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Smoking my first Boston Butt

DeacKillsaDevil
DeacKillsaDevil Posts: 4
edited November -0001 in EggHead Forum
I've got two butts that are about 5.5 lbs each. I'm planning on cooking them at about 200 degrees but am not sure how long I need to cook them. I've seen anything between 9 and 18 hours.

Any suggestions?
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Comments

  • walrusegger
    walrusegger Posts: 314
    I'd recommend kicking your temp up to 235-250 and figure about one hour to one and a half hour per pound.
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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    Welcome! First, 200° dome temp is WAY too low. The temp at grid level, where the meat is, will be significantly lower than that - making it impossible to ever cook the butt to 195°. The most popular dome temp for the egg is 250°, give or take, so I would suggest you shoot for that. It's also much easier to maintain that temp over the time you are going to need. Low temps usually need lots of babysitting.

    As for time, conventional wisdom says 1.5-2 hrs per pound. In your case, I mean 5.5 lbs, not 11. If you had one butt that weighed 11 lbs, then 16-22 hrs. But with two small butts, 8-11 hrs should do it (leave space between them). Butts seem to have a mind of their own though, so pay attention, check them both, and pull at 195° internal. You might have to pull one before the other. Once, I pulled HALF of one and left the other half to cook for another hour or so!! This one...

    4154624080_c9989ec0a6_b.jpg

    Good luck!!

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

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • 2Fategghead
    2Fategghead Posts: 9,624
    DeacKillsaDevil, Welcome to the forum. I smoke my butts at 250 degrees dome temp. Have you calibrated your BGE dome thermometer yet? Simply get a pot of water boiling and lower the tip of your dome thermometer in the water making sure not to tough the bottom of the pan. Water boils at 212 degrees but in some areas like my area here in Tennessee 210 degrees but check to see if it is close enough. I have heard some were off by quite a bit. Now smoke your butts at 250 degrees and pull them when your internal temp reaches 195 - 205 degrees. Like Carolina Q says if you go to low it will never get to 195 degrees. ;)Tim

    Have a great evening and a better Labor Day. :)
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  • gdenby
    gdenby Posts: 6,239
    Pull half the butt ! :ohmy: :woohoo: First I've seen that.

    How was the 2nd half? Did the exposed inner section get any bark? Stay moist?
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  • Gandy Dancer
    Gandy Dancer Posts: 273
    Celtic Spirit is a good link for pulled pork and also,Thirdeye's link.
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