Most oven-cooked Boston butt recipes come with long cooking times, which can be discouraging for many people. Of course, Boston butt is best prepared low and slow, as this is the best way to bring out tenderness and infuse more flavor. Still, we’re always looking for a quicker way to prepare our favorite dishes, and Boston butt isn’t an exception. It’s why you’ll appreciate this recipe that uses fewer ingredients and cooks quicker in the oven.
What Determines the Cooking Time for Boston Butt?
Boston butt isn’t gotten from the posterior region of the pork, as the name would suggest. Instead, it’s derived from the lower area of the foreleg, contributing to its tough texture. But a perk of getting the pork from this region is it’s rich in marbling and flavor. And the best way to bring this to a succulent texture is to cook it at slow heat for long hours.
Various conditions determine how quickly Boston butt cooks in the oven. Note that bone-in cuts will cook for a longer time compared to boneless ones. Also, the oven temperature determines the cooking speed, as lower temperatures will take longer but ensure more tenderness. Plus, the more marbling the cut comes with, the faster it cooks. And, bigger cuts of Boston butt take longer time to cook than smaller ones.
Tips for Cooking Tasty Boston Butt Fast
- Make sure the oven is preheated at a higher temperature before you start cooking the butt. This way, the butt cooks partially before the temperature balances to the required slow-roast level.
- You should cook the Boston butt at 300 to 350°F, which will take about 35 to 40 minutes to cook a pound. At a lesser temperature like 325°F., you’ll have to cook for longer.
- Allow the fat to cook with the Boston butt and wait until it’s done before separating it. You need the moisture and flavor the fat adds to the pork as it cooks slowly.
- You can season the Boston butt with any mixture of dry rub you wish. You can alternate between spices like Adobo to chili and even BBQ seasoning.
- Cover the baking container tightly with aluminum foil. The foil traps heat between the container and the Boston butt, so it cooks faster and retains more moisture.
- Check for the doneness temperature of the Boston butt with a meat thermometer. You’ll want the pork to cook at an internal temperature of at least 145°F. And if you want it to be more tender, leave it to reach from 160 to 190°F.
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You can try out this straightforward recipe which cooks in about 4 hours and requires lesser preparation;
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Easy Oven-Cooked Boston Butt (6 servings)
Ingredients
- One 4-pound Boston butt, boneless
- One teaspoon black pepper, ground
- One teaspoon garlic powder
- One teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon thyme, dried
- ½ teaspoon cumin, ground
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
Instructions
- Let the oven preheat to 450°F. While you wait, prepare the Boston butt and cut off any excess fat you wish.
- Mix the seasoning ingredients in a bowl to make your dry rub. Rub it generously into the Boston butt, and be sure to massage it in.
- Bring a cast-iron skillet to high heat and sear the butt on all sides. Once done, leave the pork in the skillet as you’ll need this to bake it. Lid it tightly with aluminum foil and place it in the oven. Then, reduce the temperature to 325°F and roast for about 3 hours.
- Remove the aluminum foil and keep roasting the butt for another 1 hour or till the internal temperature reads 180°F. At this point, the meat should pull apart easily with a fork.
- Set the skillet down and leave the butt to cool for about 5 minutes. Then, serve the Boston butt as you wish.