Need Advice - Smoking Two Pork Butts - WSM


 
T

Trail B.

TVWBB Member
I am smoking two butts (pulled pork) that I need ready for dinner on Saturday. They are 10 and 11 pounds. I don't want to do an overnight. Any tips on how to have them ready by 530 on Saturday? If I start them at 6 am and cook them at 275-300 will they be ready in time? Also, how hard will it be to keep the 22.5 WSM at 275-300?
 
If you want those ready Saturday 5:30PM, you better start them at 2AM and that's calling it close (real close) you might not get a rest period and you really want your butts to rest (minimum 1 hour)
 
ChuckO said:
If you want those ready Saturday 5:30PM, you better start them at 2AM and that's calling it close (real close) you might not get a rest period and you really want your butts to rest (minimum 1 hour)
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Craig Alumbaugh said:
I will have to agree with Chuck on the start time and may even want to start a little earlier to give you some wiggle room
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Even if I am smoking at 300*? You still think I need to start that early? In the past I have smoked an 8 pound pork butt in about 6 -7 hours at 300*. Will it take that much longer to smoke two ten pounders?
 
I think 12 hours will prob do it at 300 degrees..... the earlier you can start the better. foil and put them in cooler and they will stay hot for 3-4 hours easy

better safe then sorry
 
Trail B. said:
Even if I am smoking at 300*? You still think I need to start that early? In the past I have smoked an 8 pound pork butt in about 6 -7 hours at 300*. Will it take that much longer to smoke two ten pounders?
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It's pretty hard to say, butts are done when they're done. The good thing about butts, if they are done too soon, they love a good rest (wrapped in foil and then in a towel or two)

It is far better to have a butt "overly" rested vs one that didn't get a rest. Many people rest butts for a minimum of 3 hours and it pays dividends. SO your choice is: Start at 2AM and be pretty sure you'll be done on time with an OK rest, or start as late at 5AM and chance:

1) Not being done on time
2) Not getting a good rest
 
Bry H said:
Is there a particular reason you don't want to do an overnight smoke?
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No good reason, but mainly because of sleep and it is supposed to be raining. I have a lot to do on Saturday and cannot afford to get sleep. I don't have confidence in my ability to do an overnight smoke without being up a lot at night.
 
Trail B. said:
No good reason, but mainly because of sleep and it is supposed to be raining. I have a lot to do on Saturday and cannot afford to get sleep. I don't have confidence in my ability to do an overnight smoke without being up a lot at night.
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Here's a method to cook butts and greatly reduce the time needed. Using this method, you could probably get away with not starting until as late as 7AM or 8

http://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?51784-Smoked-and-Braised-Pulled-Pork

I've done this cook, it really came out well

http://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?52135-A-Mike-Coffman-inspired-cook
 
If you have a full load of charcoal and do a minion method start then there shouldn't be much reason why you couldn't go to sleep for at least five hours once the smoker is settled in. I do it all the time with no worries or ATC.
 
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