoalCreek Posts: 79
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    I have only done a handful of 8-9 lb butts so far, between 225 and 350, but it appears that I get better bark with a lower temp.  FTC'd a couple for an hour or so and the bark had a crisp still, but the ones FTC'd 4-5 hours had completely soft bark.
    Minneapolis, MN
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  • stompbox
    stompbox Posts: 729
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    Legedouj said:

    Is there any chance that cooking low, like 220-250, will result poor bark?

    Not in my experience. No.
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  • SGH
    SGH Posts: 28,791
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    Wylecyot said:
    SGH...does foiling add any benefit when when cooking in the BGE?  I imagine your other units may zap some of the moisture out of the pork...
    This is very debatable and subject to personal preference. That said, I see little if any benefit to foiling a pork butt  on a Kamado style cooker other than reducing cooking time. The exception to this rule is if you are trying to add a heavy flavor profile with a liquid. Then the foil or panning certainly has its place. However if you are using just a rub to make traditional pulled or sliced pork, I feel that cooking unwrapped for the duration is the optimal choice. It's much easier to set a heavy bark unwrapped. Someone asked if cooking at 225 degrees would result in poor bark. This is not debatable, the answer is no. You can get a outstanding bark at 225 degrees. No question of it. 

    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. 

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  • KingtUT
    KingtUT Posts: 157
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    I'm a 275-300 man. Sometimes I foil at 165, sometimes I dont. Good results both ways
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  • shtgunal3
    shtgunal3 Posts: 5,660
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    KingtUT said:

    I'm a 275-300 man. Sometimes I foil at 165, sometimes I dont. Good results both ways

    Same here

    ___________________________________

     

     LBGE,SBGE, and a Mini makes three......Sweet home Alabama........ Stay thirsty my friends .

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  • Legedouj
    Legedouj Posts: 32
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    So I was all over the place. Started low at 6PM and increased temp for a finish time of 10AM. Started at 250F then dropped it to 220F before bed when butt was at 135F. Woke up and cranked it up to 275F then turned Ramp Mode off and brought it up to 350F in attempt to firm up the bark. Pulled it off when the butt reached 190F. It came out great. I used the Byrons Butt Rub which I found a little salty. I will go back to the Emerils Essence next time.
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  • Legedouj
    Legedouj Posts: 32
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    Guru in action.
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  • theyolksonyou
    theyolksonyou Posts: 18,458
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    Looks good. Agree bbr is salty.
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  • Legedouj
    Legedouj Posts: 32
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    First time using the DigiQ, that thing is the real deal. Worked like a charm. I want to get a small case for it.
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  • Jeepster47
    Jeepster47 Posts: 3,827
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    @Legedouj ... look at this picture that @DPHuskerFl posted today:
    image

    See the plastic box just to the left of the large egg. He uses that box for storage of the controller and for protection of the controller when it's inclement out.  Power and leads enter/exit through the white PVC fitting on the end of the box.  It's a neat approach that I'm in the process of shamelessly copying.  The box I bought has a clear cover so the DigiQ will be visible at all times.

    Washington, IL  >  Queen Creek, AZ ... Two large eggs and an adopted Mini Max

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  • wmrrock
    wmrrock Posts: 30
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    A ziplock bag works just a well and its a lot cheaper.  B)
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