How Long to Smoke a 10 Pound Pork Butt and When to Wrap


Pulled Pork Sandwich - Pork Shoulder Recipe

You are going to need between 10-12 hours to smoke a 10 pound pork butt at 225F.  You will want to cook the butt in the smoke for about 5 hours, wrap it in foil and then cook for another 6 hours.

Set aside the time, follow this technique and you will have some Extraordinary pulled pork!

One of the big four competition categories.  Pork Butt/Boston Butt/Pork Shoulder.  They’re all interchangeable terms with the same delicious result:  Pulled Pork.  This has become a staple for nearly every event and party that I do.  It seems everyone loves it, and I can’t blame them for constantly requesting it – it’s a deliciously smoky, juicy, tasty treat.

The process is remarkably easy, actually.  But to do it right, it’s extremely time-consuming.  And if you don’t have a smoker, it makes it more difficult, as you’ll need to rotate the meat regularly so all sides spend equal time facing the heat.

Trim excess fat from the top of the butt to maximize your surface area for bark

Trim the excess fat.

and score the fat cap on the bottom.  This allows the fat to easily seep into the meat…and who doesn’t want more fat in their meat?

Score the fat cap

For this recipe you can use my All Purpose Rub, and cover every inch of the pork butt.  That’s it.  That’s your prep work.

Season the butt with All Purpose Rub

Get your smoker going at a cool 225-250, or set your grill up for indirect cooking, and throw on your meat.  Make sure you have tons of wood ready to put on.  You’ll want the smoke to billow non-stop for about 5 hours.  I use a mix of hickory and fruit.

If you’re using your grill with indirect cooking, you’ll need to rotate the pork butt every hour to ensure all sides cook evenly.  Use this as an opportunity to spray the pork butt with some apple juice and sprinkle more rub.  Couldn’t hurt.

Smoke at 225F

The goal is to get the internal temperature up to 200.  That’s the magic number.  When you hit 200, the bone will pull clean every time, guaranteed.  And I’m not gonna lie – that’s just cool.

Pull the bone out

Make sure you let it rest for about an hour before pulling.  This allows some of the juices to be absorbed back into the meat, and for it to cool enough for you to pull it.

Finished Pulled Pork

So, about 12 minutes of prep time, 12 hours of cooking time, and you’ll have the absolute juiciest pulled pork you’ve ever had.  Make some award winning bbq sauce, grab a bun and enjoy the heck out of it.

When to Wrap the Pork Butt

I choose to wrap my pork butts.  Some disagree and say it’s a bbq sin.  I’m not going to get into a long discussion on this, I’m just going to make one comment:  World Champions wrap.

Let’s look at the reasons why it makes sense to wrap so you can have a better understanding of exactly when you should wrap.

For the TL;DR crowd the answer is you should wrap the pork butt after 5 hours.

Pork Butts Before Wrapping

Pork Butts after wrapping

The two main reasons I wrap are:

1.  It speeds up the cooking process to more thoroughly cook your pork butts all the way through

2. It saves massive amounts of natural juices that you would lose otherwise.  Look at these pictures – the first was taken after smoking for 5 hours and placing in the aluminum pan, the second was taken after being wrapped for about 6 hours.

I added nothing to this pan.  Nothing.  That’s all natural.  And THAT is the reason that I constantly get the feedback from everyone that eats it that my pulled pork is the best they’ve ever had.

The two other reasons people wrap the butts are that it protects the color of the crust and prevents the butt from taking on too much smoke flavor.

After 5 hours in the smoked the bark has usually set and the smoke has penetrated as deeply into the meat as it is going to go.  At this point, any more smoke is just going to get layered on top of the bark and will eventually create a bitter taste.

My advice is to check the bark and color of the butt at the five hour mark and if you think it looks pretty then go ahead in wrap it in foil to speed up the rest of the cook and to collect those amazing juices!

 

Smoked Pork Butt

A 10 pound pork butt is trimmed, seasoned and slow smoked over hickory for 10-12 hours. This is some easy but incredible barbecue!
5 from 3 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 12 hours
Total Time 12 hours 15 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Calories 550 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 Boston Butt (8-10 pounds0
  • 1 cup All Purpose Rub
  • Spray Bottle of Apple Juice optional

Instructions
 

  • Trim excess fat from top of butt and score fat cap on bottom of butt.
  • Rub the butt liberally on all sides for maximum bark.
  • Smoke at 225-250 with a mix of hickory and fruit wood for at least 5 hours.
  • If using a grill with indirect heating, rotate the butt every hour so each side cooks evenly.
  • Spray every hour for first 3 hours with apple juice and sprinkle more rub.
  • Place pork butt in aluminum pan and wrap tightly with foil. Place back in smoker (or oven) until internal temperature hits 200. For a 10lb butt this usually takes me 10 - 12 hours.
  • Let rest for an hour before pulling.

Notes

When to wrap the butt is more of a personal choice than an exact science. I like to wrap after the butt has smoked for about 5 hours.
Wrapping the butt protects the color of the butt, prevents it from taking on too much smoke flavor, saves juices and speeds up the cooking process.
Keyword Smoked Pork Butt

242 thoughts on “How Long to Smoke a 10 Pound Pork Butt and When to Wrap

  1. 5 stars
    I don’t normally post on recipes even if they are amazing, but I have to on this one. It was the most tender pork butt I have made. I made two butts (16 lbs) and put the broth and fat through a gravy separator. I tore apart the meat, seasoned the whole lot and then poured the broth on a mixed it up. This is how I am doing my butts from now on. I also put it in the over after about 5-6 hours wrapped and in a metal roaster. Still had the smokey flavor, no burnt pieces, which I like but most do not.

  2. Keviiiiiiiiiiiiin!!!!

    This was my first time using a smoker. I’ve always wanted one and I got one from my Father-in-law. After applying the rub and marinading overnight. I got up early to put the butt in the smoker. Put the butt/chips in the smoker and an hour later, I realized I didn’t have any juice and couldn’t leave to get any (I thought I had some in the other fridge). I was trying to figure out what I could use (b/c I had already started cooking) and LET ME TELL YOU! I used a peach whiskey, instead. Alcohol for the win! 🏆11hrs later, the bone pulled right out, just like you said it would (after testing for an hour)! Sir! You. Are. THE. Man!!

    Thank you for this recipe!! I’m so happy everything turned out so good! We will be taking the leftovers and making sandwiches tomorrow!

  3. 5 stars
    Question: I’m cooking 2 x 9.9lb butts. Once it’s rested, what are your thoughts on refrigerating whole vs pulled, and how would YOU reheat using a roaster oven for a small family get together at the local community center? I don’t know if this sounds right, but what if I pull it, reserve some of the excess juices, foil pan/cover/refrigerate overnight. About an hour before, reheat using roaster oven at 275F with some extra juices added, 30min before serving add some of the homemade Korean bbq sauce, stir, hold meat temp at 165F, serve.

    Looking for any tips you might have. Thank you.

    P.S.: it seems like we’re getting the same results on my Traeger Ironwoood 650. Once a decent bark forms (2-4hrs), I spray with desired juice hourly, aim for stall temp of 165-170F, then wrap. Foil pan, top with foil. Easy to vent this after hits 200F and pull apart right in the pan, cover, and refrigerate, or, serve.

  4. 5 stars
    Kevin,
    Smoked two 10 lb boneless pork butts today following your recipe to the letter……….ABSOLUTELY OUTSTANDING!!!!!!! The best, BY FAR, pulled pork I have ever cooked. I smoked them to 160 degrees then transferred to an aluminum pan, covered and sealed it with aluminum foil, placed in oven till 200+ degrees. MELT IN YOUR MOUTH tender with flavor galore. Totally convinced the spraying with apple juice, wrapping (or in my case placing in covered pan) is the key. Just as you said the pan had juice in the bottom which I used to baste the meat as soon as I took it out of the oven. Now my only problem is not if but when my large extended family gets to sample of the pork, the requests will start flooding in! May have to purchase a larger smoker. LOL
    Thank you so much for sharing this gem of a recipe.

  5. Do you place your meat fat cap up or down? I feel like placing the fat cap up is going to allow the juices to drain down into the meat during the smoking stage but I’ve never smoked a pork butt before.

  6. Can’t wait to try this recipe on Father’s Day aint used my smoker in long time will let you know how my butt turns out thank you for the recipe

    1. use off set smoker . Jim Lang style. Heat grill to 300 spray with garden hose to clean it, ( create steam), smoke butts till internal temp is 140 -150, double wrap or put in heavy pans wrapped with heavy duty foil, cook until 205 minimum internal temp, meat will be moist and fall apart tender , bone slides out clean. I cut butts laterally as they lay in the store package , cooks in 7 hours. minimal dry rub , use Florida Cherry , mild smoked flavor. Won local cook off with this method.

      1. My suggestion to John and others is to follow the recipe precisely, then honestly and respectfully review it, as opposed to posting you own. Your method doesn’t really jive with traditional methods, so it seems apparent you did not do this. Maybe I’m wrong. I’m not saying you don’t produce tasty BBQ, but comment sections seem always full well intentioned folks who comment on a recipe by immediately stating how they altered it, or like you, put in their own method altogether. If I am the author, I would like to know what “you” thought of it. then, suggestions to improve based on that experience. Keep on Q-ing. No offense intended BTW.

  7. Hi Kevin – thanks for all the recipes and tips. Question – I have a 7lb butt that i was gonna smoke this weekend but plans changed. If I freeze the butt for future use, any concerns or issues i should know about? A lot of times when I’m using previously frozen meat i brine to keep it moist. Thoughts/ Suggestions?

    1. I freeze all the time. No issues at all, other than it takes a few days to thaw. I have never brined before freezing, so I’m not sure about that one. And probably can’t freeze it too much longer if it was previously frozen.

      1. I cater and run a smokehouse in Missouri. I inject and brine then freeze if needed. Just inject put butt into bag that just fits add brine seal and freeze. Thaw and then carry on with the rub and the rest. I have been cooking this exact way for decades and the results are always amazing

  8. Kevin, I am about to cook my first pork butt and am trying half (7lbs) in the smoker and the other half on the bbq. My questions are 1) it is boneless so will it cook faster? And 2) do I cook them both the same amount of time and same way?

    1. Ken –
      1. I’m not sure but I would guess yes, it will cook a bit faster.
      2. I would cook them as close to the same as possible. It will be interesting to compare!

  9. Kevin, I am about to cook my second butt in a Masterbuilt electric smoker….the first did not turn out as moist with the initial recipe I found from another site.
    I have a 9.5 pound butt. My question is after the 5 hour period, you mention a 10-12 hour period next. Is this on top of the initial 5 hours or total?
    Thank you for your help!
    V/R
    Brian

    1. Brian – all times are estimates based on cook temp. I highly suggest following internal temp of your pork butt vs strictly time. My smoke phase usually lasts about 5 hours (internal temp of 160). Then my wrap phase usually lasts between 5-8 more hours – though you could speed this up with higher cook temps (until internal temp hits about 200). Again, higher cook temp = less cook time.
      Enjoy!

    2. Brian, your pork butt should take 10-12 hrs total, but most important to cook to 190-200° internal temp. After that, be sure to let rest 40-60 minutes.
      Good luck

  10. First time checking out your site and it seems great. I got my dad a smoker for father’s day and as a first attempt we kind of want to do a smorgasbord of smoked foods (chicken, pork belly, pork butt, and ribs). I have few questions. 1) do you think its a good or bad idea to smoke all of that together?(I know all of it has to be done with different timing). 2) For the butt we were thinking to stick with a smaller butt as its only a few of us trying it for the first time and we have a lot of other stuff. 2A)Is there a good adjustment on timing for, lets say a 4 lbs butt? 2B)Should we just go for a bigger product? 3) any suggestions for a first time smoker?

    Thanks in advance and sorry for the essay.

    1. David –
      1. Doesn’t hurt to smoke a bunch together. Be careful about drippings (Chicken should be on bottom, then pork, then beef) and be careful about which wood you use – I’d suggest with a mix of meats to stick with fruit wood like apple/cherry.
      2. Agree, start small – and pay attention to internal temp.
      It doesn’t matter the size of the pork butt – I’d still say smoke it until the internal temp hits around 160, then wrap until it hits 200. (You don’t have to wrap, but it’s my preference).
      3. Yes – have fun!

  11. Hi Kevin, just wanted to say thanks for sharing your recipes and methods, I’ve been using your pulled pork and rib methods for a few years, your rub with a few personal changes, and though I have tried other methods just to try them, yours is still the tops! Only difference in method I do is use a basic Brinkman electric smoker and use a bowl under the rack filled with a couple beers, apple juice and cider vinegar, comes out soooo juicy and tasty!

  12. The only shoulder cut my local market had was the picnic roast. It doesn’t appear to have as much of a fat cap as the Boston butts. I’m assuming it will take around the same amount of time but is there something I should add in the wrap stage besides the juice for more flavor or juiciness? Thanks in advance

    1. Jeff – I like that idea. Add some apple juice, soda, beer…whatever flavors you prefer. Mix that in when you pull the meat = delicious!

  13. How would you suggest reheating the pulled pork and still keep it moist if I smoke it the day before a party?Bad idea?

    1. I almost always cook mine the day before. I pull it, put it in pans with some of the juices, cover it, put in fridge, then reheat in oven covered at 250 for an hour or two — or the crockpot on low. Works awesome.

  14. Kevin,
    I just made up a batch of your rub, and I used ground oregano instead of flakes. I used the quantity the recipe called for, and then wondered if it should have been the oregano flakes. Do you think the rub will still be ok with the ground oregano?

    Rhett

    1. Toby – I do not. But here it goes:
      The most important part of pork injection is the salt. You want to get salt to that white meat. Nothing else is as important.
      I use a mix of apple juice, coke, sprite, Worcester, hot sauce, syrup, honey – whatever combination of those I have around my house – and a lot of salt. About a cup of salt per gallon of injection. Boil ingredients together, then cool before injecting.

  15. I had a buddy give me some of his cut-up orange tree. what are your thoughts of using that wood with hickory for smoking? I’m doing my first pork butt this weekend!

    1. I have to say I’ve never tried Orange, nor have I heard of using it…but I can’t imagine it would be bad! If you try it, let me know how it goes!

  16. I got an electric smoker for Christmas and planning on using it soon just got done seasoning it. So do you let it sit in the fridge before smoking? I’ve seen other recipes that say rub mustard all over before run is applied. What are your thoughts?

    1. I think rubbing mustard is a great idea. I’ve done that at competitions and it tastes great. And yes, I always keep it in the fridge until it’s ready to go on the smoker.

    1. Jeff – either/or. I usually wrap right around 5 hours, and it’s USUALLY around 160 degrees internal temp – which is where you want it when you wrap.

  17. Do you reintroduce the juices into the pork?It looks like it in that picture. I am doing some for church picnic and I have but it looked like a lot, I did remove the fat from the juices? HELP!!

    1. I keep the juices and pour them over the pulled pork to keep them moist. It’s a delicious flavor you can’t replicate without collecting during the wrap phase. And yes, I like separating the fat too, so you’re left with just juice.

  18. So you let it smoke unwrappped straight on the grill for 5 hours and then put it in a pan and wrap it. When you wrap it do you wrap the entire butt or foil over the top and seal it tight around the edge of the pan

    1. I usually put the butt in a pan and cover tightly with foil. It’s just easier and less messy than wrapping the butt itself.

  19. Hi Kevin, we are planning to smoke 3, 13 pound pork butts using your recipe! any thoughts as to how long you think it will take over all? Also would we want to smoke longer than the 5 hours since they are much bigger and we are smoking more than one at a time?

      1. I don’t change my process for multiple butts. However, you might have to, depending on your smoker and where the heat comes in and if they’re cooking at the same temp with the same smoke. You may need to rotate every couple of hours to ensure they cook evenly. Otherwise, you’re safe to use the same process with 2 or 3 butts that you do with one!

  20. Hi Kevin! I have a question…. we LOVE our smoker!! We do everything that you do for that great taste. Now, we have been to a place in Missouri called Strawberries… it is AWESOME. They have a pork steak that is sliced about 1 1/2 in thick. They steam it first… then rub, then smoke…. we are going to attempt this tomorrow. I got the pork cut… im going to put it in a big roaster on a rack with water (or juice) and cover tightly . Any guesses as to what temp and how long in the oven? I’m telling you this pork is to die for! Any idea will be a help! Thanks Cindy Uffelman, texas

    1. Cindy – so sorry for my delayed response. I’m not sure how long to tell you as I’ve never steamed pork. I would suggest you try rubbing and smoking FIRST, then steaming. I would argue the flavor will be significantly better doing this way. If you try, let me know what you think!

  21. Why do you smoke the butts in a pan? Isn’t that less surface area for the smoke/ bark? Thank you for sharing this I have been following this for years. Have yet to have better pulled.

    1. Actually, I don’t smoke them in a pan. I smoke them directly on the racks because you’re right, it gets more and better bark. I put them in a pan when I wrap them to capture the juices and get them up to temp quicker.
      Wrapping does soften the bark, but I’m willing to accept that loss for the juicy meat.

  22. So i have a ton of juices in my pans when I pull them out of smoker. After the rest for an hour what do I do with the juice in pan? Is it mostly grease?

    1. Well, this may sound a bit gross, but I keep them. If the pork is dry, you can dump some back in. The other thing I do is pour the juices into a big container and put in the fridge. The juices will separate from the fat, then you can scoop out the fat and you are left with the delicious juices (in jelly form). You can then add this to the pork if it needs it or keep it for next time and use in your injection.

  23. Hi Kevin, love your site, thank you for all your help to such a novice person on the grill. I do have a question, no rub overnight for the pork butt, just morning of right before going on the grill?

    1. Great question, Joe, and my answer is Yes! Either/or. I’ve done it both ways and you’ll have success and deliciousness either way you do it. If you rub night before, I always wrap tightly in ceran wrap before putting in the fridge.

  24. You know what I just want to say thanks today I’m smoking my first a– and hopefully it ends up good, I’m the type of person that combines ideas from here and there and this one really helped me out for my base.

  25. Ok, so I bought a Masterbuilt electric smoker this year and have been experimenting.
    First I did a pork loin, which ending up being very tasty, but not pull-able. Then I did ribs. Same thing, tasty but not “falling off the bone” tender.

    Yesterday I did a pork butt. Found recipe on Webber website. Said nothing about wrapping the meat. My roast was about 3.5 lbs. Webber said rub it, cook at 225 for 10-12 hrs for a 4-8 lb roast. Since mine was smaller, I checked it after 8 hrs. Nicely browed, about 165 internally. I thought, Ok, a couple of more hours. Checked it again, still about like 168 internally! This is when I found your website, and wrapped it in foil, adding a little juice. Kicked the temp up to 250, and timer for 2 hrs. We left for a small outdoor concert. When we got back, it had cooled a bit and was PERFECTLY TENDER. I think for me the key is going to be cooking at 250. Maybe the thermometer on the smoker is a bit off? Has anyone had this issue before????

    1. Your meat just ” hit the stall” is all. That’s why many, not all, wrap in foil to help it through the stall. It’s not needed as eventually it will get through without wrapping, just takes longer. It’s just the cooler moisture coming to the surface and keeps the temp from rising. This is the time to get a drink, read a book, etc

  26. Kevin I just cooked my first pork butt and I had to use my oven because
    I just had knee replacement surgery at 78 years of age and couldn’t be
    going inside and outside to use the BBQ. I had the tin foil in the pan
    but I lost a lot of juice. My brother always wraps his in tin foil after
    it haas reached its temperature and then wraps it in a towel and his is
    to die for but because of the juice in the pan can’t do that. What did I
    do wrong? Thanks for your help.

    1. Karlyn – I’m not sure. In my process, I always smoke it for around 5 hours, then put it in a pan and cover it with foil for 5+ more hours until the internal temp hits around 200. I’ve never had issues with lack of juice doing it this way. Does that help?

      1. Just did a 9 pound butt and it came out great. What I had found out though, is the foil needs to be tight around the pan. Otherwise you will lose some juice.

  27. Sorry….love the site and pics but I’m confused…..when do you wrapp…? Do you smoke for 5 hrs then wrap and leave on the smoker? If so for how long
    Or do you smoke 5 hours and wrap and remove it
    The pics look awesome and I’m dying to try
    Thanks for a great recipe
    J

    1. Hey Joey – if you read the details of the recipe, hopefully it isn’t too confusing – I apologize if it is! Smoke is always the first stage prior to wrapping. Smoke first, wrap second. Wrap stage can be on smoker or in oven. As far as how long – it’s all about internal temp. You want the pork butt to reach around 200 degrees internal temp.

  28. I most defiantly plan to inject and rub my roast at least 3 days prior to smoking.
    Does anyone have a a legit reason this would not be a good idea?

    1. I am no expert by any means. However if you inject with a vinegar based marinade , I believe it will actually start to cook the meat after 24 hours.

      1. You’re correct, Andy. I’m always careful with vinegar. If using vinegar to inject, either use a very small amount or only use right before cooking.

        1. Thanks for the confirmation Kevin. If they are looking for added flavor by injecting , maybe using a finishing sauce would be better. I personally do not use one. I don’t think it needs anything if you follow your directions!

        2. Hey Kevin, I just followed the cooking directions posted and injected with a corona/horseradish mustard/apple cider vinegar mix, I coated the outside with horseradish mustard and pit boss butt rub. This is the best butt I’ve ever done juiciness wise. I am so glad for your tip on what temp to wrap the pork. I think it made all the difference.

  29. My husband has used a traditional tower charcoal smoker and a different electric smoker in the past. They got the job done, but they had their flaws. This smoker is fantastic!

    With just a little handful of wood chips and water, my husband was able to perfectly smoke six Cornish hens in about two hours and forty minutes. The built in thermometer didn’t give us any trouble. The meat was done and extremely juicy. The only down side is that it takes about 40 minutes to preheat. If you think about your prep time with charcoal, it probably evens out. The glass front is great. I loved seeing the progress. Overall, this smoker is easy to use and produces the most moist meat I have eaten. I can’t wait to try smoking other things.

  30. Hi Kevin,
    I have been cooking whole hog for our family party for 15 years. Always do a 100 pound pig on Friday and another 100 pound one on Saturday, pulling it off at 4 p.m. and straight to the table. This year I am taking out my rotisserie and going with two stacked flat grills 28″ by 28″. I will use indirect heat on both sides and I can keep 250 degrees with no problem. I think I can fit about 20 6 pound butts on at one time. About how long do you think it will take to cook and can I keep them in the pan the whole time and just cover them when they reach 160 degrees? Grill is a 265 gallon oil drum.

    1. Phil – so sorry for my delay in responding, I hope your cook went well. At 250, I would guess a 6lb butt would be done in 6-7 hours. And yes, I cook in pans all the time now. Smoke in pan to 160, then cover. Works great.
      Hope you had a great weekend —

  31. Kevin – absolutely love your recipes across the board, specifically the pulled pork. It dawned on me the other day while smoking a pork butt, after removing from the smoker and letting it sit for an hour should I leave it covered or uncover it at that point? I’ve had a couple of butts get dry & tuff on me and wonder what your process is during the resting hour?

    1. Great question, Thom. I leave mine covered for about 45-60 minutes, then vent the corner to slowly let the steam out and let them cool. This process seems to work well for me.

  32. hey kevin. was just wondering if i smoked the butt the day before do i pull the pork that day and reheat it or wait to pull the pork after i reheat it?? thanks

    1. Josh – I always pull that day and reheat it pulled. Much easier to pull fresh and much easier to warm it up and add juices if necessary.

  33. This is my plan
    Brine Monday night, inject and rub Tuesday night. Smoke, spray, wrap finish in oven Wednesday. Reheat in crock with sauce and juice Friday.
    Questions-
    A) to much flavoring steps?
    B) I’m not home on Thursday but need the pulled pork for Friday is it not going to be as good reheating in a crock pot

    1. Tracy –
      A. Definitely not! I do a very similar process!
      B. I think it’s great reheated. I do it all the time and I think you will love it!

  34. Kevin, I like your recipes and method here. Help! I’ve been drafted to smoke Boston butts and pork loins for up to 100 people for Labor Day weekend. We have access to a commercial sized smoker and I have a couple of questions for you.
    When you wrap the butts, do you just put them in a foil pan for the next five hours or so and cover with foil, or do you actually wrap each butt?

    Also, my plan is to put the loins on later but I don’t want them to dry out. Any suggestions for me along those lines?

    1. Chris – you can wrap either way, but I always use pans. Easier, and captures all the juices.
      I definitely agree with putting loins on later. They won’t take long – maybe just an hour or two. I would just plan to put them on a couple hours before you’re ready to eat and it should work out great.

  35. Instead of wrapping in foil, I put the pork butt in an oven bag. It was great. It helped keep the meat together and was far less messy. I don’t see any posts ever on using this method. Your thoughts…

    1. Mona – to be quite honest, I’ve never heard of using an oven bag for the wrap. I like the idea! Glad it turned out for you!

  36. Smoked my first pork butt last night…followed your recipe to a “t” and it came out fantabulous! Thanks so much for sharing it with us newbies!

  37. Kevin, love your blog!
    I also use a backwoods party smoker and on the 4th, I did a beautiful, moist, tender pork butt that had no smoke flavor at all, however it was still delicious!
    I read your smoking guide on chips, chunks, and logs. I need to know if the mini logs are better than the chunks when smoking in a backwoods smoker. Also, how many mini logs or what size chunks would put that great smoke on my butts and briskets.

    1. Ronald – I always use big chunks or logs in my backwoods. I only use chips when smoking on my Weber. I usually just spread the logs out throughout the fire box for a constant flow of smoke.

  38. This may be a silly question but here goes. Do I put the meat in the pan before I start or at the time of rapping? Also is adding liquid in the smoker a good idea? One more for claritity, when using a viriticle smoker should I spritz every hour or is that just for inderect grill? Thanks

    1. 1. You can put meat in pan whenever you want – I usually wait til wrap.
      2. I almost always use water when smoking, but it’s not necessary.
      3. I usually spritz regardless, I like it, but again not necessary.

    2. Results of my pulled pork. Very good. I smoked for 5 hrs at 225. Then placed in in pan and wrapped . Used place in oven it took another 8 hrs to reach 200 F. When I took out of oven there was no juice. 🙁 Is that normal? I did 2 butts at the same time. I am doing 30 more lbs today. If I get no juice what do you think of dissolving some of the rub in warm water to add back to when pork is pulled? BTY Every one loved your BBQ sauce. I used molasses and it is great.

      1. Dale – not sure why you didn’t get juice! You can try injecting next time, adding some liquid into the pan when you wrap, and definitely try your idea with the rub.

      2. Dale – Try adding 6oz or so apple juice or (even better) hard apple cider when you wrap! I do this every time and I always get high marks!

  39. I am smoking for my first time this weekend and im planning on doing a 10lb pork shoulder and 2 racks of BB Ribs in my WSM. I am planning on putting the ribs in the smoker when I wrap the shoulder. Can I add more wood at this point for the ribs or will it effect the wrapped shoulder? Im using the minion method and after 6 hours I would think fresh wood would be needed for the ribs

  40. Kevin, I have a 7lb Boston butt that didn’t fully defrost. Any suggestions for not charring the outside? I was thinking of running my smoker at 275° for about an hour and then dropping it back down to my cooking temp of 230°-250°?

    1. If you want to keep the outside from charring, keep the temp low and use minimal sugars. Sugars are what darken the most in rubs and sauces.

  41. Hi, I have the single pork shoulder mastered but will be preparing 9 for a party. Are there any issues with smoking 4 at a time (2 per grate)? Not sure if this quantity will affect the circulation or heat. Advice is graciously appreciated.

    LS

    1. Susan – 4 should cook the same as 1 – except with rotation, based on heat. I would rotate every few hours if you want them done at the same time – again just based on where your heat comes from. I have a cabinet style smoker where the heat comes from the top, so the top rack is the hottest. I rotate to be sure they all get equal time on the top rack so they finish at around the same time.

  42. Kevin,
    I am wanting to start cooking pulled pork for a festival here in town that is held on Sundays. Per our local health codes I do have to prepare in a kitchen that is regulated but I am wanting to still do some of the smoke at home and then finish in the commercial oven and then let it rest and shred there as well. I am looking at cooking about 50 pounds of butt in probably 2 electric smokers just to give you an idea of the quantity. My question is how long should I smoke them to get the optimal smoke before taking them out, wrapping and transporting to the commercial oven. Transport time would be about 20 minutes plus time for the oven to heat once I got there. Also how long would they need to be in the commercial oven to get to 200 internal? I normally just do small smokes for friends at home and everyone loves my bbq but I am wanting to jump in to doing this on a profit basis and chase my dream.

    1. Hey Jake – sounds awesome!
      Pork can take in smoke until the internal temp hits about 160. I would say 3-4 hours of smoke should be sufficient. Definitely mix in some hickory to maximize the smoke. I would guess it will take at least another 4 hours to get them up to temp in the oven, assuming the oven is 275-300. Let me know how it goes!

  43. Kevin, do you think finishing it in wrapped the oven is any different from leaving it wrapped on the smoker?

  44. Made my first pork butt ever today. Followed all your directions and turned out amazing. Thanks so much for this website! Even my 1 yr old couldn’t get enough!

  45. Looks delicious. Only thing I see wrong is that there isn’t any slaw on the sandwich. That’s an absolute BBQ sin.

    1. First time I saw slaw on BBQ was Arkansas. I almost got sick just looking at it and told them keep it, I’m going to Texas roadhouse This Texas boy will never go back to Arkansas!

  46. So I have my first big cater this weekend, about 220 people. The butts I got were portioned in 5 pound pieces, boneless. So where there was a bone there is kind of a flappy mess. I did my best to tie them tightly with butchers twine. Is everything gonna be ok? 😉 anything I need to worry about? I am kind of freaking out over here as I normally do whole pork butts or butts with the bone in, pretty nervous. Any help is much appreciated!! Thank you so much.

    1. Hey Mikey – sorry for my delay – I was on vacation with no internet access! Anyway, I’m sure they turned out just fine. If you followed the same process, they should have been great. I’m betting the cooking process was a bit quicker though!

    1. Matt – I have not tried. I’ve read and seen a lot about them, but I just can’t wrap my mind around cooking ribs in an hour. It’s an extremely unique and different cooker, that’s for sure. I’m just too old school for something like that. No temperature control, no basting, it’s a thin cylinder so your options are limited…I just don’t know.
      That being said, if it works and the meat comes out smoky and tender… color me impressed. It would be interesting to try.

    2. OK.. Somehow I ended up with butts that have been deboned and most of the cap removed. They look pretty mangled (thick on one end and a thinner strip on the other). I’ve never cooked a butt without a bone in it. How do you recommend I proceed? Tie them up with string? I’m thinking these won’t cook evenly and the thinner portions will not turn out so well.

      1. I’ve only cooked a butt like that once, but it still turned out pretty darn good. I think you’ll be fine proceeding with the normal recipe. If your smoker cooks uneven, you’ll definitely want to rotate so the thinner portions don’t dry out. Otherwise, there’s plenty of fat in the pork butt, even without the cap, so you should be ok!

  47. Thanks for the tips! Just a question about smoking a day or so ahead of time. I am going to smoke a butt this weekend for a party. The party starts a little to early in the day to get this done in time for it. How does it turn out if I smoke is the day before and reheat it the day of the party?

    Not sure I want to get up at 3am and start smoking!

    Thanks!

    1. I almost always cook mine in advance. I actually think it tastes better after it sits and gets reheated! Enjoy and let me know how it goes!

  48. Hi Kevin

    Thanks for the great instructions and all your answers to all the posts… I’ve got a clear idea now on how to smoke my first butt! It was a challenge describing the cut of pork to the butcher as its certainly not known in the UK as a Boston Butt and smoking is not commonly done!

    I’ve got myself a 9lb hunk of nicely marbled meat, maybe the “fat cap” has been a little too trimmed. I’m definitely down with the wrap + pan technique. Otherwise I think the internal meat temperature might just plateau for hours and it could really dry out during this time. I did a 3lb brisket previously and it plateaued at around 165^F for way too long and was more likely jerky when I finally took it out after about 10 hours.

    One question – if I was smoking 2x 10lb butts, would there be any change to the cooking time? I’ve got a ProQ Frontier smoker and I find I need to fill the water pan every 4 hours. I’m using a perforated foil container for the wood chips (Mesquite & Maple) that I’ve pre-soaked. I hope it provides a steady billow of smoke but I’ll keep another on stand-by.

    Cheers!
    H.

    1. I don’t think there should be any change to cooking time with 2 butts. I don’t adjust with my cooker, hopefully yours handles them just as well – thanks so much for reaching out, Howard!

  49. I am new to smoking meat and am ready for my first pulled pork. Are you saying that after the first 5 hours on the smoker, transfer it to an aluminum pan, wrap and put back in the smoker for another 5 or so hours?

  50. Great recipe for a great meal. I made this yesterday. 2 7lb butts. I got them up to 200 degrees in the 9th hour in the smoker. Came out perfect. And we have plenty of leftovers for sandwiches today.

    One thing I didn’t do was cook the butts with the fat cap down at any point. Assumed I should do it all the way with the fat cap up like brisket. Didn’t seem to matter as I got a really nice bark anyway, and the wrap phase produced plenty of juice.

    1. Mike – I really don’t think it matters. I think the world is split 50/50 on fat cap up/down. I cook mine down to get a great bark on the top side, but I know many that have plenty of success with bark on the bottom, fat on top. Just make sure when you wrap the fat is down so you don’t lose the top bark during wrap phase.

  51. Big question here. Doing my first big cater for 250+ people. Due to circumstances I am going to have to cook this the day before. Is it better to keep the butts whole refrigerate and reheat the next morning then shred or shred, refrigerate and reheat the next morning? I plan on reheating these babies using the massive amounts of juice from the cook. Any help is much appreciated Kevin!

    1. Mikey – 100% pull while hot, refrigerate and reheat. And keep every ounce of juice. I’ll keep it in a tupperware container and add as needed while reheating. If possible, reheat slowly – around 250 for a couple hours. Sometimes I’ll even sprinkle in some extra rub while reheating. Delicious. Good luck!

      1. Thanks Kevin. I cannot get enough of your site and your help is so valuable! I will try your method, it sounds spot on.

        One more question. I have noticed that I am not having as much smokey flavor as I would like, in spite of scoring the fat cap and using a decent amount of wood (mostly cherry, some hickory). I have noticed this with the WSM and electric smoker. Any thoughts or help with this? Thanks.

        1. I have to be honest, Mikey – I’m shocked to hear your WSM isn’t giving you enough smoke. I LOVE the WSM and it seems to always do the job. I’d say try more hickory to give it a richer flavor. Also, make sure you smoke it until the internal temp is 160. The pork butt will keep taking in that smoke until 160, so BLAST it!

  52. Hi Kevin,

    This looks amazing and will be doing this on Sunday. I will be using a Masterbuilt Electric Smoker, once I finish the first 5-6hrs of naked smoke, I will place it in an aluminum pan and cover. I’m sure this is a stupid question but once it’s wrapped I probably don’t need any more wood for smoke do I? Or could I vent it to still get a little smoke? Thank you!

    1. I usually don’t use wood during the wrap phase, but you certainly could. And you also could vent it a bit if you want. Really all you’re doing during this stage is getting the internal temp higher. You can skip the wrap all together if you want! Whatever you find successful in getting the butt up to 200 and delicious!

  53. I just recently bought my first smoker. A Brinkman side burner. For several years I have smoked meat on my gas grill with indirect heat and foil packets. We loved it so I figured I would try a smoker. I just cut had an Oak tree cut down and they ran it through the chipper and I have several piles of Oak mulch. Is it OK to smoke with Oak mulch since some of it was the leaves?

    1. Oak is a strong smoke so be careful. Using mulched wood is ok too but I wouldn’t use anything with leaves in it. I would think that would give meat a strange taste. But let me know if you try it and it’s good!

  54. Thanks for the info. I am a smoking virgin! 😉 Cooking a 6.8 pound butt in a charcoal smoker. I’m thinking 6 hours of smoke & 3-4 hours in oven? My main question is: What temp does the oven need to be at to finish it off? 250? Thank you so much! ~Laura in Vermont

  55. Getting ready to try this recipe with a brand new electric smoker. Your recipe says to spray the pork with apple juice during the first 5 hours of cooking…do I assume that means it is ok to open the smoker while cooking…and that doing so will not interfere with the operation of the smoker or the time it takes to cook?

    Thanks!

    1. JR – yes it’s ok to open the smoker. If you find it’s interfering too much with the cooker temp then you certainly don’t need to. My smoker recovers pretty quickly after opening it. Spraying and dusting with rub is definitely not an essential step if you choose to skip it. I just like adding layers of flavor.

  56. Ok, I guess I didn’t read very well. I started out with the foil on for 5 hours. Now we took off the foil and cooking the butt tell it reaches the 200 temp. And guess what? It was awesome!!!!! Will try again the right way!!!

  57. Hi Kevin:
    I’m doing 20 lbs. of butts next week and had a quick question. If the meat is wrapped in foil for the duration of the cooking/smoking, how does the smoke penetrate to flavor the meat? Did I miss something?
    Gary

    1. Gary – yea, read through the recipe and process I describe. I smoke for 5 hours, then wrap the butts for about 6 hours to get them up to temperature. 5 hours is plenty of smoke penetration in my experience.

      1. Hi Kevin:
        I followed your technique to the letter. I went to transfer the butts to a clean pan after resting them and they literally fell apart. The taste and texture were PERFECT! I wanted to thank you for sharing. I will definitely keep using your recipe for future pulled pork projects.
        Gary

  58. Hi There,

    Being located in the UK it is sometimes tricky to distinguish between the temperatures you state. Are these in Fahrenheit or Celsius?

    Many Thanks,

  59. One thing I don’t understand about the wrapping vs non-wrapping. The first picture shows a piece of meat without any juice outside of it. The second shows a piece of meat with a bunch of juice in a pan.

    I don’t see what this proves? You want the juice INSIDE the meat right? Some of the external juice will reabsorb during resting but not all.
    It would be better if you could WEIGH each one (ideally with 2 very similar meat pieces) and then weigh them after the cook and resting to get a better idea of juice loss vs retention.

    Also, assuming you do have more juice loss with the unwrapped one (which seems reasonable to me), I wonder if we can quantify the detriment. In other words, if your meat dries out some and the juices evaporate…the flavor still remains in the meat. So as long as the meat is sufficiently juicy, you could theoretically wind up with more concentrated flavors. Right? Or, the juice could simply drip into the pan and take flavor with it. I dunno which is the actual case.

    1. I’ve done many experiments on wrap vs. no wrap on butts. Wrap wins with my taste buds and everyone I’ve cooked for every time. I retain those juices you see in the picture and mix them in with the meat when I pull it. So the pulled meat absorbs those natural juices and makes for unbelievable flavor. I rarely if ever add any sauce to my pulled pork – it doesn’t need it.
      It’s not even close that unwrapped is drier – especially the white meat. The main reason you don’t wrap is for a harder, darker bark.
      Maybe the best proof is that I’ve placed in the top 10 – with one being a 1st place – the last 2 competitions I’ve done pork here in St. Louis. And the current World Champion – Sweet Swine O’ Mine – wraps their butts/shoulders as well.
      I’m not saying it’s the only way…plenty of people don’t wrap and plenty of teams win without wrapping…but bite for bite I’d take a wrapped pork butt’s flavor and juiciness any day over unwrapped.

  60. When your letting it rest after you take it off the smoker, are you keeping it in the foil or do you remove the foil to let it sit?

    1. I vent it. Usually just open it at one corner and let the steam/heat out for awhile, maybe 30 minutes, then remove the foil and let rest for another 30 minutes.

  61. Couple questions for ya. When cooking they larger butts I have found that I have to use a ton of wood, almost to the extent that I fear I am using too much. But since the larger butts can be 10-12 points I find it is hard to get the smokey flavor throughout the meat. Any tips you can offer?

    Also, what are your thoughts on the smokin-it smoker/cook-shack electric smokers? I have a WSM but wanting something additional and I like the ease of the electric units. Especially for fish and sausages. Thoughts?

    1. First, on the amount of wood…that all depends on your smoker and the venting. 5 or 6 big chunks of wood last all day on my Backwoods. But I only have the vents open about 1/4 inch, so it burns very slowly. It’s very efficient.
      Smoke only finds its way into the meat until an internal temperature of about 160. So you shouldn’t have too worry too much about it getting too smokey. And as long as that smoke is billowing the whole time, you should be getting plenty of smoke into that butt – even at 12 lbs.

      In regards to those smokers – I’ve used a couple electric smokers – not sure if it’s the same one you’re referring to, but the one’s I’ve used are pretty darn nice. I’ve seen people win a lot of trophies with different types of electric smokers. So yes, in general, they can put out great product.

  62. Kevin,
    I just got my 1st smoker and tried your smoked whole chicken and I am hooked!!! It was hands down the best meal I ever cooked! I can’t wait to try this one as pulled pork is one of my favorite foods. I noticed that you didn’t mention brining in this recipe. Would you mind explaining?

    Thanks! Jeff from VA

    1. I actually never brine pork, Jeff. Sometimes I inject and or marinade, but pork butts don’t need brine. They have plenty of moisture in them naturally with all that fat!

  63. Kevin,

    I have a barrel grill and a vertical brinkmann smoker. I have not tried a boston butt on my new smoker yet because I have enjoyed the flavor from my grill so good. What would you suggest being the best one to choose for cooking my next boston butt and does either one provide a different flavor when cooking?

    1. John – they should provide similar flavors assuming you’re using charcoal and wood.

      I have always smoked almost exclusively on vertical smokers. I love them. I think it allows the smoke to travel naturally up, through the meat. So give your smoker a whirl and let me know how it goes!

      1. Hey Kevin, smoked that boston butt yesterday. It was the most tender piece of meat I have ever ate. It cooked for 8 1/2 hours to the temperature of 185 degrees. The last three hours were cooked wrapped in Apple Juice. However, although the meat had great flavor and was very tender it had a very sweet taste and I don’t know why. nothing sweet except for the apple juice that it cooked in. My rub and base and all were typical barbecue recipes. I was wondering if you could give any insight as to why it may have had that very sweet taste.

  64. No! no foil. They didn’t use foil way back when and you don’t need it now. In competitions foil is used because they have a time limit and need to make sure it’s done. It breaks my heart to see a beautiful piece of meat being braised in it own juices like that. Braising is a different type of cooking method not suitable for BBQ. It may in fact taste delicious but if you want true old fashioned BBQ, skip the foil and just let it go till it’s done. What you’ll end up with is more delicious bark and the juices where they belong: inside the meat and not the meat swimming in the juice.

    1. Personally, I think it tastes great to have the meat swimming in the juice. Then you don’t have to mess with any BBQ sauce. I know it might not be considered true to BBQ origins, but who cares as long as it tastes good? I realize that braising is frowned upon in competition too. But let’s face it, most people aren’t competition cooks. This method Kevin describes is much more dummy proof. Letting it go until it’s done just gives too much of an opportunity to dry the meat out. I’ve had it happen even on a BGE, which generally does a very good job of holding in the moisture.

      1. Jacques and Karl – I love this debate! The best part is the answer is – whatever you like best! Karl hit the nail on the head why I wrap. It’s much easier to make deliciously juicy pulled pork. I recently did a test on this again – I did 2 wrapped, 2 unwrapped. The results were significantly different. The unwrapped was much more dry, but it certainly had a darker, thicker bark. I also agree with your point about the sauce, Karl. I like my pulled pork without any sauce – just the natural juices. But if you’re someone that eats BBQ for the sauce, then unwrapped could be the way to go for you.
        Now, Jacques, my answer to unwrapped is this: Catch some juices in a pan underneath the butt so you can moisten up the dry meat or do two – one wrapped, one unwrapped – and mix them together for the perfect combination.
        …and I haven’t heard any complaints on my pulled pork from anyone saying it doesn’t taste like real BBQ…

  65. Kevin,

    Your recipe looks incredible so I want to give it a go on my new BGE… I just want to make sure I understand correctly- first you are smoking the butt on the grate with direct heat for 5 or so hours, then you are wrapping it, placing it in a roasting, an putting it on the grate for the rest of the time? Thanks for any insight!

    1. Yep! I smoke it “naked” on the grate for about 5 hours, then put it in a aluminum pan and cover in tin foil and put back in the smoker (or you could use your oven if needed for this step) until the internal temp hits 195-200.
      Have fun!

      1. Hey Kevin – I’m new to smoking, just got into it about 4-5 months ago. I have a an offset char-broiler – after I bought it, I started reading some bbq forums and found out that this is one of the cheaper smokers. Oh well, it is what it is I guess, especially as it’s my first one. Your forum and tips have been very helpful so far – thank you for sharing!

        I’m still learning the basics like how to start the fire and get it to the right temp before I put the meats on. after the first several times I learned about the minion method and tried that. but then the heat got up to like 350 when first getting it going and took a while to get it down before i was able to finally stabilize it. Do you have any tips to correct this so it doesn’t take over an hour just to get the temps down before placing the meats on?

        Also – I’m smoking my first butt this weekend and I sort have the same question as Hunt. I read your answer a little differently than Hunt’s. Hunt is saying to smoke naked for the first 5 or so hours, then directly wrap the meat and place the wrapped meat in the aluminum pan and continue smoking. I read yours as smoked naked first, then put the meat in an aluminum pan and then wrap the pan, not necessarily wrapping the meat directly. So which is the correct way?

        thanks again for your help!

        1. Ok – first – on the wrapping of the pork butt – in my opinion you should put the butt in a pan then wrap the pan. Why? Two main reasons: 1. It protects the bark more. When you wrap the butt (which I used to do), it really smears a lot of bark off. 2. You collect massive juices in the pan my way. These juices are irreplaceably delicious.

          Now, on your smoker questions: I would give two suggestions on keeping the temp down: 1. Try using less charcoal to start. You may only need 10-12 coals. Play with it – you can always add more to heat it up if needed. 2. Mess with the vents. The more oxygen, the higher the temp. So try shutting off the airflow to cool down your cooker.

          Hope all of this helps – have fun this weekend!

  66. I hope to try your recipe during the Holidays, but I do have a few questions. First, do you wrap it with aluminum foil in the aluminum pan for the full 12 hours of smoking? If so, how is the pork exposed to the smoke? Do you rub the pork just prior to putting it in the smoker or do let it sit with the rub on it for a period of time?
    Thanks for sharing your recipe and have a nice Holiday.

    1. Bob – if you look at my full recipe posted, you’ll see that I put the butt on the smoker “naked” for the first 4 hours or so, then wrap it to render juices and bring to temp. You of course can alter these times as you see fit. I’ve smoked for as little as 3 hours and as much as 6 hours before wrapping.
      Regarding rub, either way is fine. Sometimes I put rub on hours before smoking, sometimes right before. I would say if you have the option, put the rub on well ahead of time to let the flavors soak in. Then, right before you put it on, sprinkle a little extra layer of rub.
      Have a great Holiday and let me know how it turns out!

    2. I’ve used his recipe on my BGE. For the naked part of the cook, I have had best luck using a BGE place setter with the legs up. I then put the drip pan in filled with whatever juice you prefer (I use apple juice, apple cider vinegar, amp; water-1 part each) so I don’t have to worry about spraying it occasionally. I put the grate on next and then the meat. No need to rotate the butt using this method either. Then I pretty much follow his recipe. 4-5 hrs naked, 4-5 hrs in the pan covered. I also pour the juice back over the meat after I pull it, but I like mine extra juicy.

  67. Thanks
    I controlled the temp quite well and was able to leave the pork in the barrel smoker for three hours at a steady temp of 180F

    I then covered it in tinfoil in a dish and finished it off in the oven

    great result
    gordon

  68. I have a kettle BBQ and a gas BBQ
    Can I use either of these. I don’t have a recognised smoker.
    I smoke salmon , duck and chicken using lump wood charcoal and shavings or chips
    But always find it difficult to control the temperature so have to be in close proximity unless I am cold smoking.

    I also have an indirect horizontal barrel type BBQ

    Any suggestions ?

    1. I would think the barrel type smoker would be your best bet for not having to monitor as closely. I smoke on my kettle all the time, but it does need temp monitoring. But any of those 3 can work to smoke a pork butt!

  69. I have two butts for a total weight of 16 lbs. They are still mostly frozen and I would like to put them on tomorrow morning early but, obviously don’t have time to do the 24 hour marinade or covering in mustard. Any idea how long I can expect this to take? We have a double shelf smoker and plan to rotate the meat 1/2 way through the cooking time and perhaps do the foil wrap and finish in the oven or the smoker for the last 1/2 of the cooking time. You think we’ll be ok with just putting on the rub and going with it right off?

    1. Absolutely, Shannon. Pork butts have so much fat in them, just rub is fine. I’d suggest spraying once an hour for first few hours and sprinkling with extra rub. That will give you great bark.
      As far as how long they will take..all depends on cooker temp. Mine seem to always take at least 10 hours…but I’ve cranked up the heat before and finished in 8…and it’s also taken 14 hours at lower temps.

      Let me know how it goes!

  70. Kevin

    I’m reading your article and I guess I’m a little confused. You are only smoking the butt for 5 hours? I thought rule of thumb was 1 to 1.5 hours per pound?

  71. When you first put the pork on to smoke, is it on the grate, by itself …or inside of an aluminum pan? I was concerned that being inside a pan the whole time may take away from the meat soaking up the smoke flavor…any suggestions?

    1. Mary – If you look at the details of the recipe, you’ll see I do both. I start it on the grate itself for 4-5 hours, wrap it in a pan until the internal temp hits 200.

  72. Hey Kevin,
    Thanks so much for the help! The pulled pork was hit. Thanks for the tip about wrapping the meat, it made the meat so juicy and tender! Thanks again, Trisha

  73. Just got a smoker and the first thing we did was smoke a pork butt! Went by the recipe and made the BBQ sauce . Dinner was amazing! Thank you!

  74. I have heard of covering entire pork butt with mustard and then the rub for 24 hours before smoking. Any advantage to the mustard?

    1. Amazing that you would ask about that. This past weekend I slathered my pork butts with mustard before rubbing and took 10th out of 90 teams. I love it. I think it adds a bit to the flavor and helps the rub really stick to the meat.

  75. Hey,
    so I like the instructions. Am attempting now on a 3lb bone-in butt with my own rub. One question though. I got confused on when to wrap it etc, and have seen different rules on how to wrap.

    Is wrapping the butt either: wrapping foil tightly around the meat itself, or covering up the pan with foil?

    Thanks!

    1. Hey Kevin! Either way works, but I prefer wrapping in pan. It allows the fat to render into delicious juices to keep the pulled meat crazy moist and tasty.

  76. Hi, when you say in step 6 to let the internal temp reach 200 and say it takes 10 hours your talking total cook time right? I just smoked for 5 1/2 hours and looks amazing. Thanks for the killer recipe!

  77. I’m having a bon fire this weekend and I’ve purchased boneless pork butt. I know bone in is best but do you have any suggestions for cooking the butt boneless? Like,is the cooking time shorter or will the meat dry out? Any suggestions will be appreciated. I’m smoking 6 butts…yikes 1st time smoking so many!

    1. Whew, that’s a lot, Trisha! You should be fine – there isn’t a ton of difference in cooking time. It will be a little shorter, and you definitely want to check juices in the wrap phase. But as long as there is still good fat marbeling, good fat cap…you’ll be great. You could inject just to be safe – something as simple as coke and applejuice. Otherwise the whole process should be pretty much the same. Good luck and let me know how it goes!

      1. Thanks for the reply. I have another question for you. Our smoker can only handle 2 big roast at a time so we are going to be smoking them over a couple of days. What would be the best way to heat the pork on saturday, keeping it whole or pulling after its done cooking and heating that way?

        1. Definitely pull when it’s done and warm. MUCH easier when it’s warm. Then reheat slowly. I usually put in pans in oven at 250 for an hour or two. Crock pots work as well – just be careful not to scald. Keep the heat low.

    2. Whew, that’s a lot, Trisha! You should be fine – there isn’t a ton of difference in cooking time. It will be a little shorter, and you definitely want to check juices in the wrap phase. But as long as there is still good fat marbling, good fat cap…you’ll be great. You could inject just to be safe – something as simple as coke and applejuice. Otherwise the whole process should be pretty much the same. Good luck and let me know how it goes!

      1. Kevin, when you said to inject just to be safe. Is that the juices from the pan after it’s been cooking or are you saying from the apple juice ? or something else.

  78. This was one of the best pulled pork sandwiches, I ever tasted! My father-in-law and I worked together on a Sunday tending to this piece of pork. Five hours in the Green Egg uncovered and foiled wrapped 5-hours in the oven. The temperature was kept at 250-degrees the entire time. The first 5-hours we basted the pork with a mixture of 1-cup apple sauce, apple cider vinegar, and some water. When the rub was made, I didn’t have Paprika, so it was left out of the rub. All the other ingredients were used in your rub, but I added fresh and powder garlic. The family enjoyed our pulled pork treat watching Monday night football, it was a touchdown!

  79. My wife I followed your cooking instructions but used our rub and we ended up with the best pulled pork either us has tasted. I did have to bring the temprature up to 300 for last hour to acheive the 200 degree internal temprature.
    We also used your BBQ sauce and was excellent
    Thanks

  80. I have a 3 pound butt and a 4 pound butt. Some say 1.5 hours per pound some say 2? Starting at 4 p.m. tomorrow and need them done for noon. I’m thinking 5 hours un wrapped and then 3 wrapped, any thoughts?

    1. Steve – I am so sorry for not replying sooner! I was actually at a BBQ Competition all weekend so didn’t have access to my computer. I hope they turned out well…I would guess for that weight I probably would do 4 hours unwrapped and then maybe 3 – 4 wrapped. Maybe even less. Normally a 9lb butt takes me about 12 hours.
      Let me know how it went and sorry again!

  81. Great help…. thank you…

    Second time cooking 2 pork butts on a charcoal Weber… wrapping at 150-160 and cooking till 200 was a huge key to success… everyone loved the BBQ.

    Joe

  82. I’m going to attempt this today. I’m new to smoking. 🙂 Your directions seem clear, but I do have one question: I want to serve some of what I smoke at 5:30 tomorrow and the rest on Friday. I am planning to smoke it all day today with a goal of having it done around midnight. I could start it later but I don’t want to have to keep getting up in the middle of the night to spray it with juice and then switch it into the aluminum pan. So when I take it out at midnight, what do you recommend I do with it? I’ve read that people wrap it in foil and then a towel and stick it in a small cooler to keep the heat in it for several hours. I don’t know that I should do that for some 14 hours though. Should I maybe do that through the night and then stick it in the refrigerator in the morning, and then reheat it in the oven before pulling? And how do I keep the pork for Friday tasting fresh and delicious?
    Thanks!!

    1. I’m actually smoking some butts this week as well! Here are the 2 ways I do it:

      1. Start in the morning, smoke for about 5 hours, then move to pan, wrapped, and finish in oven or smoker. Depending on size of butt, should be finished in 8-12 hours total. This way you can pull it before bedtime and be done all in one day.

      2. Start in the afternoon/evening on the smoker, smoke for about 5 hours, then move to pan, wrapped, and finish in oven overnight. You’ll wake up to the smell of pulled pork in your house and need to pull it that morning.

      I always pull when it’s fresh. Once it hits 200 internal temp, I take it out of oven/smoker and let it rest for an hour or two if I have time – and it cools a bit so it’s not so painful to pull. It’s MUCH easier to pull when hot/warm. Then reheating is EASY. You’ll have enough natural juices in there, you won’t have to do a thing. Put it in your oven at 250 or so and warm it up over a couple hours. It will be just as tasty a day or two later.

      Have fun and let me know how it turns out!

      1. Another quick question: The directions for this 32-inch electric smoker say to never use more than 1/2 cup of wood chips at a time. That does not seem right, I had 1/2 cup in there to preseason and they burned off in roughly 45 minutes. The wood chip pan is a lot bigger than that, too. Thoughts?

        1. Hmmm, I’ve never seen a limitation on wood chips. But chips do burn quickly. Maybe try moving to chunks or logs. I wouldn’t worry too much about putting too many in – unless you think the meat is bitter from too much smoke.

  83. Just recently received a smoker with a side burner. I tried ribs the other day and want to try this one, but the problem I ran into was that the fire barely got the grill temp to 200. I was using lump and kept adding handfuls every hour along with hickory chunks, but the temp never really stayed high enough. About half way through I tried pre-lighting briquettes in a chimney starter every hour, but still ran into problems holding the temp. Any suggestions for proper heat control and process? Thanks.

    1. Hey Matt –
      Yea, unfortunately that’s the #1 problem with side burner smokers. Heat naturally wants to travel UP, not side to side. So it will be a struggle.

      First, make sure all vents are open so you’re maximizing airflow. The more oxygen you get in there, the hotter the fire.
      Second, try leaving the box open for a bit before you put the meat on. Get it really good and hot with lots of air flow. Use a ton of lump charcoal and DRY wood. Dry wood lights on fire and produces more heat. I never soak wood anymore.
      Third, make sure your smoker is sealed as tightly as possible. If smoke is seeping out somewhere, that means heat is getting out too. You may need to buy some “fire rope” at a bbq store and lace it around the edges to insure the heat doesn’t escape.

      Cooking at 200 isn’t a bad thing…that’s certainly low and slow…but it will take a long time to get things done. Ideally you’d like to be closer to 225-250.

      I hope some of this helps! Let me know how it goes next time you light it up.

  84. I’ve been using this type of recipe in my Big Green Egg I got last fall. I do an indirect cook and use a drip pan with some apple juice, beer, apple cider vinegar, or just water…just whatever is handy. BGE warranties everything for life, so if it corrodes, I figure they will replace it (I hope). Anyway, the only thing I’ve been doing different is that I puncture the butt pre-cook in 5-10 places (depending on size) with a knife and shove cloves of garlic in. I get some juice at the end doing the wrap method, but nothing like what it appears in your picture that you are getting. I like a lot of juice, as I mix it in the pork as I’m pulling it. Do you think I may be losing juice due to the piercing? I’m starting to think I could just drop the cloves in my drip pan in an effort to get some garlic flavor. Not sure if that would do much.

    1. Hmmm, I can’t imagine a few holes would reduce the juices. Are you keeping the fat cap on? Or trimming a lot of the fat? With my process I usually smoke for about 5 hours then put the butt in a tin pan until it hits the internal temp of 200. That’s where all my juices come in and the fat is rendered. I don’t trim hardly any of the fat off the butts.

      1. I’ve been buying butts that were pre-trimmed, so I’ve never trimmed anything. Maybe there was too little fat on there. Anyway, this weekend I made sure I kept plenty of juice in my drip pan. I allowed it cook down, but not burn in the pan. After smoking for 5 hrs, I just dropped the butt in the drip pan with the juices (plus its drippings) , sealed it up, and cooked another 5 hrs in the oven. Actually ended up with too much juice at that point. After pulling, I could only pour about half of it over the meat, anymore and I would have had pulled pork stew. I thought it was famtastic. Some of the BBQ “purists” at the party thought it was too wet, but personally, I prefer it that way. I prefer almost a slop.

  85. I see that you spray the roast with apple juice every hour, what about just adding the apple juice to the liquid holder in the bottom of your smoker right at the beginning?

    1. Hi Becky,

      I’m not a fan of sugary liquids in my smoker. The sugars are left behind and can corrode over time. But I know a lot of people do this.

      I spray to add a flavor profile directly to meat. There’s science behind it…when you sweat, your pores are open. Same with meat. So when I open the smoker and see the meat sweating, I like to spray with flavors that will seap into the pores.

      Let me know which method you try!

      1. I went and got 100% real apple juice box and use the straw as a dispenser LOL (I didn’t have a spray bottle).
        The roast came out great!!! I had a 5lb. roast and it cooked in 5 hours. The juice the roast rendered is amazing and the hardest part of the recipe was waiting the hour for it to rest.
        Thanks for the foolproof recipe. I can’t wait to try more.

        1. Becky, that is GREAT news!! So happy the recipe worked well for you! Now you will just have to try some others and tell your friends to try some too! 🙂

  86. Hi Kevin this looks amazing and I’m using this recipe to properly break in the smoker I got for fathers day this coming Sunday. One quick question though, are you still actively smoking during the second cooking phase or just cooking in the smoker? I’m doing a butt, some brats, and a rack of ribs at the same time so it would be no issue to transfer that sucker to the oven if it will be over smoked.

    1. Hey Rob – thanks for reaching out. During the second phase, while wrapped, NO, I’m not smoking. That’s actually one of the reasons I wrap – to NOT over smoke the meat. I have definitely used my oven for the wrap phase on butts many times. Makes it easy. Plus, as is the case with you this weekend, it frees up the smoker to cook other meats!
      Sounds like a delicious father’s day at your place – enjoy!

  87. Kevin,

    I see that you mention wrapping the pork butt in your directions. Do you just put it in one of those foil pans and then cover it up with foil? Do you leave it wrapped the hole cooking process?

    Thanks for you response.

    Dan

    1. Hey Dan – I put the butt directly on the grill for the first smoking phase, then put in a pan and wrap for the second cooking phase. I leave it wrapped until the internal temp hits around 200. Let me know if you need anything else!

  88. Kevin,

    Kind of a dumb question. I’m a little confused on the wrapping. Do you smoke your butts up to temp and then wrap afterwards to sit or do you wrap during the smoking process. I’m going to try your recipe next weekend and want to make sure I get it right!

    Thanks!

    1. DJ – I smoke directly on the grill for the first few hours, then place the butt in pan and wrap for the next several hours until the internal temp hits about 200. Then I leave wrapped for an hour or so on the counter to let it rest before pulling.
      Hopefully that clears it up – let me know if you need anything else!

  89. Kevin just wanted to drop in and give you another success story. Followed your cooking instructions on my first Butt attempt in my new electric smoker and oh man! I wasn’t prepared for that quality. It was the best flavored, most tender pulled pork I have tasted. My dinner guest are still talking about it 2 weeks later. Ty for a great site and all the helpful tips. Trying my first Smoked Whole Chicken this weekend with your instruction and will let you know how it goes but I am sure it will be amazing.

    1. That is excellent feedback, Ronnie – thank you! I really appreciate hearing the results when my recipes and techniques are tried. Have fun with the chicken – it’s sure to be delicious.

  90. Kevin,

    I received a Weber Smokey Mountain 18.5″ cooker as a gift. Thus far I have smoked St.Louis Ribs and Beef Short Ribs. The St. Louis ribs were good, but the rub was a bit spicy. The Beef Short Ribs were over smoked. I cooked them at 225 for 12-14 hours. They were very dry and tough. Thus I’m a bit apprehensive to try them again. Now I want to try my hand at pulled pork. What is the best temperature and how long should I cook the pork. Am I better off with a butt or shoulder for my first pulled pork?

    1. Hey Scott – great to hear you’re trying different stuff.

      Go to your local grocery store and pick up a Boston butt – make sure bone is in.

      Keep your smoker around 225-250, and cook the butt until the internal temp hits 200.
      Check out my pulled pork recipe for more details! Have fun!

  91. I just learned of your site today and I am really impressed, I have been looking for a site like this for a long long time, and I will be telling my friends about this site too.

    1. Thanks so much! We really work hard to share great recipes and techniques, with a nice looking format, layout – and of course awesome pictures. Feel free to email or leave comments with questions any time if you need anything at all!

  92. Hey Kevin, a thousand apologies for my late update, I was going to respond the next day with results but ended up with a sinus infection 🙁 I am feeling human today so I had to let you know that things went great! I have done the chicken before and your recipe is awesome and pretty much fool-proof. The pork was also awesome!! The only thing that was not spot on was me, I pulled it off a little early by about 10 degress early because we had to leave the house and I was not comfortable letting is sit unattended, plus I was not sure how long we would be gone. So, I kept it wrapped and placed it in a cooler while we were out. It pulled apart perfectly and was still very juicy and awesome! Thanks so much for your assistance. I had no Issues cooking the chicken and pork simultaneously. It was great!!

    I do have another question, here is my issue.. My verticle smoker is small so if I do ribs I have to roll them or cut them (it is even too small for a rib rack to fit inside). I do have a nice 22 inch weber kettle. I tried smoking a rack of baby back ribs on it. I know my time was off.. I should have cooked them a little longer (I did not crutch these). They had almost a soot-y taste to them.. I am not too sure why, I was sure to never let my top vents closed more than half way. I used Stubbs naturals as my fuel and wood chunks.. Anyways, I am having a go at it again tonight, except this time I rinsed out the kettle of any debris thinking this may have attributed to that? The outside of the ribs had the not so good flavor, the inside was fine and had a good smoke ring to it.

    What is your advice/expertise for doing baby backs on a weber kettle? My temp was spot on. Waterpan under the meat, coals/wood to the side. I also but some foil against the coals/wood as a barrier to the meat. Thanks so much for your help!!

    1. Great feedback to hear! So happy you had positive results.

      On ribs – Ironically I’ll be posting my entire rib process starting Sunday, so you’ll get all the details. A few thoughts:
      Make sure the membrane is removed from the back of the ribs. This can give a chalky/soot taste to them.
      Let the coals get good and gray before putting ribs on. Sometimes the black charcoal can really give a bad taste to your meat.
      Rotate the ribs. Make sure each side gets equal time facing the heat.
      Cut the ribs in half if needed for space on the smoker or your Weber. I used to do this all the time. You don’t lose a thing cutting them in half.
      Try marinating your ribs in the dry rub for awhile before cooking. This will hopefully allow the flavors to seep deeper into the meat.

      Hope these few thoughts help. Have fun!

      1. Thanks Kevin. I will be sure to make sure my coals from the chimney are nice and ashed. How long would you say I should let them burn in the chimney and how long should I let them burn with the unlit coals before I put the ribs on. I know it is only a rough estimate due to temperatures but a ballpark might be nice.. Do you have good results smoking on your webber kettle/charcoal grill? Should I crutch my baby backs? Thanks.

        P.S. I am smoking 4 chickens this weekend for Easter, using your methods and I will most definitely be directing my guests to your page when they beg me for how I did it 🙂

        1. When the coals at the top of your chimney are gray, they’re ready. That’s all I do. Wait til the top ones are gray, dump them out, and you’re ready to smoke. I would start smoking with those gray coals – no black ones. Then when your temp starts dipping too low, you can add more. By that time hopefully you’ve given the ribs a good amount of clean smoke.
          I’ve had good success…but I haven’t used my Weber for ribs in a long time. I’m spoiled with my huge smoker, and when I make ribs I usually make a ton. But you should have great success on the Weber.

          1. So no minion type of method with the kettle? I’ll give it a try, so would you say a whole chimney full in that case?

          2. Correct. I just pile them to one side. And yes a chimney full should be a great amount. Then as temperature dips I just drop 5-10 more coals in there.

  93. I smoked a Pork Butt not long ago per your instructions, and WOW! everthing was as you said it would be. Although I did pull it earlier than suggested because after sampling it I was so excited I had to eat.. no sauce cause the flavor was impeccible. But the rest of the family needed sauce. Thank You. I will always do my pulled pork this way from now on.

    1. That is excellent news, Matt! So great to hear. I’m the same as you – I don’t need any sauce when it’s nailed. The juices and flavors are enough for me. Thanks so much for the feedback and please let me know if there’s anything else you need!

  94. What is the math on cooking time per pound? I’m thinking of doing a 5-6 pounder. Also, on vertical smokers like a master forge or WSM, is there any difference cooking something on the lower grill? I’m assuming so. Thanks for the help and awesome website!!

    1. Thanks for the kind words! It probably ends up being about 1-1.5 hours per pound. But it’s not an exact science because of smoker temp. I usually do 9 lb butts and for me to get them perfect it takes about 14 hours, at around 225 degrees. So if I were you, I would count on at least 8 hours to nail it.
      And yes, on vertical smokers it makes a huge difference. Probably 15-25 degrees between top and bottom racks. I prefer the top rack to really get that bark hard. If it’s getting too dark or cooking too fast, move it down.
      Good luck and let me know how it turns out!

      1. Wow, awesome response time!! I plan on doing a chicken & shoulder at the same time using your recipes. However my smoker hovers between 240-265 measured by oven thermometer on the top grate. How do you reccomend I manage using both lower & top grills? Chicken ontop? Or pork? Chicken is about 5lbs and the shoulder is just shy of that.

        1. Thanks – I try! Always put the chicken on bottom. Main reason: You don’t want raw chicken juice dripping on your other meat. But also in this case the chicken will cook quicker than the pork for sure, so it doesn’t need to be on top. And that temp range is perfect. A little high, but as long as it spends most of the time at 250 or below, you’ll be in good shape.

          1. Sweet deal. So I’ll assume my chicken will cook faster than usual being on the bottom, hopefully it won’t be too warm.. So for the butt I just want to make sure and pull it off at 200? At what point should I wrap it considering it being just shy of 5lbs?

            Thanks so much for the help! I can’t wait, I will mos def follow up with an update after consumption 🙂

          2. I would say after about 3 – 4 hours of smoke, it’s taken in plenty and you could wrap it. If you want to go by temp, then wrap it when the internal temp hits about 160. At 160 it won’t take in any more smoke anyway.
            And yes, 200 and it’s nailed. The bone will pull out clean, the fat will be 90% rendered, and you’ll have the juiciest pulled pork you’ve ever had.

            Glad to help! Tell your friends to check out the site, sign up for the newsletter, and spread the word about how GREAT it is! 😉

          3. No – that’s the beauty of chicken – the skin protects it. I’ve smoked chickens for 8 hours and they aren’t too smoky.

            Make sure you check out my ultimate smoked chicken guide. Lots of great ideas and recipes. You’ll love it.

    1. It depends on your smoker, but no, it shouldn’t, UNLESS having that much meat lowers the temp of your cooker. It’s all about temperature. I can cook 6 butts on my smoker, and as long as I control the temp they still get done as quickly as one.

  95. Kevin,

    The wife got me a Master Built 30 smoker for Christmas and I am about to tackle my first Boston Butt, per your recipe and was wondering if the butt goes in the smoker “fat cap” on top or bottom? Or, am I flipping it around every so often? Last question, how long after the butt is prepped / rubbed do I let it sit? Do I cover it and refrigerate overnight, a few hours or just leave it out on the counter for an hour or so while the smoker is heating up?

    Love the site and thanks, –Bill
    [email protected]

    1. Hey Bill – great questions! And the answers are…cloudy.
      Fat cap up or down? Most say up so the fat drips through the meat. Some say down so they get better bark on the non-fat cap side. Others say cut the fat cap off – pork has enough fat. The right answer? There isn’t one. I trim my fat cap, and cook fat down because I want good bark. But your idea of flipping it is great – try that, start with fat down, and flip after an hour or two. I bet you’ll like the results. Just make sure with the wrap phase you have fat down.
      How long on rub? If you have the time and space, overnight in the fridge is great. Make sure to toss some fresh rub on there before you put it on the smoker. Most of the time I’m rushed and simply put the rub on an hour or so before it goes on. But sometimes I will sprinkle additional rub during the smoking phase just for fun.
      And in case I didn’t emphasize it enough in my recipe, don’t quit on it early – get that internal temp up to 200! Your Masterbuilt is electric I believe, so don’t be afraid to let it sit in there wrapped overnight. I do mine that way and the results are silly. Nothing like pulled pork that has cooked for 12-16 hours.
      Please let me know how it turns out!

      1. I’m doing for a large group (50) and needs to be ready for 1pm -so as timing goes I have to pre make and re heat later. Also I’m out the morning of and can’t attend to smoker – also my electric smoker may only fit 2 roasts at a time and I need 4 minimum is it ok to do this the night before and refrigerate? (Question 2)Also I have 3 different cuts in my freezer and am told ALL work can you give my you’re opinion on using each cut 1. Bone in picnic 2. Bone in shoulder 3. Boneless shoulder? Thanks look fwd to it

        1. 1 and 2 are great. I personally do not like boneless as much but it will work.
          And it’s absolutely just as delicious if you cook ahead, refrigerate and reheat.

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