First Pork Butt Cooking

Soon after I posted, I opened the door for the first time. I took temperatures from several different areas. I got temps as high as 200* and as low as 185*. I have since taken it out and I am letting it rest under foil. It looks to be super moist and ready to fall apart. Did I do this thing right? Do you all just do an average of the temps you get before taking it out? The final test, and my favorite one, is to eat this sucker in a little bit. I guesss thats when I will know how well I did.

Just so you all know, it was killing me not to open the door and to follow the "when its done, its done" rule but I think I did it.

I am still wondering why a 6lb Butt took me 19 hours at 225*??

I have butts take as long as 20-24 hours. That is what is great about the CS. You can set it and forget it till time to eat. Learn to trust your thermometer. Most people will cook butts to 195, take them out and let them rest a while before pulling them. As many people have said on this forum take DETAILED notes of what you did so that you can replicate your sucesses.

What about taking the temperature? Do you just give it an average temp?

I really just used my best judgement on this. It looked to be tender, juicy, and done.

19 hours for a 5.9lb butt just seemed like a lot.

I would estimate that 2 (7-8 lb.) butts average 16 hours in my 055. I always try to have them done at least 4 hours before meal time to keep guests from waiting. They can stay in a cooler for some time. As you pointed out, the temp varied throughout the cut. Make sure you keep the probe tip out of fatty pockets and away from the bone. I usually toss 2 probes into a butt to establish a mean temp...which is basically what you did by probing multiple spots.

Butts are all going to be different and will vary in cooking time. Next time, use the 19 hour estimate and adjust your start time to have the butt finish 1-2 hours before the meal. When it's done, wrap in HD foil, beach towel and toss into a cooler until chow time. It will stay above 140* for some time.

I cooked this one with no set meal time. I figured I would eat when it gets done. Thats probably the best way to do it for a first-timer. Setting a meal time would make me rush it or take it out too early.

I actually have it resting in a cooler right now. I called a few buddies to come over and share it with me.

I did steal a piece off to try. Freakin awesome. So tender and juicy. I couldn't believe that I made it. It looks like its going to fall apart when I go to pull it.

I've never had one take more than 2 hours a pound. As we've discussed, there are a lot of options, issues, etc that could impact.

Did you use a seperate temp probe to verify the internal temp of the smoker (not what's on the dial, but what the internal temp)? Was it 225?

Sounds about normal to me. The temps will be all over the place, that's why the important one is the center temp.


After you pull it at 190 or whatever they will even out with the center rising 3-5 degrees while it rests.

Most of my butts take around 18-22 hours as long as they're over 5 pounds.

My last one took 13 hrs exactly to 190* cooked at 225* it was 8 lbs. I am never much over 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hrs/lb. Maybe my 008 runs hot?

I will monitor the internal smoker temp next time. I wonder if its running cool.

Anyway, this thing was AWESOME. So tender and juicy. Tons of flavor and literally falling off the bone. I served it up on some buns for my friends and they couldn't believe I made it. Total success on the first run.

I wonder if my smoker was running cool? I guess it didn't matter. I will pay more attention to the chamber temp next time. I

Next time try turning up all the way (supposedly 250*) and see how it does. If you monitor the oven temp with a probe, you will need to wait an hour, then log down the temp every 15 minutes and take an average.