The Complete Guide to Cooking a Perfect 7 lb Pork Butt

As an avid home cook and barbecue enthusiast, I’ve cooked my fair share of pork butts over the years. Whether it’s for a casual weeknight meal or a big backyard party, a juicy and tender smoked pork butt is always a crowd-pleaser. But cooking a 7 lb pork butt can seem daunting, especially if you’ve never tackled a roast that large before. How long should you cook it for? What temperature? How do you ensure it comes out perfectly moist and fall-apart tender?

Not to worry – I’ve got you covered. In this complete guide I’ll walk through everything you need to know to cook a flawless 7 lb pork butt, no matter your skill level. Let’s get started!

Choosing the Right Cut

The cut of meat itself is the first important choice to make. For pulled pork, you’ll want to select a bone-in Boston butt or pork shoulder. This tough yet flavorful cut has plenty of fat and connective tissue that will break down into succulent shreds after the long, slow cooking process. A 7 lb pork butt should provide enough meat to feed 12-15 people or yield around 10 cups of pulled pork.

When purchasing your pork butt, look for a shape that’s oval rather than round, which indicates there’s more fat marbling through the meat The fat content is crucial for keeping the pork moist and adding rich, porky flavor. Also try to pick a roast that’s evenly shaped without lots of stray flaps or thin sections This will allow it to cook nice and evenly.

Prepping the Pork Butt

Before you even start cooking, there are a few key steps to prepare your pork butt

• Trim off excess fat. Use a sharp knife to trim away any large chunks of hard fat from the exterior. Leave about 1/4 inch of fat cap intact.

• Score the fat cap. Use a knife to cut shallow crosshatches into the remaining fat cap. This will help the fat render slowly and prevent the pork from curling up as it cooks.

• Apply a dry rub. Coat all surfaces of the pork butt generously with a spice rub. A classic barbecue rub with salt, pepper, paprika, brown sugar, and chili powder is perfect. Massage the rub into the meat thoroughly so it’s embedded into all the nooks and crannies.

• Let rest at room temperature. Remove the pork butt from the fridge and let it sit out for 30-60 minutes before cooking. This helps it cook more evenly later on.

• Inject flavor. (Optional) Use an injection syringe to pump the pork butt full of extra moisture and flavor. Apple juice, beef broth, or your favorite barbecue sauce mixed with a little water all work well.

Choosing the Right Cooking Method

Now comes the most important decision – how you’ll actually cook this massive hunk of pork. The cooking method not only impacts the total cook time, but also affects the final moisture level, smoke penetration, and bark formation. Here are the most popular options:

Slow and Low Oven Roast

This simple, mess-free cooking method produces incredibly tender and juicy pulled pork every time. To oven roast:

• Preheat oven to 300°F.
• Place pork butt on a roasting rack in a pan, fat-side up.
• Cook for about 40 minutes per pound, until internal temp reaches 200°F.
• Tent foil and let rest for 30-60 minutes before shredding.

Total Time: Approximately 5-6 hours for a 7 lb pork butt

Benefits: Easy, hands-off method. Excellent moisture retention. Minimal equipment needed.

Smoking Low and Slow

For the true barbecue experience, smoking over indirect low heat is hard to beat. To smoke:

• Prepare smoker with coals or wood chunks to 225-250°F.
• Place pork butt in, fat-side up. Cook until internal temp hits 200-205°F.
• Rest in a cooler wrapped in towels for 1-2 hours.

Total Time: Around 1.5 hours per pound, so 9-11 hours for a 7 lb pork butt.

Benefits: Infuses incredible smoky flavor. Produces a nice dark bark. Most authentic pulled pork.

Crockpot or Instant Pot

For set-it-and-forget-it convenience, slow cookers and multi-cookers like the Instant Pot are perfect for pork butts. To slow cook:

• Add 1 cup liquid like broth, beer, or juice to the pot.
• Cook on LOW for 1-1.5 hours per pound, until fork tender.
• Shred meat and toss with some of the cooking liquid.

Total Time: 10-16 hours on LOW heat in a slow cooker or 45-90 minutes using the pressure cooking setting on the Instant Pot.

Benefits: Completely hands-off cooking. Minimal attention or monitoring needed. Great for weeknight meals.

Calculating the Cook Time

The biggest question around cooking pork butts is always – how long? With so many variables in play, it’s impossible to give an exact timeframe. But here are some general guidelines for approximating the cook time:

• Smoking or roasting at 225-325°F: Estimate 1.5 hours per pound. A 7 lb pork butt will need about 10-11 hours total cook time.

• Oven roasting at 300°F+: Estimate 40 minutes per pound. A 7 lb pork butt will cook in roughly 4.5-5 hours.

• Slow cooker on LOW: Estimate 1-1.5 hours per pound. A 7 lb pork butt will need 10-16 hours.

• Instant Pot or pressure cooker: 45-90 minutes once pressure is achieved, regardless of size.

The exact shape, bone structure and thickness of your particular roast can slightly speed up or extend these cook times. The only foolproof way to test doneness is by temperature!

Monitoring Temperature

An instant-read thermometer is the only way to definitively determine when your pork butt is ready to come off the heat. Pork should be cooked to 200-205°F internally to break down all the collagen into succulent pulled pork.

I recommend periodically checking the temperature, starting after the first few hours, to monitor the progress:

• Insert thermometer into the thickest part of the meat, avoiding bone.
• Test the temperature in several spots to account for uneven cooking.
• Once it hits 200°F, it can be removed from the heat source immediately.

At this point the pork will be extremely tender and ready for shredding. If you prefer a little extra texture, you can remove it anywhere between 195-203°F.

Resting and Pulling the Pork

After spending hours slowly cooking the pork butt, it’s crucial not to skip the resting phase. Letting the pork rest gives time for the juices to redistribute uniformly throughout the meat. Here’s how to rest and pull pork properly:

• Once desired temp is reached, remove pork from heat. Tent loosely with foil.

• Let rest for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours for a larger roast.

• Transfer pork to a cutting board. Use forks or your fingers to shred and pull meat into bite-size pieces.

• Mix in drippings, sauce, or extra seasoning to taste.

• Serve immediately for maximum juiciness, or store leftovers refrigerated up to 5 days. Reheat gently before serving.

Properly pulled pork should be moist, succulent, and infused with tons of flavor. If you end up with dry or tough pulled pork, it was likely undercooked and didn’t reach a high enough internal temperature.

Injecting Flavor

While not strictly necessary, injecting the pork butt with extra flavor can really take it to the next level. The injection adds moisture deep into the meat, prevents it from drying out, and provides a built-in flavor boost.

Some tasty injector marinade ideas:

• Apple juice, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, seasoning

• Beef or chicken broth, Worcestershire sauce, herbs

• Fruit juice with pineapple, orange, or apple

• Barbecue sauce diluted with water or broth

Simply fill a meat injector with your liquid of choice and pump it into various points all over the pork, targeting the thickest areas. Each hole should get around 1-1.5 ounces of liquid. Refrigerate overnight for maximum absorption if time allows.

Saucing and Serving the Pulled Pork

Pulled pork might taste incredible on its own, but it wouldn’t be true Southern BBQ without a few finishing touches:

• Barbecue sauce: Layer on your favorite sauce, ranging from tangy vinegar-based to thick and smoky. Serve extra sauce on the side.

• Slaws and salads: Cool, creamy coleslaw balances the rich pork wonderfully. Try other fresh veggie sides like celery seed slaw or broccoli salad.

• Buns: Soft burger or sandwich buns allow you to easily pile up shredded pork for pulled pork sandwiches. Brioche, pretzel and Hawaiian rolls also work nicely.

• Sides: Baked beans, collard greens, mac and cheese, cornbread, and potato salad are all classic pairings.

That’s everything you need to know to tackle a 7 lb pork butt with confidence! By choosing the right cut, prepping properly, cooking low and slow to 200°F, and allowing ample rest time, you’ll be rewarded with incredibly flavorful and juicy pulled pork every time. Whether it’s for a casual dinner or big cookout bash, a perfectly cooked pork butt never disappoints.