Turbo Butt Help

SmokinDAWG82

So I have an 8 Lb Butt to cook tomorrow, but now I have to work a half day so looks like I need to do my first Turbo cook. Should be able to start the Egg up by noon, can I get the butt done by 7PM or should I wait?

Mattman3969

That should be easily achievable with turbo or nitro May Charlie Tuna will chime in he knows a good bit bout turbo. I would just go hot & fast at about 350 for the entire cook and forget the foil.

Mickey

TURBO BUTTS · Hot'n fast, 350 for 3 hours to internal to around 160, then wrap in foil and 2 more hours to 195/200 and then let it rest for an hour or so wrapped in towels in a ice chest. Falls apart and oh so good! Have fun! · Be sure you only get a 7lb butt or so for the time (or a couple for more protein ) . Note: The butt box is not required. I use mustard & Bad Byron's Butt Rub (both not required). I put on the rub, then mustard, then rub once more.

SmokinDAWG82

Thanks @Mickey and @Mattman3969 I'll post pics when getting close

Charlie tuna

That is squeezing it a little --  i would say you would be OK at 8:00 PM but the rest period is as important as the cook itself!   I stay "low" (210 to 225 degrees) during the smoke portion, until my internal reaches 160 degrees.  That usually(it varies from butt to butt) takes about three hours.  Then i increase the temperature after foiling the butts up around 300 to 330 degrees for the balance of the cook.  If you are really pushing for time go to 350 to 375 degrees!!  At this point of the cook ---  to determine what your finish time will be + - 20 minutes, let the but cook at your guess-t-ment cooking temperature until it increases maybe five degrees(increased).  Now you are going to determine how long it takes to increase "one degree".  To do this wait til the internal temperature ticks up one degree --mark the time on your watch -- it will go up and down a few times, but you started as soon as it increased one degree.  Now, wait to you see it increase one MORE degree, and mark the time.  That time difference to increase "one degree" -- multiplied by the degrees needed to reach your finish temperature will tell you (plus or minus 20 minutes) your finish time.  Now knowing this you can adjust the cooking temperature up or down to meet YOUR schedule.  Remember, the butt will sail right thru the "stall period", so the "rate of rise" is constant.  On an average my turbo butts take between seven and eight hours, then i rest them a minumum of one full hour.. 

henapple

Cut it in half... A few weeks ago did 3 4lb butts... 4 hours.

SmokinDAWG82

Thanks guys Got it on @ 300 right at noon today unfortunately put it on before I read to cut it in half. If we don't have it tonight it's no biggie. Gonna let it go. @Charlie Tuna why did you decide to go lower during the initial smoke?

Also decided to try the mustard slather for the first time. Will keep you posted.

nolaegghead

Folks try to maximize the time in smoke when the meat is below 140F to get a big smoke ring.  If time is paramount, just crank it to 350F or higher and foil when it hits the stall.  When it's done, you can eat immediately, but if you have time, you want to unfoil it and let it cool down so when you pull it there's less steam and drying of what little water is left in a fully cooked butt.

SmokinDAWG82

Thanks NOLA, being that it was noon when I put it on I naturally cracked open a Cold Sweetwater Ale

nolaegghead

haha I usually look at the dates

lousubcap

@SmokinDAWG82-good call on the Sweetwater but house BGE rules follow:  Light the BGE-time for an adult beverage; meat on-time for an adult beverage then as required/necessary for proper supervisory functions til finished.  YMMV- (none of the above rules are referenced to the local BGE time-FWIW).

Charlie tuna

As NOLA mentioned, go as low as possible to maximize the butt's exposure to the smoke.  I usually get 2 1/2 hours of good heavy produced smoke, and by this time my internal is around 140 degrees.  I continues unwrapped until the butt's internal reaches 160 degrees, then it get's wrapped in foil and returned to a hotter grill for the final portion of the cook.  I go to 210 degrees, but mine butts are injected.. 

 

Charlie tuna

Photos:

Mattman3969

I am with Nola on the "rest period". You can skip it on a butt and not hurt a thing . When I do 350 all the way thru I am eatin it within 15 mins of pulling of the egg and it is moist as all get out

SmokinDAWG82

Foiled it at 4:00 PM let temp climb up to around 350, the SWMBO wanted me to go with her for a quick errand, turned into a longer trip than expected . Got home around 6:30 and IT was @ 209. Wrapped it in a towel and stuck it in the cooler for a while so I could have a couple of much needed adult beverages. Will start pulling around 8 PM