The time it takes to smoke a pork butt depends primarily on the smoker temperature and the weight of the pork butt, but generally follows these guidelines:
- At a smoker temperature of 225°F, plan for about 2 hours per pound.
- At 250°F, about 90 minutes per pound.
- At 275°F, about 1 hour per pound
For example, smoking a 10-pound pork butt at 225°F will take around 20 hours, while at 275°F it will take about 10 hours
. A 5-pound butt at 225°F takes about 10 hours, and at 275°F about 5 hours
. Most sources recommend smoking the pork butt to an internal temperature of 200°F to 205°F for optimal tenderness and flavor, even though pork is safe to eat at 145°F
. The cooking process often includes a "stall" phase where the internal temperature plateaus around 145-165°F for several hours. Wrapping the pork butt in foil or butcher paper during this stall can help speed up the cooking
. Pitmaster Aaron Franklin suggests a method at about 270°F where an 8–10 pound pork butt takes roughly 10 hours, including stages of spritzing and wrapping to develop bark and tenderness
. In summary, expect to smoke pork butt low and slow, roughly 1.5 to 2 hours per pound at 225°F, aiming for an internal temperature near 200°F, which usually means:
- 5 pounds: 6-10 hours
- 8 pounds: 8-16 hours
- 10 pounds: 10-20 hours
Adjust time based on smoker temperature and whether you wrap during the stall
