Tell me about your butt . . .

Rev Jim · February 2000

I was raised by an engineer.[p]For those of you intimately involved with an engineer, enough said. For those of you who are not, no words can express the true meaning of that statement.[p]For the aforesaid reason, I have always favored the "2.5 hours per pound of cooking a butt at 200-225 degrees rule". After all, engineers like anything to do with rules, temperatures, time, and slide rules.[p]However, there are some radicals among us who think, "What the heck, throw that baby on the egg for 18 or 20 hours and everything will be fine!"[p]So, now the dilemma. I have a 5.4 pound butt (in my fridge!, no rude comments, please). The 2.5 hour per pound rule would lead to a 13.5 hour cook time. That's a good bit shy of the 18-20 hour time of our friends in the "softer" sciences.[p]I've done it both ways (cooking pulled pork). What's your input?[p]I shall await with baited breath (what in the world does that mean?)[p]I think I should depart (before another parenthetical note appears),[p]Rev. Jim

djm5x9 · February 2000

Rev. Jim:[p]My success is with cooking butts at 200* dome temperature till I get to an internal temperature of 195* - 200*. Depending on how much meat is on the grill and the size of butt, this could be 12 hours or it could be 20 hours. I let them go for about 10 to 12 hours then insert my polder and then go from there.

Dr. Chicken · February 2000

Rev. Jim,
I would plan the cook time, but use a polder or meat thermometer to pull it out at 190 to 200 degrees internal. I notice ambient temperature and humidity affect cooking times more than I care to think. I pull the butt at the magic temperature range of 190 to 200 and I've never been wrong yet! I know from your profile you're in the Atlanta area, so I don't think extreme cold temperature (below 20 degrees F) are going to affect your cook. Figure up your time and then start checking it when it gets close to your target. I'm sure you don't care if it takes a little less time, or if it takes a hour or two longer. Just leave yourself the flexability! Hope you dont mind my $.02 worth![p]Dr. Chicken

Grumpa · February 2000

Rev. Jim,[p]I'm a radical so I guess I am going to have to tell you to throw that butt on the egg and cook at a dome temp of 225-250* until it reaches 200* internal. You may have to kick the dome up to 275* toward the end as it will never reach 200* internal cooking it at a dome temp of only 200*.[p]You should be ready to eat in 15 hours or less with a butt of that weight.

Elder Ward · February 2000

Rev. Jim,[p]Well Jim you know I don't have a real opinion.B^) But, having been raised by an engineer that was also a technical writer there is only one thing I like better than being correct and that is I live to correct someones else's errors even if done tounge in cheek. The word you miss spelled and asked what the heck is that is: abated = To decrease in amount, shorten or in lesser degrees. e.g.
My anticipation to correct your error was so great that I was loosing my breath. ;^)[p]I'm loosing it!
Elder Ward[p]

Elder Ward · February 2000

Elder Ward,[p]In a word or two: Hyperventilation to the point of peeing ones pants.%^)[p]Sorry just could not let that go.[p]I'm OK now,[p]Elder Ward

Unknown · February 2000

Rev. Jim,[p]I think it is real important to know your cooking temperature at your cooking level as there is usually a difference between this level and the dome temp.[p]Place your probe thru a small potato and place it at grill level and adjust your cooker for this temp. I would use the high side of your temp range. [p]You might find that early in your cook before the meat comes up to the stall point of about 160 degrees, that the difference between the cooking level and the dome temp is more than you would have thought. I think you may see about 1/2 this difference from here to the end of the cook.[p]It is very important to get the meat up to 130-140 degrees internal early in your cook for safety reasons regardless of your total cooking time.[p]I think if you cook this butt at 225 degrees actual cooking level temperature, you will have it done in 13-14 hours.[p]Old Dave

Cat · February 2000

Rev. Jim,[p]I was raised by an engineer too, at least in matters of Qing physics. Here's what he taught me: [p]1) Heat transfer happens per inch, not per pound. The thickness of that butt is a more important determinant of cooking time than its weight.[p]2) As Old Dave said, dome temp can be considerably higher than grill temp. It's useful to know what temp the meat is actually sitting at. I always do the polder-through-a-potato (or wine cork) thing. [p]3) Doneness is a condition, not a temperature. A butt may be pullable at 200. If you do them the way my engineer pal does - held as long as possible in the internal temp range (140-160, roughly) when fat & collagen break down - a butt may be pullable at 160. I do them at a grill temp of 230-240, and take them off when a fork twists easily; for me this is usually around 185. [p]Cathy

Green Q'r · February 2000

Rev. Jim,[p]Don't have an answer for you, but I'm smoking a small butt (4.5 lbs) at this time. Put butt in last night at 8:30 MST at 200 degrees. Its now 9:00 am and polder says 152. At 160 degrees I'm going to kick the BGE up to 275 and wait for the butt to reach 200. [p]While the butt is cooling I'm going to push the egg up to 400 and follow the Bean Bake recipe and make the North Carolina Slaw for side dishes. [p]I haven't done any of these dishes before but its fun to play and see what happens. As has been said here on this forum, its hard to create a bad meal with the BGE. Pizza seems to be the one exception.[p]Keep the smoke a coming.[p]Bill

Tell me about your butt . . .

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