2 Butts and chicken


 
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Paul Bright

New member
Hi guys,

Smoke number 2 will be this Saturday. We are having a house warming party, and are planning on doing 2 5lb butt's and 2 beer can chickens. How much time should I give myself? I read that I should give the butts about 2 hrs a lb if smoking at 225. Would 10 hours be sufficent for 2 5lb's and 2 beer can chickens going in for 4.5hrs at the end? As always, any other tips would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!!!
 
10 hours should be MORE than enough time for the butts. But just like with people, every butt is different.
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You could have two butts, of identical weight, cooked at identical temperature take two different lengths of time. Some butts are just tougher than others. That's why the old expression in bbq is "It's done when it's done."

I cooked two butts last weekend for a family reunion. They were (guesstimating) about 5-6# each. I cooked at 250, and they took about 7 1/2 hours. Better for the butts to get done earlier, rather than later. You can wrap them in foil, then wrap them in towels, and place in a cooler and they'll stay hot for at least a few hours.
 
Paul, since your cooking butts and chicken, make sure you load up the WSM as much as possible. Don't try to guess how much charcoal/wood to use just fill er up!! 10 Hrs. should be more than enough. Good luck!
 
I think you'd need to finish the butts, then crank up the temp (add a full chimney of lit & wait till the coals get good and hot) and do the chickens high heat. I wouldn't do beer can chickens at 225 or the skin wouldn't be edible. I'd also cook the butts slightly higher than 225. Just my 2 cents.
 
I have altered it a little and now I'm doing the pulled pork and smoking a bunch of chicken wings. The wing recipe calls for 2 hours at 225, can I just put them in for the last two hours with the butts? should I move the butts to the lower rack when I add them, or have the butts on the lower rack the whole time? should I add another "smoke bomb chip packet" when I put the chicken on and wrap the butts?

Thanks guys, any help is appreciated!!!
 
Paul,

I do wings a LOT on the WSM, so that question is in my wheelhouse
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If the wings are cut in individual sections (wingettes and drumettes separated) and laid out on the grate (not in a basket or something), they smoke for about 2 1/2 to 3 hours at temps around 225-250.

I don't have trouble with "bad" chicken skin with the wings. In my experience, the tougher/chewier skin gets worse as the hunk of chicken gets larger. Cooking the wings this way doesn't produce "crispy" skin, but more like rotisserie type skin.

Brine the chicken for at least 3 hours or even overnight. The brine I use is 1 cup kosher salt and 1 cup white sugar per gallon. After brining, rinse and dry the wings with paper towels, then sprinkle your rub on. I use Weber's Beer Can Chicken or Meatheads' Memphis Rub (which can be found at amazingribs.com). I let them sit like that for about an hour before they go on.

Hope that helps.
 
As to your specific questions:

If you put the butts on the lower rack to begin with, you don't have to mess with them until you check for doneness. I'd put the wings on the top rack. No, you don't need to worry about contamination, putting raw chicken above your pork. It's all going to cook and sterilize.

Definitely make sure the wings get some smoke too. They don't need a ton, but make sure it's going for at least a half hour/hour while they're on.

Apple and oak both work well for both types of meat IMHO.
 
Hi Paul,

Whenever I combine a couple of butts and chicken wings, especially on the 18" I will get the butts done foil them and put in a cooler with towels to rest while the wings are cooking. It doesn't take very many wings to fill up the grates on the 18. I am also one of those people who are "funny" about cooking chicken over anything else. I always keep the poultry on the lower rack if mixing meats. Anyway by getting the butts off you can let them rest and be pulling them while the wings are smoking. Another thing you may want to consider is to smoke the wings for 2 - 3 hours and then transfer to the grill to sauce and finish. I know it's extra stuff to deal with but the grill will crisp the wings up and help to set the sauce so they don't come out mushy.
 
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