Smoked Pork Butt
cooking times
10 hr – 12 hr At the most common temperature, 250°F, a pork butt in the smoker runs about 10 hr – 12 hr at 8 lb. Pick your temperature below for the full chart. Done is always 145°F internal.
When is it actually done?
145°F internal The USDA FSIS safe minimum internal temperature for this cut is 145°F, followed by a rest of about 45 minutes. The clock estimates; the thermometer decides. Every time on this page is a planning range, not a doneness test.
Pull temperature vs safe temperature: Pulled pork is pulled at 195–205°F, not at the 145°F safe minimum — most pitmasters probe around 203°F and check that the blade bone wiggles free.
Worth knowing before you start
- The most forgiving cut in barbecue — the fat and collagen cover a multitude of temperature swings. If you are learning to smoke, start here, not with brisket.
- An 8 lb butt at 225°F is a 12–14 hour cook. Overnight cooks are normal; that is what leave-in probes with alarms are for.
- Finished early is a non-problem: wrapped in towels in a dry cooler, a butt holds above 140°F for 4+ hours and arguably improves.
More pork timings
Pork Shoulder (Oven)
300°F · per-pound chart
Pork Loin Roast
350°F · per-pound chart
Pork Tenderloin
400°F · 20 min – 25 min
Baby Back Ribs
250°F · 4 hr – 5 hr
Spare Ribs (St. Louis)
250°F · 4 hr 30 min – 5 hr 30 min
Ham (Fully Cooked, Bone-In)
325°F · per-pound chart
Fresh Ham (Uncooked)
325°F · per-pound chart