Hot and fast or low and slow

[Ladys man]

Smoking an 8lb butt for our meal prep (lunch) this week.
Normally I'm a 225-250 guy but this wind has made it a 300 smoke. Put it on at 11:30. I wrapped it at 160, and already up to 190.
This will be the fastest smoke I've done.
I will take it off at 204 and let it rest.

 

[backyardtndeer]

Low and slow is the only way to go.

 

[Shag]

There's a lot of wiggle room with pork butt. However, I probably would have finished in a 250 degree oven after the wrap to finish off if I was having trouble maintaining the heat on the smoker/grill. They only take so much smoke anyways. And after wrapping in foil, they aren't taking anymore smoke for sure. But that looks great! I'm sure it'll be fine eating.

 

[Trapper John]

I'd bet it's good. I don't cook for competitions. Just family and friends and myself. However, I've done plenty of butts at temps that most pros would proclaim to be too high but they still fell apart with ease with not a single scrap left at the end of the day. Don't overthink. Just enjoy.

That being said, 9 times out of 10 I put between 4 to 6 hours of smoke on one then throw in the oven at 250 to finish for pure easiness. Good stuff.

 

[Bucket]

If you have a way (and time) to rest it around 145-150 for a long time, I've been doing that recently and I think it helps. Our oven has a keep warm setting that goes down to 145.

 

[redblood]

Low and slow. I take 15 to 18 hours for my boston butts. Around 230 degrees

 

[TX300mag]

I'd bet it's good. I don't cook for competitions. Just family and friends and myself. However, I've done plenty of butts at temps that most pros would proclaim to be too high but they still fell apart with ease with not a single scrap left at the end of the day. Don't overthink. Just enjoy.

That being said, 9 times out of 10 I put between 4 to 6 hours of smoke on one then throw in the oven at 250 to finish for pure easiness. Good stuff.

Low and slow is a good principle, but cranking it up a little pays dividends in convenience.

I cooked a brisket from a 5.5 year-old grass-fed BULL last week at 300 (some points getting higher) and it turned out FANTASTIC.

In a double-blind test I bet most wouldn't be able to tell a difference between 225 and 300.

People would be mad if they knew how I felt about wrap vs. unwrapped, too. Minimal difference.

 

[TX300mag]

If you have a way (and time) to rest it around 145-150 for a long time, I've been doing that recently and I think it helps. Our oven has a keep warm setting that goes down to 145.

Resting is more important than cook temp from my experience.

 

[Forvols]

About the only always low and slow I do is when smoking homemade sausages (140-170temp and go to and IT of 152-155). Rest of the time Im 250-300temp smoking, but then always a good rest. I go more on IT temp vs time and cook temp as a rule.