Please help

DaculaEGGer

I'm new but have already made four successful cooks, I am going to try a 17LB Boston Butt this weekend. I have read many posts so I know how to sperate the lump and how to add my chips and I feel I am ready. My question, how long of a cook time should I expect on low and slow? Or should I cut it in half to shorten the time?

Little Steven

DaculaEGGer,

At 17 lbs you likely have a whole shoulder, butt and picnic or two butts in the same package. Last whole ones I did were about 30 hours.

Steve

DaculaEGGer

I think there are two in the same package, I bought them at Sams. I will probably just cook one and freeze the other. So should I plan for about 15 hrs

TheDirtyBurger

Cook both of them and use the extra one to bribe your neighbors and enemies. Works every time.

My butt cooks usually clock in around 20 hours but I like to keep it around 225-250 and I am usually in no rush. A lot of people will debate about if the extra time is worth it, some say yes some say no, I say who the hell cares. I like cooking it for a long time so that is what I keep doing.

Make sure the whole egg is free from ash (take out your fire ring/bowl). I usually check my cooking temp every 4 hours just to make sure all is right with the world.

Take pics!

Little Steven

Assuming both were around 8 1/2 lbs you would be looking at worst case 17 hours at 250* Rule of thumb is 1 1/2 to 2 hours per pound at that temp. Butts do seem to have "personalities" and fall outside of those times but you can raise the temperature if it goes long. If it goes quick it will store hot in a cooler for many hours. If I had two butts I would do both at once and freeze the excess. Why subject yourself to two overnighters when one will do?

STeve

DaculaEGGer

Thanks, Good idea about my neighbors and enemies

DaculaEGGer

Thanks Your right about the 2 ovenighters

Carolina Q

If I had two butts, I would be tempted to cut each in half and do FOUR cooks. Fresh butt is SOOOOOO much better than reheated!

boston_stoker

I would read these:

Thirdeye

Elder Ward

Little Steven

Yeah but they wouldn't neccessarily be overnighters now would they? :laugh:

Steve

Carolina Q

Good point. Prob'ly raised direct, 30 minutes or so. :laugh:

Grandpas Grub

 
Excellent tip indeed.

GG

Scooby's Eggin again!

I just did the double package from Sam's on Christmas. Did both at the same time. Not touching each other. Took 18 hours at 250 dome. Hope this helps!

Rich

Grandpas Grub

 
Congratulations you are going to enjoy the butt cook. You have some great advice above.

17# will feed about 40 people. If you are feeding that many people then you need to cook both. Otherwise, you have the decision of cooking both, freezing 1 and cooking 1 or cooking 2 and freezing whatever finished meat you don't eat. Of course there is the option of sharing some with...

Fresh cooked pulled pork tastes better than reheated pulled pork. Reheated pulled pork that has been cooked on the egg is still pretty darn good. Or you can add some bbq sauce when reheating and have some great bbq sandwiches.

We had a bunch of kids over and added the bbq sause to the fresh cook pork which is also really good.


Make sure you have a good light to that bed of lump. I would load the lump to the top of the fire ring and make sure you have the egg stable before going to bed. Being you first butt cook I would check the egg several times if you don't have any type of remote thermometer or powered vent system. It is pretty disappointing should the lump go out during the cook and there are always questions as to 'is my food safe'.

This is one of the easiest and best tasting cooks on the egg there is. Cooking pork is so forgiving.

Cook to fork tender. Easy in with the fork, easy twist and feel when you remove the fork that there is no 'tug' on the fork. That is when the butt is done. That should be somewhere between 195° and 200° in the meat.

Good luck, take some pictures and post. Also, enjoy all the compliments of what a great pulled pork cook you are. (just don't tell them it was the egg).

GG

TXTriker

My last butt cook.







Almost forgot to take this picture. This was the second one.