What's my best strategy?

[Charles Howse]

I need to cook a butt and a brisket in the same day.
I'm OK with finishing in the oven, if necessary.

Should I put 'em both on @275° or so, then remove the butt to the oven at a certain time/temp, then prop open the door/lid and let 'er rip to continue/finish the brisket?

Maybe vice/versa?

 

[James Trapp]

I'd put the beef on top as IME they cook a little quicker especially if it is on top and the pork is on the bottom.

No oven foil or crock pot needed.

 

[Paul Berman]

Just go low-and-slow for both of them. Get your WSM dialed in around 225-240 and put the whole brisket (i.e. not just a flat) in on the bottom rack. It will need close to 18 hours depending on size. So put that on the WSM before you go to bed. Make sure you pack the WSM as full as possible of charcoal for the overnight cook.

Then get up early in the morning and put the butts on the top rack. You might as well cook two butts since you have the space. By putting them on the top rack their fat will drip down on the brisket and baste it. And of course put more charcoal in the WSM when you get up. Depending on the size of the butts I find they need about 12 hours to finish.

Adjust your start times as necessary depending on when you want to be serving your BBQ. I don't find you need to get up at night while the brisket is cooking -- maybe just once. The WSM does such a great job of holding its temp. I do like to keep a wireless thermometer next to my bed though so I can peek at the temp of the cooker in case something goes terribly wrong.

Good luck!

 

[Dave Russell]

Charles, I fill up both racks on every cook, and I tell ya what:

I recommend EITHER cooking overnight 225-250 OR cooking all day at 275-300, foiling for a good part of the cook.

Obviously, the latter approach doesn't involve water in the pan, but the thing is, a long rest in the foil really helps that brisket. Ray Lampe recommends at least two hours if I remember. On my last cook, I cooked two BIG butts under a fourteen lb brisket and let the vents stay wide open most of the night, 250 or so at the vent, water in the pan.

All done at the 12 hour mark the next morning and they stayed over 140* all day long in a pretty good cooler that I prepped with hot water, and hot water bottles. I much prefer the overnight approach with water, and as much as butt basted brisket tastes great, I prefer it on the top for evenness of cooking, since the butts are so forgiving.

BBQ stores well. You really oughta use both racks more often!