For most home smokers, a pork butt (pork shoulder/Boston butt) takes roughly 1–2 hours per pound , depending on your smoker temperature, but you should cook to internal temperature, not time.

Core timing guidelines

  • At 225°F: plan about 2 hours per pound (a 5 lb butt ≈ 10 hours, an 8 lb ≈ 16 hours).
  • At 250°F: plan around 90 minutes per pound (5 lb ≈ 7.5 hours, 10 lb ≈ 15 hours).
  • Many backyard pitmasters also use a rough 1.5 hours per pound estimate at “low and slow” temps for 4–6 lb butts.

Target internal temperatures

  • For pulled pork (most common): smoke until the thickest part is 195–205°F internal; many aim near 203–207°F for easy shredding.
  • For slicing: you can stop earlier, around 185°F internal, when it’s tender but not falling apart.

Always rely on a good meat thermometer, because individual butts can finish hours earlier or later than the “per‑pound” estimate.

Example time table

[3] [3] [3] [7] [3] [3] [3] [3] [3]
Pork butt size 225°F estimated time 250°F estimated time 275°F estimated time
5 lb butt ≈ 10 hours ≈ 7.5 hours ≈ 5 hours
8 lb butt ≈ 16 hours ≈ 12 hours (approximate) ≈ 8 hours (approximate)
10 lb butt ≈ 20 hours ≈ 15 hours ≈ 10 hours

The stall and wrapping

  • Many butts “stall” around 150–165°F , when the internal temp stops rising for 1–3 hours due to evaporative cooling.
  • To push through the stall faster, a lot of cooks wrap the butt in foil or butcher paper around 160–165°F or once the bark is a nice mahogany color.

Resting time

  • After it hits target temp, wrap (if not wrapped already) and let it rest at least 1–2 hours in a warm place or an insulated cooler before pulling.
  • Resting lets juices redistribute so the pulled pork stays moist and easier to shred.

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Wondering how long to smoke a pork butt? Learn per‑pound time estimates at 225–275°F, target internal temps for pulled pork, how to handle the stall, and ideal resting time.

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