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J

Jeff Hite

New member
Hello everyone...

New to forum. Need feedback. Cooking in the Music City BBQ Fest later this month. I have two WSMs (22.5). Cooking all four categories. Thoughts on my cooking schedule:

WSM1 - shoulder (250*) & ribs (275*)
4am-shoulder in smoker 6am-ribs in smoker
12pm-out of smoker 11am-out of smoker
1pm-build box 12pm-build box

WSM2 - brisket (350*) & chicken (300*)
4am-brisker in smoker 9:45am-chicken in smoker
8am-out of smoker 11:30am-out of smoker
12:30pm-build box 11:45-build box

Again, I have not cooked all four categories in a comp. So, any and all suggestions appreciated.

Thanks.

Buckshot Malone's Pig Shack
www.GodsofSmoke.com
 
I'm thinking your going to need a lot longer on the pork shoulder, I wouldn' gamble on an 8 pound or larger shoulder being done in 8 hours (4am to noon) at 250 degrees.....

I like to have my ribs done half an hour before turn in and let them rest 15 minutes, for me an hour is a little much but you definately could hold them for an hour no big deal!

Chicken sounds good.

It may not be ready at 8 when you want it out of the smoker but having said that it is fine since you built yourself in a long hold time for that one.

WHat quantity of each meat are you doing, it will be easier to help you plan with that info!

Good luck and have a great time!

Clark
 
Jeff, In my experience cooking for comps, the only way to set a timeline relatively accurately is to practice ahead of time. Keep notes on all your comp meat cooks and when you have several of each meat you should have a feel for the time it will take to cook each one.

Your time line is a bit confusing to me in that it seems you want to cook 2 different meats on one cooker at different temps at the same time.
How do you do that?

"WSM1 - shoulder (250*) & ribs (275*)
4am-shoulder in smoker 6am-ribs in smoker"

"WSM2 - brisket (350*) & chicken (300*)
4am-brisker in smoker 9:45am-chicken in smoker"

I am cooking a comp in a couple weeks using 2 wsm and a Smoke-ez. I plan on cooking the butt and brisket at the same temp on the same cooker.
If I had but one other cooker I would cook the birds and ribs at the same temp also.

Good luck in your comp, the experience you gain will pay dividens.

Oh one more suggestion, with big meats being somewhat unpredictalbe, build in a 3-4 hr hold window. If you need it great if you only need one hr that's ok too. I plan on taking my birds off the cooker and into the box pretty fast. Ribs hold long enough just with slicing and picking the right 6 from all the racks. Remember the meats will hold,rest, and additional time in the box before the judges take a bite.

Mark
 
Thanks guys. Again, I'm looking for any feedback. My logic is shoulder on at 4am at 250, then at 6am, kick it up to 275 and add the ribs.

JH
 
Ok I', guessing your just doing one brisket and one shoulder (I would highly recomend two but that's all good). I highly recomend what Mark is saying about a good practice session but short of that to be sure of time I would do the following....


WSM 1
Pork shoulder on the night before, about 9pm, it should be able to cook fine until you get up in the morning and will definately be ready on time. It will also let you settle in your cook temps before you go to bed. The shoulder will hold perfectly in a cooler if it is ready early, that is a much better situation than being better late.....I would put the ribs on at 6:30 if you're confident you can get them done in 5 hours, that still gives you 30 minutes for the turn in and you don't have to hold the ribs.

WSM 2
This one you need to be sure the brisket is done before chicken time, not just that you need time to bring your cook temp down to chicken cooking temp and settle in once the brisket is done. Because of this I would put it on at 3am. I know this is early but this way you are sure it's done and it gives you a good amount of time to get your temps settled in and your grill clean for your chicken.

The more time you give yourself the less stressfull it will be!

Clark
 
Wow. That's a really agressive and tight cooking schedule. If anything goes even the slightest bit wrong then you'll be in a major bind.

I would go with a much more staggered schedule. Start the brisket in WSM1 in the late evening and have it out by 5 or 6am, then switch to ribs. Start the shoulder in WSM2 about 1 or 2am and have it out by 9:00 to make room for chicken. That way if something goes wrong you've got time to regroup. Of course you're going to need a large cooler to hold the wrapped up brisket and shoulder.

You might even consider doing the chicken on an indirect grill since you're cooking at 300. That would open up your possibilites even more.

I think you'll find that switching out meats and trying to get cookers to go up or down in temps is going to take a lot longer than you think. Also, things go very wrong and not leaving yourself time to figure it out and adjust will end up wrecking your comp.

I agree with doing a full-on practice at home before going.

Russ
 
Jeff, I agree with Russ you are cutting close on time with your schedule,, doing a practice run at home will help you greatly.

I also use 2 22" WSM. I cook by myself so I need all the extra time I can get. I do 2 butts on one and 2 briskets on the other but I cook low and slow, my big meats go on around 9 or 10 pm, that way they are done early enough in the morning to free up my cookers. I wrap my butts about 5 or 6 am and move to the other WSM if they still need more cooking, that freed up one for the ribs, then remove all meat to a cambro or cooler for chicken. I build each box about 10 minutes before turn-in time trying it keep it warmer and looking better.

I have done high heat butts and briskets but I shoot for 350 to 400 and it still takes close to 6 hours at these higher temps and it going to be hard to cook 2 different meats at the same time. Butts and briskets can cook together but thats about it.

I would move my start times about 2 hours earlier and that will give you more time, the big meats can hold for several hours. My butts and briskets are done before I start cooking ribs or chicken.

I will be at the same contest with you, I'm in Dickson so this is close to home for me. I can show you my setup at the contest.
 
Jeff, sounds like you got a great offer from Randy. I think that we all agree that you need to allow more hold time for the big meats. Hope you give us a report after the comp.

After looking at your web site and this:

"Plotting, preparing, and scheming to dominate the BBQ competition circuit. Buckshot Malone's Pig Shack is the undefeated rib champion taking the competitive cooking world by storm. We're coming for you folks, expect no mercy..."

It sounds like you take no prisoners and offer no quarter. Heaven help the other teams in your way!!

"TIME LINES, WE DON'T NEED NO STINKING TIMELINES"


Mark
 
Thanks Randy. I'm in Hendersonville. I'll be setting up Friday morning. Call/text sometime that day and we'll get together. I wold love to see your setup. 207-2584.

JH
 
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