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How to adjust cook times/approach for smoking four 2.5# pork butts?

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Beaumonty
Beaumonty Posts: 198
in EggHead Forum
So, we do curbside grocery shopping and instead of the ten bound Boston Butt i ordered, i got four 2.5 pounders.  I am wondering if it really doesn't change anything on cook times or seasoning approach but am also worried that each will cook quickly.  

any thoughts or anyone else have this experience cooking small and/or multiple pork butts?
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  • buzd504
    buzd504 Posts: 3,824
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    If they are air gapped (separated on the egg), they will all cook as fast as a 2.5 pound butt.  If you smoosh them altogether in a pile, they will cook slower, but likely still faster than a 10lb butt, and probably more inconsistently (I wouldn't try it, but points that are touching won't be exposed directly to heat, and will cook slower).
    NOLA
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  • Ozzie_Isaac
    Ozzie_Isaac Posts: 19,209
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    If you use a rack, the ones up higher will cook faster, may rotate them, or let the the top 9nes cook faster and just pull sooner.

    However, if I was in your shoes, I would cube them and make carnitas.  That is my favorite dish with pork shoulder/butt.
    They don’t want a population of citizens capable of critical thinking. They don’t want well informed, well educated people capable of critical thinking. They’re not interested in that. That doesn’t help them. That's against their interests. - George Carlin
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  • Beaumonty
    Beaumonty Posts: 198
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    Ozzie_Isaac said:
    If you use a rack, the ones up higher will cook faster, may rotate them, or let the the top 9nes cook faster and just pull sooner.

    However, if I was in your shoes, I would cube them and make carnitas.  That is my favorite dish with pork shoulder/butt.
    I may have to do that.  i've never made carnitas, but i can figure out.  What's your basic recipe? 

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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
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    I once cooked a 5 lb butt and two 2.5 pounders (same grid, 250°, same start time). They all finished at the same time. Smaller doesn't necessarily mean faster.

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • Beaumonty
    Beaumonty Posts: 198
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    Carolina Q said:
    I once cooked a 5 lb butt and two 2.5 pounders (same grid, 250°, same start time). They all finished at the same time. Smaller doesn't necessarily mean faster.
    That’s very helpful. I planned for the largest one (3#s) and put the remote thermometer on the biggest one. 

    At the end of the day, I am going to have more bark than normal so I am definitely not complaining. I just didn’t want to ruin a small one. 

    I went ahead and smoked them normally. I think I will try carnitas style next time. 
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  • Beaumonty
    Beaumonty Posts: 198
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    UPDATE: 

    they basically all cooked at the expected 1.5 hours/pound rate.  grill temp was 240-270 (it slowly raised over five hours).  the largest one took about 30 minutes longer to hit 200.  they were all delicious.  i won't hesistate to cook multiple small butts again because i had more bark!
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