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Pork Butt Smoking Calculator – Pulled Pork, Planned Backward
Pulled pork is the most forgiving big cook there is – if the math is right. Set dinner time below and the planner works backward through brine or dry brine, rub, the optional wrap, and the long rest that makes it shreddable.
How long to smoke a pork butt per pound
Slow and low at 225°F runs about 97 minutes per pound for pulled (to ~195°F, probing like butter) and 90 minutes per pound for sliced (pull earlier, ~185°F). Hot & fast at 300°F roughly halves it. These numbers come from a decade of real cooks through this calculator.
| Pork butt | Pulled, 225°F | Sliced, 225°F | Pulled, Hot & Fast 300°F |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 lb | ~6 hr 30 min | ~6 hr | ~3 hr 50 min |
| 6 lb | ~9 hr 40 min | ~9 hr | ~5 hr 40 min |
| 8 lb | ~13 hr | ~12 hr | ~7 hr 35 min |
| 10 lb | ~16 hr 10 min | ~15 hr | ~9 hr 30 min |
| 12 lb | ~19 hr 25 min | ~18 hr | ~11 hr 25 min |
The blade bone tells you when it’s done
Numbers get you close; the bone calls it. Grab the blade bone and twist – done means it releases clean, and the probe glides everywhere. Pulling? A fork should shred it with a twist. Slicing? Stop around 185°F while it still holds together.
Wrap, or push through?
Pork butt stalls hard at 150–165°F. Wrapping at 60–70% of the cook powers through and saves an hour or more; going unwrapped builds maximum bark. There is no wrong answer – the calculator schedules either and puts the wrap alarm on your phone.
FAQ
195 or 203? Pulled pork wants 195°F+ and probe-tender; some butts want 203°F. Feel beats number.
How long should it rest? An hour minimum; wrapped in towels in a dry cooler, 2–4 hours makes it better, not worse.
Boston butt or picnic? Butt (upper shoulder) – more marbling, more forgiving, easier to pull.
What wood? Apple, cherry, and hickory are the pulled-pork trinity; pecan plays well with all three.
How much pulled pork do I need to buy and cook?
Fine-tune trim & cook loss
Lost to trim: - · lost to the cook: -
💲 Compare price: boneless vs bone-in
How Much Pulled pork Per Person (Serving Size Chart)
| Guests | Raw Pork butt / shoulder to buy | Trimmed (on the smoker) | Cooked (served) | Good pick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-5 | 4.3 lb | 3.7 lb | 2.2 lb | one whole pork butt / shoulder |
| 6-10 | 8.6 lb | 7.3 lb | 4.4 lb | one whole pork butt / shoulder |
| 11-15 | 13 lb | 11 lb | 6.6 lb | 2 whole pork butt / shoulders |
| 16-20 | 17 lb | 15 lb | 8.8 lb | 2 whole pork butt / shoulders |
| 21-30 | 26 lb | 22 lb | 13 lb | 3 whole pork butt / shoulders |
| 31-40 | 35 lb | 29 lb | 18 lb | 4 whole pork butt / shoulders |
| 41-50 | 43 lb | 37 lb | 22 lb | 5 whole pork butt / shoulders |
Raw weight to comfortably feed the top of each range at an average appetite (~0.44 lb cooked per person), no leftovers. Bump up a size for hearty eaters, light sides, or leftovers.
Pork butt / shoulder prices this week (and the trend)
$3.99/lb average grocery feature price (week of Jul 25, 2026)
See prices for every cut → · How much should you buy? · Cooking for money? Price the whole job
Source: USDA Agricultural Marketing Service Market News weekly retail feature reports, tracked by MeatSmokingCalculator. Prices are advertised grocery features – your store will vary.
📊 See the full smoking times & temps chart for every cut →
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Written by John Kirker, who built the first meat smoking calculator in 2011. Times come from cooks we have actually run and logged; temperature and feel decide the finish, never the clock alone.
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