Hot and Fast Smoked Pork Butt (Ready in About 5 Hours)
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Need smoked pulled pork today instead of tomorrow?
This hot and fast pork butt recipe is for those days when you don't have time for an all day cook. By increasing the smoker temperature and wrapping at the right time, you can produce tender, juicy pulled pork with excellent bark in about 5 hours.
Is it exactly the same as a traditional low and slow pork butt? Maybe not. But after cooking both methods many times, I can honestly say the difference is much smaller than most people expect. The pork is still smoky, flavorful, and fall apart tender, making this one of my favorite methods when time is short.
If you've got all day, check out my Smoked Pork Butt (Texas Style Recipe) for my favorite traditional method. Otherwise, fire up the smoker and let's make some incredible pulled pork in about 5 hours.
Recipe At A Glance
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Refrigerator Time: Optional overnight
- Cook Time: About 5 hours
- Smoker Temperature: 300°F (149°C)
- Target Internal Temperature: 205°F (96°C) to 207°F (97°C)
- Rest Time: 30 to 60 minutes
- Recommended Wood: Pecan
- Difficulty: Easy
- Servings: 8 to 10
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Tender pulled pork in about 5 hours
- Perfect for last minute cookouts and busy weekends
- Great bark and smoke flavor without an overnight cook
- Works on pellet grills, charcoal smokers, offsets, and more
- Easy enough for beginners but delicious enough to impress your barbecue buddies
Is Hot and Fast Pork Butt Really Better?
Barbecue purists will tell you that pork butt should always be cooked low and slow, and there's certainly nothing wrong with that approach. In fact, it's still my preferred method when time isn't an issue.
But here's the reality: life gets busy.
Sometimes you forget to put the meat on before sunrise. Sometimes you decide at noon that pulled pork sounds pretty good for dinner. And sometimes you'd rather spend the day with family and friends than babysitting a smoker for 12 hours.
Cooking a pork butt at 300°F (149°C) shortens the cook dramatically while still producing juicy, tender pulled pork with a beautiful bark. Is it identical to a traditional low and slow cook? Maybe not. Is it close enough that most people will never notice the difference? I certainly think so.
The only way to know for sure is to try it yourself.
Ingredients
- 1 pork butt (5 to 8 pounds)
- Yellow mustard
- Jeff's Original Rub
Equipment Needed
- Smoker set up for indirect cooking
- Smoking wood
- Instant read thermometer
- Remote meat thermometer (highly recommended)
- Heavy duty aluminum foil
- Half size foil pan
Why This Method Works
The secret to finishing a pork butt in about 5 hours is simple: cook hotter and wrap earlier.
Traditional low and slow barbecue relies on lower temperatures and lots of patience while the collagen slowly breaks down over many hours. By increasing the cooking temperature to around 300°F (149°C) and wrapping the pork butt once it reaches the stall, you dramatically shorten the overall cook while still giving the connective tissue enough time to render.
The result is pulled pork that's juicy, tender, and packed with smoke flavor in roughly half the time of a traditional cook.
No, it won't spend as many hours absorbing smoke, but you'd probably be surprised how little difference most people notice once it's piled onto a sandwich or served with their favorite barbecue sides.
Best Wood for a 5 Hour Pork Butt
Because this recipe cooks at a higher temperature and for a shorter amount of time, I like using pecan wood. It produces a rich smoke flavor without becoming overpowering and complements pork beautifully.
Apple, cherry, hickory, and oak also work well if that's what you have available.
No matter which wood you choose, be sure you're producing clean smoke for the best flavor.
What to Expect from a 5 Hour Pork Butt
If you've never cooked a pork butt hot and fast before, you might be a little skeptical. I was too.
After all, barbecue has taught us for years that low and slow is the only way to achieve tender pulled pork. While I still love a traditional overnight cook, I've learned that pork butt is a lot more forgiving than many people think.
By cooking at 300°F (149°C) instead of 225°F (107°C) and wrapping at the right time, you can dramatically reduce the cooking time without sacrificing much in the way of flavor or tenderness.
Will there be a difference compared to a 12 hour pork butt? Maybe. But unless you're doing a side by side comparison, I think most people would be hard pressed to tell which one spent all day in the smoker and which one was finished in about 5 hours.
The bigger question is whether saving 7 or more hours is worth it. For many backyard cooks, the answer is a resounding yes.
Season the Pork Butt
Place the pork butt on a large pan, cutting board, or sheet pan.
Coat the top and sides with a thin layer of yellow mustard. The mustard acts as a binder to help the seasoning stick and won't leave a noticeable flavor in the finished product.
Apply a generous coating of Jeff's Original Rub over the entire surface of the meat, making sure to cover all exposed areas except the fat cap on the bottom.
If you have time, place the seasoned pork butt in the refrigerator overnight. This gives the seasoning time to work on the surface of the meat and helps develop an even better bark during the cook.
If you're truly in a hurry, don't worry. You can season it and put it directly on the smoker with excellent results.
Jeff's Tip: One of the easiest ways to improve any pork butt is to season it the night before. Even if you're using the hot and fast method, the overnight rest gives the rub more time to work its magic.
Smoker Setup
The beauty of this recipe is that it works on just about any smoker capable of maintaining temperatures around 300°F (149°C).
For this cook I used a Pit Barrel Cooker because it naturally runs a little hotter than many traditional smokers, making it a perfect choice for the hot and fast method. Pellet grills, charcoal smokers, offsets, electric smokers, and ceramic cookers all work just as well.
Set your smoker up for indirect cooking at approximately 300°F (149°C). If your smoker uses a water pan, fill it before cooking to help maintain a stable cooking environment.
Once the smoker is up to temperature and producing clean smoke, you're ready to get started.
Smoke the Pork Butt
Place the pork butt on the smoker grate with the fat cap facing down.
I prefer cooking pork butt fat side down because the fat helps protect the meat from radiant heat coming from below. If the roast sticks to the grate during the cook, I'd much rather lose a little fat than lose that flavorful bark.
Close the lid and let the pork butt cook for about 3 hours while maintaining a steady smoker temperature around 300°F (149°C).
As the bark develops, keep an eye on both the color and the internal temperature. You're looking for a deep mahogany exterior and an internal temperature around 165°F (74°C). If the bark reaches the color you like before the temperature gets there, it's perfectly fine to move on to the wrapping step.
A quality remote thermometer makes this process much easier and eliminates the need to constantly open the smoker.
Wrap and Finish
Once the pork butt reaches about 165°F (74°C), wrap it tightly in a double layer of heavy duty aluminum foil and place it into a foil pan to catch any juices that escape.
Return the wrapped pork butt to the smoker and continue cooking at 300°F (149°C) until it reaches an internal temperature between 205°F (96°C) and 207°F (97°C).
More importantly than the number on the thermometer, the meat should feel probe tender. When the probe slides into the pork with almost no resistance, it's ready to come off the smoker.
Jeff's Tip: If your pork butt reaches the color you like before it reaches 165°F (74°C), go ahead and wrap it. Bark color is just as important as internal temperature when deciding it's time to wrap.
Rest the Pork Butt
When the pork butt reaches 205°F (96°C) to 207°F (97°C) and feels probe tender, remove it from the smoker and let it rest before pulling.
If time allows, I recommend resting it for at least an hour. This gives the juices time to redistribute throughout the meat and makes it even easier to pull into tender strands.
If you're feeding a crowd and dinner gets delayed, don't panic. A wrapped pork butt can be placed into an empty cooler and covered with towels where it will stay piping hot for several hours while continuing to improve in tenderness.
Pull and Serve
Once the pork butt has rested, unwrap it carefully and save every bit of the juices collected in the foil.
Pull the pork into bite sized pieces using meat claws, forks, or your hands if it's cool enough to handle. As you pull the meat, drizzle some of the reserved juices back over the pork to keep it moist and flavorful.
Serve it on sandwiches, tacos, nachos, baked potatoes, sliders, pizza, or barbecue platters with your favorite sides. It's also outstanding with a little coleslaw and barbecue sauce on a soft bun.
Common Mistakes When Smoking a Pork Butt Hot and Fast
The biggest mistake people make is trying to cook by time instead of tenderness. While this method usually finishes in about 5 hours, every pork butt is different. Cook until the meat is probe tender rather than watching the clock.
Another common mistake is skipping the wrap. Wrapping the pork butt once it reaches about 165°F (74°C) helps power through the stall, keeps the meat juicy, and dramatically shortens the overall cook time.
Some cooks also worry too much about the exact finishing temperature. While 205°F (96°C) to 207°F (97°C) is usually the sweet spot, tenderness is more important than the number. If the probe slides into the meat with almost no resistance, it's ready.
Finally, don't skip the rest. Even 30 to 60 minutes makes a noticeable difference in tenderness and juiciness before pulling the pork.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you really smoke a pork butt in 5 hours?
Yes. By cooking at approximately 300°F (149°C) and wrapping during the stall, most 5 to 8 pound pork butts can be finished in about 5 hours.
Is hot and fast pork butt as good as low and slow?
I still prefer the traditional low and slow method when I have the time, but this recipe comes surprisingly close. Most people would have a hard time telling the difference without a side by side comparison.
Can I use a pellet grill?
Absolutely. Pellet grills are excellent for this recipe because they maintain a steady temperature with very little effort.
Should I wrap in foil or butcher paper?
For this hot and fast method, I prefer heavy duty foil because it speeds up the cook and helps retain moisture. Butcher paper will also work if you prefer a slightly firmer bark.
Storage and Reheating
Store leftover pulled pork in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
For longer storage, divide it into meal sized portions and freeze for up to 3 months. Including a little of the cooking juices in each package helps keep the meat moist when reheated.
To reheat, warm the pork gently with a splash of the reserved juices, apple juice, or chicken broth until hot. It reheats beautifully in the microwave, oven, or a covered skillet on the stovetop.
Leftover pulled pork is perfect for sandwiches, tacos, nachos, baked potatoes, breakfast burritos, pizza, and barbecue mac and cheese.
Final Thoughts
If you've always believed that great pulled pork requires an overnight cook, I hope this recipe changes your mind.
While I'll always have a soft spot for traditional low and slow barbecue, this hot and fast method proves that you can produce incredibly tender, juicy pork butt in about 5 hours without sacrificing much in the way of flavor or bark.
It's the perfect solution for busy weekends, last minute cookouts, or those mornings when you forgot to set the alarm and get the smoker fired up before sunrise.
Give it a try and let me know what you think. I have a feeling you'll find yourself using this method more often than you ever expected.
Pulled Pork Slider Idea
One of my favorite ways to serve this pork is on soft slider buns with a spoonful of coleslaw, a few sliced pepperoncini peppers, and a drizzle of Jeff's original barbecue sauce.
They're easy to make, perfect for parties and game day gatherings, and disappear almost as fast as you can build them.
If you have leftover pork, sliders are one of the best ways to enjoy it the next day.
Hot and Fast Pork Butt (Ready in About 5 Hours)
Ingredients
- 1 pork butt (5 to 8 pounds)
- Yellow mustard
- Jeff's Original Rub
Instructions
- Coat the pork butt with yellow mustard on the top and sides.
- Apply a generous layer of Jeff's Original Rub over the meat.
- If time allows, refrigerate overnight. Otherwise proceed directly to cooking.
- Preheat the smoker to 300°F (149°C) using pecan wood or your preferred smoking wood.
- Place the pork butt on the smoker fat side down and cook until it reaches about 165°F (74°C) or develops a rich mahogany bark.
- Wrap tightly in heavy duty foil and place into a foil pan.
- Continue cooking until the internal temperature reaches 205°F (96°C) to 207°F (97°C) and the meat is probe tender.
- Rest for at least 30 to 60 minutes.
- Pull the pork into bite sized pieces and mix in some of the reserved juices before serving.
Notes
More Pork Recipes You'll Love
Smoked Pork Butt (Texas Style Recipe)
Butterflied Pork Butts in the Smoker
Cherry Dr Pepper Pulled Pork for Game Day
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This is the recipe I use every time! Love it, so easy!! Thanks!
I gave up cooking butts at 225*F long ago. There is zero difference at 250-260*F except cook time. I do wrap at about 160*F/3hr. Since I usually portion and vacseal/freeze I don’t mind that the bark softens. These get done in about 6 hours. Takes a couple more hours if I don’t wrap, but still not an overnight cook (which I don’t trust).
I HAVE BEEN DOING 5 HOUR SMOKED BUTTS FOR YEARS AND NEVER ANY COMPLAINTS. IF YOU CUT ONE IN HALF YOU CAN STAY 225-250 INSTEAD OF 300.
May be an off the wall comment, but have you ever tried cooking in an instant pot first and then applying enough smoke to create some bark?
When you remove the wrapped pork butt at 205 do you let it rest still wrapped or let it rest unwrapped?
Aaron, I usually unwrap it to let the heat dissipate better and just lay a loose piece of foil over the top while it rests.
Similar to what has become my standard method.
I smoke at 250* until 160-165* IT (usually about 3 hrs)
I wrap and turn up to 275*
Usually gets to 203*+ in about 2-1/2 hrs
It has been indistinguishable from when I used to do 225* the whole time.
Do you still leave the meat fat side down after you wrap it in tin foil?
I usually leave it fat cap down during the entire cook and even during the wrap. I can’t confirm that this matters much for the foil wrap, but I see no reason to flip it over when wrapping.
Exactly what I do. While smoking I think best to have it shielding from the heat source, and better preserves bark while wrapped.
I tried this method and it worked great! The only thing I did differently is to finish the aluminum wrapped pork butt in the oven set to 300 F. No having to monitor the green egg. The “bark” is more palatable in my opinion with this method. Oh and no spraying with apple juice. Thank you!
I tried it once, and it was better than a restaurant’s version, but didn’t match a S L O W Roll Smoke. Lack of Bark was very noticeable, and it was also less Smokey. Definitely worth a try, and I might just do it again myself when ‘time is tight’.
I was gifted an electric smoker when my parents bought a new one, this was my 3rd time using it and wow did this pork come out incredible! I had ~6lb boston butt that I seasoned and threw in once temp hit 225 while still pre-heating to 300, 3 hours later was at 165 with a nice bark, wrapped it with foil and put it in for another 2 hours, ended up pulling it ~45 minutes early, did a random check at it was at 205 at 4.15 minutes so i pulled it out and let it rest. It is so juicy and tender, definitely so grateful for this recipe so I could surprise my husband coming home from a 2 week work trip , right now!
5 hours is right on for my gmg pellet grill
Just now resting 2 butt’s I tried this on my last 1 it was great so it my just be my go to from now on THANKS
Family loved it. First time, worked like a charm. It was cold out and so I put it while it warmed up, 225 to 300, probably took 7 hours in total, but much much faster than I ever anticipated. Thanks!
I love this method. Although my larger box smoker has trouble getting all the way to 300 degrees, it gets pretty close and I can definitely get some fantastic pulled pork (~8lbs) in about 7-8 hours!! It is the only way I smoke butt now!!!
Just did this 5-hour with a 7.2 lb pork butt except it took 7+ hours. It rested for an hour and pulled apart easily. It didn’t have much taste until I put your BBQ sauce on it, then the taste blossomed. Last night I rewarmed it as you instruct, but added jalapenos, Worcester sauce, and your BBQ sauce. The result was a very tasty sandwich.
Just a note. I had a pulled-pork sandwich at a BBQ restaurant a few weeks ago. It didn’t match up to your recipe. Not even close.
I’ve done this several times and have two on the smoker now! It’s the only way I smoke a butt anymore. If there is a difference in taste or texture, it’s imperceptible to me.
Fast and easy and it turned out great!!!
Hey hey, It’s 5:30 am and I have put the butts on about 30 minutes ago. The short story is I got the mission to have two pork butts smoked and ready by 1pm, 22 family members are coming and I found your recipe. If this works, I’ll buy a bunch of merch as a thank you, wish me luck! I’ll report back with results.
I have used a similar method to do brisket. 300 for two hours, 300 wrapped in Al foil. Then into a cooler, and pack in tightly blankets, towels et cetera for four hours. Tasty, and super moist.
My buddy swore it was amazing, and I only half believed him until I did it.
I have done this many times now, and it always turns out to be fantastic. I usually buy the 5 pound butts, and using my Bradley smoker it’s almost always on time. 3 hours at 300 then covered until it hits 165. I always use mesquite which to me provides a deeper tasting smoke. Its just so incredibly tasty.
Nice work Jeff, much appreciated.
My Pitt Boss pellet smoker loves this method, not to mention my family. I am always getting asked when I’m smoking more pork.
Hi Jeff. Love what you are doing and the way you are doing it. Your original rub is fantastic – I use it almost exclusively. Thank you for being a great resource! I have had success with this recipe in the past, however I thought I would try to slow it down just a bit to get more smoke involved in the cook. For my 8.5lb bone in butt, my idea is to go 3 hours at 240 (wrapping at 160) and then cooking another 3-4 hours at 300. I would like your thoughts and I will report back on results.
That should get you very close. Be sure to watch the temperature and let the finish temperature be the thing that lets you know when it’s actually done. I usually recommend cooking these to 205°F (96°C) or a little higher before calling them done.
I’ve used your method before and it has always turned out great! Now my wife ask me to do Boston butts on the Rec-Tec pellet grill and don’t change anything in the way I do it. I can’t tell the difference in low and slow and your method. Thanks!
I recently came across your article about smoking a five-hour pork butt, and I must say it’s a mouthwatering read. As a fan of smoked meats, I appreciate the detailed instructions and tips you provided for achieving a delicious and tender result.
Your article effectively breaks down the process of smoking a pork butt, from preparation to cooking and resting. I appreciate how you emphasize the importance of patience and allowing the meat to reach the desired internal temperature for optimal tenderness and flavor.
The step-by-step instructions and accompanying photos make it easy to follow along, even for those who are new to smoking meats. I particularly found the tips on selecting the right wood for smoking and maintaining a steady temperature in the smoker to be very helpful.
Moreover, the suggested rub and seasoning options provided in your article offer a great starting point for adding flavor to the pork butt. It’s wonderful to see how you encourage experimentation and personalization, allowing readers to tailor the flavors to their own preferences.
I also appreciate the informative tips on slicing and serving the smoked pork butt, as well as the suggestions for enjoying leftovers. These insights add value to the article and ensure that readers make the most of their smoked pork butt experience.
Thank you for sharing your expertise and passion for smoking meats through this informative article. Your instructions and tips are valuable resources for anyone looking to elevate their BBQ game and achieve mouthwatering results.
I look forward to trying out your recipe for a five-hour smoked pork butt and exploring more of your content on smoking meats. Keep up the fantastic work in providing guidance and inspiration to fellow smoking enthusiasts.
This is either the most well-written comment I’ve ever read or this is AI generated. :)
If the former, nice job Victor.
You don’t mention the stall which, in my experience is somewhere around 155-170 depending on how accurate the probes are. I believe this occurs when there is a change of state such as breaking down something like collagen. Anyway my question would be, do we wrap with foil after the stall?
I don’t worry much about temps until the very end. Would much rather get the bark color I want first, then wrap in pink paper to finish. Could be 3 hours, could be 1 hour, doesn’t matter.
This recipe worked great, though it took 8 hours for a 8.6 pound butt to reach 190 degrees, at which time I pulled it off the heat as the natives were getting restless and wanted to EAT. It was very tender and tasty, and even a friend who is an experienced and serious smoker loved it.
Question, Jeff,
Can I put the pork butt on a rack over a pan to catch the drippings instead of on the grill grates?
Yes, I do that often to catch the drippings and to reduce cleanup.
Hi Jeff
Been using your newsletters for years. Love them.
Q: What a about doing a 5lb boneless shoulder? Wouldn’t cook time be less? Under 6hrs perhaps?
Thx
Rich
I never tried long-cooked pork shoulder and after trying this recipe I’ll never have to. I followed it to the letter and it came out juicy, tender, and delicious. Smoked it on my Masterbuilt MES 30B. I used a rub I had on hand, Traeger garlic/chili pepper rub and 50/50 apple and pecan. Took 7 hours.
Thank you!
Just curiuos if yo have any control over the Google Adds running on your site??
Not much, we can report ads if they are inappropriate and/or turn off certain categories but that’s about it. If you see something that you feel is inappropriate, please let us know and give as much description as you can or send us a screenshot and we can try to get it removed.
I smoked a pork butt today for the very first time. I followed this recipe to the letter and it turned out great! Took the temp to 205 and let it rest about an hour. Everybody loved it. I am so pleased it turned out so well. Thank you!
Wow. this article is superb for food cooking lovers.
First time smoking a butt, turned out great. Thanks for recipe!
I have done this around 15 times and I am doing it again today. I often try different sauces before the rub and I find a mustard based sauce is still the champ. I do sometimes pull it out at 165 and then use the oven for the last stage. It works well in winter when it’s too darn cold out and the Bradley struggles a bit. It makes the house smell fantastic.
Perfect results, this recipe is a crow pleaser and I can’t wait to fire if up again. Next time I will remember the cheesy corn casserole. Jeff, your recipes are always spot on, thanks again brother!
I too was sceptical. And was shocked at the results. I used my offset smoker with mesquite logs. Usually I have a problem with keeping the temp down on it. This time it was the opposite. I had 2 going at all times to keep the heat averaging 300. I was constantly adjusting the smoker. I got to 165 around 2 hrs. And ended up needing 3 hrs on the foil side to get to 205. The temp rose steadily until the end, and then it topped off at 203 for 15 to 20 mins, I couldn’t get the internal temp to go over 203 right around 2:55 so I just called it good. Let it rest for 30 in the foil. Pulled it with 2 forks to save my fingers. Made some slider and cheese shells. Very awesome. Glad I could start a smoke at 2pm and finish the same day with good results!
Patrick, glad to hear this turned out great for you!
I’ve been in the low and slow school for the 30+ years I’ve been smoking pork butts. I’ve rubbed with mustard for years, applied seasoning liberally, and sat overnight in the fridge, but smoking was at 225 for as long as it took. You can’t rush perfection, right?
My wife wanted pulled pork today (Labor Day), but due to unforseen events, I was unable to start smoking the butt as early as I normally would. I quickly began searching the internet for what kind of results people have had with higher temperatures, and I landed on this page.
I decided to give your method a try and I have to say it worked like a charm! I’ll definitely do this again when I’m in a time crunch. Smoked with a mix of cherry and pecan, and 6½ hours after going into the box my 8 pound butt was sitting at 205⁰. Rested for 2 hours and it was a tender as could be. 6½ hours!!
I followed your recipe, using your rub. I don’t have a lot of free time and your recipe is ideal. I use pork tip roasts because they were on sale and smaller than other roasts. However, I tried something a little different. Before the first smoking and wrapping them in foil, I used my multi pronged meat injector to inject a flavorful bourbon into the pork. It turned out fantastic. I recommend people experiment in small ways with your recipes.
It is great it’s done soo fast…. thought is was gonna run out of time but is was perfect. I smoked this (in a pellet smoker… keep your comments to yourself… im a busy man!) And it came out perfect. 275 till the stall and then 300 wrapped. Put it in your smoked cheesy corn, kind of, everything but the kitchen sink concoction, (even some left over brisket from last weekend! I kept adding stuff, needed a bigger pan… and my family of 5 will be eating great. Thanks again. I love your rubs. U mixed it with Carne asada for this time.
After a series of unfortunate events, I found myself just starting the smoker around noon and needed a recipe for a faster smoke. My boyfriend wasn’t convinced, so I guarded the smoker from his traditionalist ways and held my ground. Fall apart, juicy smoked pork was the result! Thank you for breaking the mold. My two big butts would have taken 14 hours otherwise, but took about 8.5 hours at 290.
The recipe looks great, I’ve pinned it for later. Interested in your recipes for rubs BUT I cannot have sugar. Not asking for ingredients but do they contain sugar? Thanks!
The original rub has quite a bit of sugar as it is designed to maximize the bark on the meat. The Texas style rub has no sugar at all, just like most Texans like it.
You can also use a basic SPOG rub which is usually equal parts of salt, pepper, onion and garlic. You can use powdered or granulated versions of the garlic and onion but I highly recommend the coarse versions of the salt and pepper.
The SPOG that I make is typically 3 parts black pepper, 2 parts salt and 1 part each of garlic and onion.
Is there a difference in using pork butts with and without a bone?
As far as flavor, in my opinion, no. I prefer boneless as it allows me to get more rub in there where that bone used to be. And of course if you really want to get more rub and more bark with a boneless pork butt, try the butterflied version at https://www.smoking-meat.com/february-25-2021-butterflied-pork-butts-in-the-smoker
I utilized this method with two butts (8lb and 5lb). Man! Jeff is the man. It took just 8 hours and it is the best I have ever done and eaten. I would recommend to everyone.
Just did a 9 1/2 lb. butt yesterday, using this method. Ran the WSM at 280 avg. bout an 7 hr cook. Results moist tender meat. Friends were amazed. Highly recommend if short on time.
Hey Jeff, I need to cook a few pork butts for a party the day before what’s your suggestion on how to refrigerated and transport it for the next day and reheat. I’m thinking leave the pieces pretty big pull it apart a little bit but leave the pieces big and then pull apart after reheating the next day.
Jeff, I loved the “quick” cook method and will do it again. After many years of using the MES, this was my first time cooking a butt on the Camp Chef Wifi. Earlier cooks with chicken and ribs had turned out great and I was really looking forward to this cook. I had an issue with the Camp Chef, because I could not get it to reach 300 degrees once I put the meat in. I had set it at 300 with #8 smoke, but it never got there, but varied between 265 and 280, so the cook took a little longer. After wrapping it, I put it on the gas grill at 300 to get it to 205. I will say the taste, texture and smoke ring were all on point. The only difference I noticed was the connective tissue between the major muscle groups was not complete rendered and so pulling it was a little harder pulling it. Part of that could be from the pig it self and this was a 12# butt. Anyway, I’ll do it again. Thanks for the recipe.
Doing my 2nd hot and fast cook today. 1st one was right on point and family loved it, especially the wifey who prefers less smoke than my usual unwrapped method. I even ran the temp up to 350 at a couple of points (after it was wrapped). Pulled perfectly and what that didn’t render peeled off perfectly. I’ll probably use this method for pork butts fo on. Spot on
I’ve done this, and did compare it to the 225 low and slow. This way gets a much better bark, since the higher heat gets that sugar in the rub more caramelized than the lower temp. The juiciness seemed close in both as well. Only thing I did notice was the 225 one got much mushier when re-heated the next day, whereas the 300 one heated up almost the same as when it was first done. Will probably do this again every time.
Hey, y’all, I did a lot of the above. The last couple years I cut down on smoking because friends, kids are gone. Love the flavor, used to like drinking a case of beer with friends while anything smokes. Have to pay attention to it right? Well, I have done this 3 times to excellent results. Just tie a pork butt so it doesn’t fall apart and cook in your slow cooker for 8-10 hours. I take mine out when it’s about 190F. Let it cool in the fridge for a day, it won’t fall apart, it’s trussed. Then just put in on the smoker for about 2-3 hours depending on how much smoke you want. Just excellent, no waiting by the smoker for 10 hours, etc. This is the way I will continue to do it. Just as an aside, I do use the rub that the author suggests.
We will NEVER do a Boston Butt any other way – EVER!
Just for the heck of it I deboned it first and as we do not use regular mustard, I used Guldens Spicy Brown Mustard. I have never been a big fan of pulled pork mainly because of the sauces you have to put on it, so I sliced it rather than pulled it apart. Worked just like cutting a loin.
Found it for under a $1 pound so after trying this, we are going back for a few more to throw into the freezer!
Thanks for a great recipe!
Several years ago I was smoking a brisket and I could not get my WSM below 250. It wanted to stay at 300 so I cooked at 300 the entire cook. The brisket was great. So tender and juicy. I had never tried smoking a butt at that temp until yesterday. I smoked at 300 all the way through. The bark was excellent. The bone started coming out on its own. I used bear claws to pull it and it just fell apart. I did not wrap it and it took 7.5 hours to finish. I will be smoking brisket and butt at 300 always.
My husband just brought home a 16.5 pound bone in pork butt I plan to smoke tomorrow. I’ve never done one bigger than about 7 pounds. I know to check when for doneness with the meat thermometer, but do you have a guess as to how long I will need to smoke it at 300 degrees using this method? Thanks
Deb, You’ve probably already discovered this however, I figure that’s a twin pack of pork butts instead of a single. Most pork butts are between 6 and 9 lbs and if you get one that’s more than about 11 or 12 lbs, it’s likely a twin pack. At 300°F you are looking at around 4.5 to 5 hours.
I appreciate your style of writing, especially how you respond to everyone including the jerks without arguing or condescension. I look forward reading more.
Question: Can I leave my meat out for 8 hours before smoking? The heat will kill everything and it will cook quicker.
Max, Thank you for the kind words!
The heat will kill the bugs but it will not kill the toxins they produce.. meat should never be left at room temperature for more than 2 hours whether it’s raw or cooked.
Cooked a 7lb butt in 5.5 hrs. Smoked 3 hrs, Wrapped in foil 2 hrs. and then wrapped in a towel to rest for 2 hrs. until dinner time still hot. Smoke ring on point. Moist on point. Tender on point. The only thing I was missing was a cold one; but I had ice tea. Jeff, keep on doing you.
Cooked a 7lb butt in 5.5 hrs. Smoked 3 hrs, Wrapped in foil 2 hrs. and then wrapped in a towel to rest for 2 hrs. until dinner time still hot. Smoke ring on point. Moist on point. Tender on point. The only thing I was missing was a cold one; but I had ice tea. Jeff, keep on doing you.
I did a sort of hybrid of this method yesterday with good results. With an 8+ pound butt, it too me longer though.
I honestly see no need to preheat my MES, in fact, with a method like this where the butt only has a few hours to reach 165 (the point at which many believe the butt stops taking on more smoke), the heat-up time produces a lot of smoke right up front. Once the box reaches temp, the element cycles off and on and burns chips slower.
I skipped the mustard and applied my rub (very similar to Jeff’s apparently from my time over on the forums) the night before and let the butt sit in my garage fridge overnight. It went in the cold smoker at about 5:30 AM set to my MES max of 275. At 9:45 it was at 165. Cherry and apple wood chips.
I use about a half pan of water in a clean MES pan and the butt drips goodness in to that. I removed the butt to a foil pan and ladled some of those pan juices over top, maybe a half a cup to a cup and covered with wide heavy duty foil, leaving the temp probe laying on the edge of the pan sticking through the foil but sealed. My MES temp probe is remarkably accurate as checked with a Thermoworks pen.
Back in the smoker at 275 (no chips feeding now of course). At about 12:15 it was at 199-202 depending on where probed. I uncovered and carefully ladled out the even more juices the butt had released leaving just enough in the foil pan so it wouldn’t run dry (the juices were outstanding just with a spoon! I saved them). Back in the smoker, uncovered. The temp actually dropped back to 192, then slowly rebounded to just over 200 by 3:30 when I pulled it and let it rest, loosely covered for a coupe hours (it was still burn your fingers hot in the middle even after that).
This produced an excellent result and I will never low-temp smoke again on a big butt like this. I was able to pull and eat it by a decent dinner time for once without having to start at 2-3 AM. Sure, it was still 10 hours, but that beats the heck out of 14-16 hours for a butt of that size. A smaller butt would have cooked faster and my box wont go to 300, so if your rig can go to 300, that will certainly speed things up.
By uncovering and cooking at 275 for three more hours, it produced a respectable bark (more than when it went under foil earlier) yet some melt in your mouth interior meat. I always separate the “barky” bits as I pull and cut the meat. They are my favorite but not my wife’s. My wife couldn’t care less if it had bark and she prefers Q to not be overwhelmingly smoky, so this method pleases folks like her, and I had some bark for me where the most flavor is! I make a modified Carolina mop sauce style dressing sauce that I put in a squirt bottle and toss with all my Q. Yep, again, not “competition”…probably better. I then have a cross-between sauce (in the middle of a vinegar and a rich heavy sauce I use for ribs) that we further sauce Q with for serving.
Thanks Jeff. You have given me the impetus to make more Q! I always almost dread smoking butts because I know how tired I’m going to be…but force myself to do it because its so good. And at the $.99lb price I got this last one for, its a very economical, yet very delicious protein.
Wish I could edit that post for spelling! I missed a few errors there.
KD, that’s what barbecue is all about in my opinion, find what works for you😊
Thank you for the run down and how you made this work at your house.. sounds like you can now have some great Q and get plenty of sleep!
I had 7 hours before my 5.86 pounder had to be on the table. Smoked on a Cook Shack Smoker. First 3 hours @ 225d with hickory wood -internal temp 158d. Upped temp to 300d for 1 hour-internal temp 170d. Double wrapped in foil and back in smoker at 300d for almost two hours-internal temp 207. Removed and let set for 1 hour-Pulled perfectly-nice bark, fat completely rendered with a nice smokey flavor. Wonderful technique for reduced cook time with outstanding results.
Wow just WOW! I will never do a 10hr Butt again! I’ve been smoking for 15 years and this recipe is just as good as a long smoke. 9.5lb butt nailed 165 at 2hr
55min and wrapped it, 208 at 5hr! I knew when I inserted the meat thermometer it was was going to be perfect. Rested it for 1hr and it just fell apart. Thank you Jeff!!! I do admit I was skeptical but thank goodness I went for it.
Chris, I’m so glad to hear it worked out well for you. Happy eating!!
Followed the directions exactly. Did not turn out well. Meat was tough and way too done. This is the first recipe that has not turned out.
This being a pork butt, if the meat was tough, that sounds like it was not cooked long enough. Pork butts tend to get more and more tender the longer you cook them. Do you happen to know the internal temperature of the meat when you pulled it out of the smoker?
Agree with Jeff here. I’ve been smoking pork butts in a regular Weber for years at 300-350 and they always come out right in 5-6 hours. usually 8-10 lbs. Wrapping them after 3 hours helps! Always fall right apart when pulled. Checking the temp is key. Great recipe Jeff! Try it again Steve. You’ll be happy you did!
Would there be a difference if the pork butt is put in the pan sealed with foil for the last part of the cook instead of wrapping? I’m putting one on my Woodwind around 11am today. Thanks!
I often cover the pan with foil instead of just wrapping it and it works great for me. Let me know how this goes!
Jeff, thanks for putting this out there for people who don’t have the time to do 14+ hours smoking pork. It is always nice to have options, and I love your attitude that people should do what works for them..,there is no one “right” way! Keep on smokin’!
Not sure about the wrap part. We wrap ribs to get them tender. If we cook to 205 that should take care of tender part. Does the wrap make it cook faster?
The wrap does speed things up a little but not as much at the higher temperatures.
I tried your 5 hour pork butt recipe and it has great. I smoked 2x 7lb bone-in butts on my Traeger smoker. They were right at 165 after 3 hours, wrapped and in 5 1/2 hours they were like butter. Yes- you sacrifice color and that really great smoke ring that you get after 12-14 hours but the meat was amazingly tender.
Bought your rub recipe years ago and wouldn’t use anything else for pork.
I have been running hot and fast for the last year and a half, since I watched Myrons video where he is in front of a bunch of people (Youtube). My brisket finally got very good, not dried out at all and pork as well. Flavor from the higher heat developed better, Bark is still good if wrapped in butcher paper. ALSO, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING……. rest the meat for 2 – 4 hours in a shipping blanket, wrapped and in a pan with foil. It lets the temperatures to moderate through out the chunk of meat.
This is something I forgot since this BBQ trip I’ve been making. I have been cooking whole hogs since the 80’s, but I have not done one for about 10 years. Helped with the first on about 1974. We always ran 325 – 350 over coals with chunks of wood for smoke. We always had exceptional hog. I have not done one for better that 10 years and forgot about it. These temperature ranges are the same momma used when cranking out fantastic roasts in the oven. Good to get back to some basics.
Try it, you’ll like it.
It was great.
I’ve tried an accelerated method in the past and I found a little toughness with some of the inner connective tissue. Was that from not hitting a specific temperature or not sitting at the right temperature for long enough. I guess I’m asking if collagen melting is a question of time or temperature. Thanks and i love the newsletter.
Some of this is up for debate, theoretically as long as you take the pork butt to about 205, whether it got their a little faster or a little slower should not make a huge difference however, there is some merit to the idea that longer time and lower heat does a slightly better job. I have yet to do a side by side on this and need to do that to see if I can tell the difference between the two if they are cooked exactly the same in every way.
tried this method (mine was 7hr long because I didn’t want to crutch to preserve the bark) at 300. It tasted great, I don’t think I could taste a difference which makes me wonder if I’ve wasted countless nights on overnight cooks. I think Ill still do low overnight cooks but good to know that this works well as well.
I have been doing hot and fast 300 deg now for a while. Like Myron Mixon ” I ain’t doin’ no 20 hr cook”. My Brisket quality went UP ! Better than any I’ve had in any restaurant. Did 24 pork shoulder for pulled pork. This was done for the church and the 127 garage sale. They made $4300 profit and got lots of cudos. I used my home made smokers. Which include a double barrel stove kit modified top barrel for cook area. And my old pig cooker which is a 275 gal oil drum laying flat with water pans between the fire and the meat. One day cook 24 butts. All cooked, rested for couple hours and pulled in less than 12 hrs. Running 275 to 300 deg
Really? If you did a blind test and don’t think you could tell the difference? First and foremost would be the lack of a real bark. Your speedy method (wrapping) will turn what little bark exists into a a nice mush. It’s not just about taste. it’s about the texture too. If you are going to doi this, might as well wrap it, bring it inside and finish in an electric oven.
Blaine, You are correct, wrapping does reduce the bark somewhat which is easily remedied by placing it back in the smoker unwrapped for an hour or so at the end to firm the bark if it’s a concern. This recipe was the result of many people telling me that they worked 80 hour per week jobs and needed a faster way to do things like pork shoulder and still get that real smoke flavor. Well, you can and, for these people, it’s a wonderful thing.
Fortunately you get to decide if you want to use the long method or the short method for your own cooking and in my opinion, in the end when it’s all pulled apart and ready to go on a sandwich the difference is very slight.. not day and night.
My opinion is only one of many. This is mine ;-)
The belligerence of the smoking world is sad. It’s like dealing with a rabid, obnoxios sports fan sometimes. You put put an alternative to dark circles under the chefs eyes and being so tired by the time the pork is pulled you’re not even hungry and half of the reaction is indignance that your dared stray from orthodoxy.
Rest assured, many of us appreciate this.
I have ruffled many feathers by even suggesting that folks do what they like or bend the so called rules rather than continuing to do what’s been done for hundreds of years. A lot of stuff is done, not because it actually works, but because it’s just passed down as THE way to do things. I appreciate people who aren’t scared to get out of the traditional box or at least poke at traditional methods and see if they hold water.
Mustard is a common binder for pork. Nothing wrong with this at all. I came here because I’d like to enter a local (very) amateur contest and cook time is only from 0600 to 1500 (?!?!??!?). I usually go 14 hours for my butts but I was curious to see if I could speed it up to about 7-8 hours. I see that it is possible. Thanks for the post.
Loved this Smoked Pork Butt Recipe!
How long does pork last if unrefrigerated?
Any cooked or smoked meat, including pork, lasts about 2 hours outside of the refrigerator per the USDA guidelines. Meat must go into the fridge within 2 hours of finishing the cooking process in order for it to be safe to eat.
Do you put water in the pan or do you smoke it dry?
If your smoker utilizes a water pan then I recommend you keep it full for most things including the 5-hour pork butt.
Have to be careful not to fill a pan too much though, like in an MES. If I start with a full pan it will overflow from the juices as the butt drips
My kids for fathers Day got me a Pit Boss Vertical pellet smoker. I plan to using a modified version of your Recipe (only using what i have available) but plan using the cooking method you describe. This is my 1st attempt and a pure experiment for me. Should be fun. (i hope). Will let you know.
I’ve. Done the 12hour pork butts and now this fast method on my camp chef pellet grill and it came out beautiful, no flare ups no problems and yes the mustard works great and it’s not like you taste it . it really helps your rub stick, and I have always received a wonderful bark in the process. Great recipe..
I think rulesmas had bigger issues with his pellet grill. I have had a 7.6 lb pork butt on my treager for the past 3.5 plus hours with absolutely no problems and I set it on the grates- no foil tins. sorry but don’t be afraid to do a pork butt on a pellet grill, mine turned out awesome- thanks Jeff
There was no problem with my grill, the problem was I tried to do four butts and they produced too much grease for the grill to handle. I’ve done two with no problem!
WARNING!!!!
Do Not Try This on a Pellet Smoker/Grill!! This method produces too much grease run off. The pellet grill grease drain could not keep up with the amount of grease running off the butts and the grill started on fire!! Now I have a totally ruined pellet grill. I should have know better than to try and speed up the slow cook of a pork butt. Oh well, I wanted a new pellet grill any way!! Thank god nothing eles started on fire.
I often sit pork butts and briskets down in a large foil pan from the get go to contain the mess/grease. It still gets plenty of smoke that way and this would illuminate the problem you are referring to. Sorry to hear about your grill… I have never had this happen but it does pay to be safe when you are dealing with grease and fire.
Strange. No such issue on my Gorilla OG pellet grill.
Best pork butt ever !!!! Just ate pulled pork at the local bbq place and your recipe whipped their butts ! 😂
I have been using your rub and sauce recipes for years, I recently did two pork shoulders for my sons house warming party and unbeknowst to me,one of his friends was a food writer for the local paper. He said it was some of the best pulled pork he had eaten, much better than a recent commercial place he had reviewd. I was duly proud, nice to be recognized by an “expert”.
Joe
May I make a suggestion of using homemade sweet pickle chips in lieu of the peppers. They give pulled pork a nice crunch with their sweet/sour flavor and a hint of vinegar which is perfect with pork. top with your favorite BBQ sauce and you’ll have a fine sandwich or sandwiches!
When you let the pork butt rest, do you leave it in the foil or take it out of the foil
I don’t usually want it to cool down too fast so I will open up the foil slightly to let the heat dissipate slowly. If you are in a big hurry though, you can completely unwrap it and once it’s cool enough, you can pull it.
Sorry… But mustard? That’s funny. Also there is not one piece of bark on the exterior all you did was Texas crutch in foil and steam… Sorry thayx not real BBQ… It’s BS.
If you don’t personally like mustard, you don’t have to use it. Many of us use it because it works really well.. I take it you haven’t tried it? I have found throughout the years that many pitmasters find something that works for them and all of a sudden, everyone else’s methods are wrong. I try to be a little more open to what people like even if it’s not my own personal favorite. The 5-hour method is not the way I normally cook pork butts but if you are a busy person and don’t have 14 hours to spend, then the 5-hour method is the one for you.
Why would Pig Floyd’s BBQ place in FL come on here and kinda be an ass? What did you get out of it?
I have used mustard because of Jeff’s recommendation and it works very well, no mustard taste at all. Thanks Jeff
I’ve been home smoking for several years now, and I’m sorry, there is nothing wrong with the crutch. I’ve eaten plenty of “pro” Q and mine is almost as good as the best I’ve ever had and better than most I’ve had.
As far as mustard; I have used it many times but I dont usually do that now. I cant tell the difference.
Thing with the bark, is if you have time and catch the butt before it gets to 205, you can take the butt in the foil open it, drain and save the liquid for tossing, and place the butt (on the foil helps keep from losing any parts that may come loose while handling) back in the smoker at 275 to re-set some of the bark. I love a good bark, but a lot of people prefer the non blackened tender meat.
I find the pit machismo almost funny, and what judges seem to consider winning competition Q is not always my preference. I like by back ribs falling off the bone for instance, and so do a lot of people…they are not wrong just because someone decided however many years back to specify something for a competition. All that matters is the food’s good, and I’ve had plenty of overrated Q from “pit masters”.
I’m doing this method right now because I’ve always wanted to try it and tired of being tired because I had to get up at o-dark-thirty only to not even be able to pull till 9 o’clock at night. I hope it works well. It’d be nice to compress the time and still have good Q
I’ with ya brother! If you and your family like the food that you cook.. then that’s the way it should be done. I’m not big on much of the competition rated barbecue either and I’ve heard plenty of winning pitmasters say that they cook differently at home than they do at competitions. Keep it simple, eat it the way you like it!
Sounds like Pig Floyd’s BBQ is jealous of your 5 star feedback and positive results from the smoking community. It’s perfectly a normal option to rub the butt or ribs with yellow mustard and rub. All of my butts had a beautiful bark when finished when I had to cook this way. Sad when an actual business can be so negative. You probably have great BBQ, but sure wont stop at this joint.
No bark at all? Cool, I personally hate the bark as I feel it tastes burnt
Sad statement coming from a business owner. This shortcut method is tops and by the reviews, many agree. Pig Floyd’s BBQ is “BARKING” up the wrong tree. I think he should lay off the Butt, he’s turning into a Butt Hole”!
Mustard is standard to bind dry rub to the meat. Back to school son.