# Indirect Grilling of Pork Butt **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 19, 2003, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indirect-grilling-of-pork-butt/196194 "2003-08-19T13:21:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2003, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indirect-grilling-of-pork-butt/196194/1 "2003-08-19T13:21:40Z")
I want to grill an 8 pound pork butt for North Carolina pulled pork on a 3-burner gas grill, using an indirect grilling method. How do I do this? Approximately how long will it take to reach an internal temp of 160 degrees F? ---
**Author:** ![Dogface](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9d8465/32.png) [@Dogface](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogface)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2003, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indirect-grilling-of-pork-butt/196194/2 "2003-08-19T13:40:43Z")
On a gas grill? If you are able to control the burner as fine as a charcoal grill can be controlled, you may have a chance. The theory of indirect grilling is to not cook the meat directly over the heat source. If you can only turn on part of the gas burner, you can indirectly grill. If it’s an all-or-nothing deal, you’re essentially stuck unless you build some kind of heat-proof reflecter doo-dad. Or you could get a real grill. Gas grills are generally not built for people who want to do serious grill cooking. They’re built for people who want a Burger King in their backyard. ---
**Author:** ![jamie1928](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f4b2a3/32.png) [@jamie1928](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jamie1928)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2003, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indirect-grilling-of-pork-butt/196194/3 "2003-08-19T14:08:18Z")
If you have one or can get one use a smoker. It will take quite awhile to cook but it will be worth the wait. You can buy a cheap charcoal/wood smoker for about $30-50. You can buy different types of wood for flavor too. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2003, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indirect-grilling-of-pork-butt/196194/4 "2003-08-19T14:26:05Z")
Slight hijack - where can one find real hardwood charcoal? All I can find is briquettes like Kingsford. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2003, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indirect-grilling-of-pork-butt/196194/5 "2003-08-19T14:27:39Z")
And to answer part of the OP you can get a good meat thermoneter with a probe that goes in the meat and a readout that stays outside the grill. This way you’ll know exactly when the roast is done and you won’t be lifting the lid to check your thermometer. ---
**Author:** ![kayT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayt/32/3633_2.png) [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2003, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indirect-grilling-of-pork-butt/196194/6 "2003-08-19T14:45:00Z")
On our gas grill we are able to rotisserie a turkey with hardly any supervision and the results are incredibly delicious. Not burger king, Dogface. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2003, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indirect-grilling-of-pork-butt/196194/7 "2003-08-19T15:00:49Z")
To do indirect roast on your gas grill, simply turn the front and back burners on medium, and leave the middle burner off. That’s the MOM setting, and the firebox will stay at about 350°F. The Weber book says you’re looking at about 2 and 1/2 hours. Use a thermometer, though, to judge doneness. Radio Snack sells a wireless thermometer gadget. You clip the receiver to your pocket, and you can wander off to tend bar and tell your guests about the time you were in the Estonian mountains and slept standing up against a windfall. It’s tricky to predict the cooking time on a big piece of meat, no matter what the heat source. ---
**Author:** ![tourbot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@tourbot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tourbot)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2003, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indirect-grilling-of-pork-butt/196194/8 "2003-08-19T16:18:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by zoid \* > \*\*Slight hijack - where can one find real hardwood charcoal? All I can find is briquettes like Kingsford. \*\* Sears Hardware stores carry them around here (Long Island). So do most places that sell grills. ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2003, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indirect-grilling-of-pork-butt/196194/9 "2003-08-19T17:07:54Z")
Good old Unca Fenris showed us all the way last year. [Unca Fenris’s BBQ Pork Recipe that’s so good that you’ll get much sex!](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=117717&highlight=pork) Most of the recipies I’ve see for barbecuing pork suggest 160 F is the temperature to cook at for as long as you can stand. Higher than that and the connective tissue gets tough, lower than than that and it never softens in the first place. I used a remote temperature probe to hold my gas grill at 160 F plus or minus about 10 degrees. The system was extremely manual: Beer in one hand, gas dial in the other. I think I let it smoke about 6 hours. Otherwise, the procedure was just like in the link. Woo-eee! ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2003, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indirect-grilling-of-pork-butt/196194/10 "2003-08-19T18:14:04Z")
Leave the pig buns-up in the sun for a week. Seriously, you’ve gotten plenty of good advice already. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by zoid \* > Slight hijack - where can one find real hardwood charcoal? All I can find is briquettes like Kingsford. Look for Lazzari mesquite charcoal. ---
**Author:** ![NicePete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ee7513/32.png) [@NicePete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NicePete)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2003, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indirect-grilling-of-pork-butt/196194/11 "2003-08-19T18:32:05Z")
May I suggest brining the Butt before you cook it. I did this about six weeks ago and it turned out great. Although I used charcoal, of course. Gas is just so sterile. Why not cook it in an oven if you’re gonna use gas? ---
**Author:** ![GopherGod72](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f0a364/32.png) [@GopherGod72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GopherGod72)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2003, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indirect-grilling-of-pork-butt/196194/12 "2003-08-20T06:07:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Pork Rind \* > \*\*Good old Unca Fenris showed us all the way last year. > > [Unca Fenris’s BBQ Pork Recipe that’s so good that you’ll get much sex!](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=117717&highlight=pork) > > \*\* Ohh Fenris’s recipe is the shiznit! Although he is a lying turd cause I never received much sex, I DID receive MUCH kick ass pork and compliments. I think the sex thing was good in my case though because I have only served it to family. Thankfully no incest yet.