Heresy!

Bill in VA

Let's say someone was in hurry and didn't want to have a 12-20 hr cook. Say they wanted pulled pork in about 6-8 hrs. What's the highest temp you could get away with while cooking a butt or picnic and still have good Q ? [p]Please don't shoot me! Real low and real slow is great, just not always feasible for me.[p]Bill

Gandolf

Bill in VA,
Bill, I've done one under the same circumstances. I was in a "hurry" and didn't have time for the usual 19+ hours for an 8 pound Boston Butt that I was going to serve as a part of a 4th of July picnic. I wanted to follow that cook with ribs for 3 or 3 and 1/2 hours and still wanted everything ready by mid afternoon. I did dome temp of 250 for the first 5 hours then bumped to about 325 for the remainder of the time. Butt finished in just under 12 hours and was great. I'll always prefer the 19+ cook, but in a pinch I would not hesitate to reduce that time to 12 hours or so in that manner. Don't know about reducing further to 8 to 10 hours. I'm sure the experts will chime in soon. Good luck with it.

Mike Oelrich

Bill in VA,[p] As long as we're going the heresy route, let me add that you could help the process along by wrapping the butt in foil for part of the cook. When I first started making pulled pork (before I started reading this forum), I followed a recipe that was in Cook's Illustrated (circa 1997). It got me pulled pork in about 6 hours and the results were OK. If memory serves, it involved smoking for a couple hours, then wrapping in foil for the remaining time on the grill and an hour rest. All was done at about 300F. Way back when (about three years ago or more), someone posted this method to this forum and there was a pretty big fight about it! All I can say is that pulled pork you had to make in 6 hours is still far better than not having any![p]If you want the recipe details, send me an e-mail and I'll rummage through my magazine archive.[p]MikeO

YB

Bill in VA,
I have never tried this recipe...It might be worth trying.
Larry
[ul][li]Fast Pulled Pork[/ul]

BBQfan1

Bill in VA,
The recipe ideas here sound pretty good for getting those 'quick' results you were after. The keys to making a decent product this way are to get the smoke to it at the outset and, yes, using foil to get that breakdown happening. I would only add one other item for consideration: if you can, get a roast that is still bone-in. Yes, this does increase the overall mass of the meat, but the bone performs some valuable functions: No matter what anyone might say to the contrary, a bone-in piece of meat plain out tastes better...whether it's marrow flavour getting into the heart of the meat, it's help in bringing the core temp up faster, or whatever, it just seems to do the trick. Also, it acts as a barometer of doneness; wiggle the bone end and you have a pretty good idea how the meat is breaking down.
Personally, I'd opt for about an 8 lb, bone-in butt roast, cover with your favourite rub, put it on indirect at 300°F and give it a couple hours of heavy, but clean-running smoke and then foil with the heavy duty stuff and go another 5 hrs at that 300-325 indirect temp. Check it then and I bet you're ready to finish up unfoiled (save those juices in the foil bottom. Put in the freezer for 15-20 minutes, skim any heavy fat that's firmed up on top and then use remainder to mix in with finished product...mmmmm). I'd probably also give another little coat of rub between the foil and finishing process also......
Just a thought....
Qfan

Strmn2Smoke

MikeO,
Cook's Illustrated 1997 July-August..page 19...nde

WooDoggies

Sounds like the ticket, Qfan. The only thing I'd add to that is after it's foiled, finish it off in the oven to free up the grill space.
WD

BBQfan1

WooDoggies,
Free up grill space? He didn't mention he was cookin up anything else....;-)
Besides, if the plan is to finish up for an hour or so uncovered after the foiling, it may as well be on the Egg where there's a little less chance of meat losing moisture than in a dry oven, and it may just get a little extra hint of smokiness to boot....
That's the view from here, anyway......
Qfan

WooDoggies

BBQfan1,[p]After rereading Bill's post, I can't argue with your logic. :~) I just assumed he was gonna throw a couple of racks of spares on to to be ready with the pork.... just goes to show where my mind is... always is. It's a sickness, I tell you.[p]WD

Buckeye Bill

Bill in VA,[p]I have had outstanding results with the following technique. There are many who would not try it, but they are missing great food.[p]I put a butt on however you would for a slow cook (rub, marinade, whatever). I start the grill and try to keep it in the 225 - 260 range, but not 200. I cook like this for about 6 hours, actually when the meat temp gets to about 140 I stop on the egg. I then wrap the butt in foil, Ilike to add about a 1/2 cup of cider, and put in the oven, the one in the kitchen that is not working right when it smokes, yes that one) at 350 until the internal temp is 210, usually about 2 hours. The results are outstanding, good flavor, excellent moisture, and pulls very well. I have never had bad results this way.[p]Good luck.[p]Buckeye Bill