Butt Question - Bone in vs No bone

[rickne]

I'm cooking two butts.  I've always cooked bone in.  These have been deboned.

What should I expect for cook times?  Same as bone in?

I did tie them up with butchers twine for cooking.

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[DivotMaker]

That butcher should be severely reprimanded!  It shouldn't effect the cook time, but I like the bone left in.  Probably just in my head, but I think the bone adds flavor and stability to cooking (a little internal "heat sink").  I highly recommend bone-in Boston butt shoulder cuts.  This might be a picnic cut, maybe?

[benjammn]

Leave the bone! Totally agree that it adds a bit of flavor to it and helps hold temps.

[rickne]

Wasn't my choice.  I've cooked hundreds of butts...  never without a bone.  Cooking for the office lunch tomorrow and we got the meat at Costco.  I'm not a member but a coworker that was expensing the lunch is.   Apparently it's the only way Costco sells them.   

[es1025]

Rick,
that is true costco only sells boneless butts.  If you have a BJ's near you they offer bone-in butts.  I prefer BJ's over costco for pork products for smoking.  I maybe smoking a butt this weekend.

[DivotMaker]

We don't have Costco in Arkansas (WalMart country; we only have Sam's), so I didn't know that about no bones in the butts.  Pity.  I had heard their meat was similar to Sam's.  Guess not.

[benjammn]

Costco normally has some great meat/pork/poultry/fish selections but yes I have found that they don't have bone in. Not sure why.

[swthorpe]

I am trying my first butt without the bone tomorrow (butcher did not have bone in).   I have a 8.5# butt so I am expecting 16+ hours for the smoke.  This will be the first time for me to start the #2 and let it run over night in what should be below freezing temps.  I hope it works, but I doubt I will be sleeping....

[DivotMaker]

Good luck, Steve!  Should be a silent night - just set her up and get some sleep!  Your #2 will be warm and toasty in the morning!

[rickne]

It should be fine but I found that it didn't come out quite as tender.  I tied mine up with butcher's twine and cooked the exact same way. 

[swthorpe]

Thanks.  I am going to try Tony's brine for the butt overnight tonight, then rub tmw morning and let it sit until tmw night for the smoke.   I will also use the twine...not sure if it might break apart or not.

[DivotMaker]

I bet the brine will help a lot with a boneless butt, Steve.  Let us know how it turns out!

[benjammn]

Love to see the results myself, too!

[swthorpe]

Did a 9.4# boneless butt last night in the #2...started it at 5pm on 225F for the overnight smoke.  At 5:30 this morning, the IT was 195F and reached 203F just shy of 10am (17 hrs).  Probably would have been done a couple of hours sooner if I had not lowered the temp this morning to 215F.

I followed DMs brine recipe and I credit the brine for the moist and easily pulled pork!   I also am no longer worried about bone-in, but I am glad that I used butcher twine to hold it together.

The #2 was absolutely perfect on this smoke...temp swings were constant throughout the night at +/- 15F.   First overnight smoke was a huge success, but now I have to wait until 3pm for the family gathering (well maybe not, I did sample a few pieces as did my wife).

Thanks Tony (DM) for the brine idea...I am converted!  Cheers!

[DivotMaker]

Man, that's beautiful, Steve!  Glad you liked the brine!