3 Butts


 
B

billy sparrows

New member
I have been using this site for a while as a reliable source for smoking info/help, but I have to admit I didn't own a WSM. I just bought one, the new 18.5 and while I have been smoking for a while, never on a WSM. I always used a propane cheapo just for ease of temp control. Regardless, I have three butts I'm putting on tonight for a get together tomorrow about 20 lbs total. Any estimation on time? I know to check for doneness and all that, but I'm looking for a rough estimate. Eating at at 3 pm.
 
Billy, welcome. Are you using the gasser or the WSM? What temps are you hoping to cook at? What is the weight of the largest Butt? If you provide this info we can put it in the computer and spit out a not to accurate estimate of time.

Some Butts take longer than others even with the same weight and cooking temp. My advice is allow yourself plenty (2-3) hrs extra time before service, then all will be well in dairyland.

Mark
 
I did 2 8lbs and it took nearly 13 hours pulled them off at a temp of 202 and they were perfect on the doneness meter. Good luck!
Jeff
 
You mention "ease of temp control", so I assume you're gonna cook low-n-slow with the water pan. The safest bet is to go by the heaviest one and plan on having enough time to cook two hours a pound. That way you should have more than enough time and can keep them hot in a cooler. I loaded mine down the other day with five, for a total of 40.25 lbs, and actually did need the whole "two hours a pound" for three of them. (I don't recommend that much pork butt in the little wsm as I had trouble getting my temp up.)

For what it's worth, you can check the dome gauge in boiling water, and if going by it, I target 200-225, but if measuring at the vent, I target 225-250. My reasoning is that the higher the temp is over the boiling point, the faster I boil off the water and the greater the temp differential between the middle of the racks and the outer edges will be. No big deal I know, but if I want to cook over 250 I'll do that during the day where I can monitor the cooker, foiling the pan without water.
 
Yeah I am going low and slow. I am not doing the water pan, but rather I'm doing the clay saucer. I don't see myself adding water and what not.
As I said earlier, Im a newbie with the WSM, but I have owned three other smokers so I'm familiar with temp control issues.
The biggest butt is about 7 lbs, the total of all three being about 20 lbs. Im going to start them at 7 pm and figure they should be done by noon at the absolute latest. Gives me three hours of rest if I need it, which I'm comfortable with. I guess my main concern was how this smoker (again, new to the WSM) will handle 20 lbs in terms of cook time. I mean I know it can do it, just wanted some estimates as to how long is would take bc if I put that much meat in my oven cook times would probably double. You gave me some good guidelines which is exactly what I was looking for. Thanks
 
Multi-butts don't take much more time than a single but they will require more fuel.

Like an oven, 250º is 250º. But getting it up to 250º and holding it there will all that 'heat sink' in there will require more energy.

When I've done 4 butts on my 18.5", my vents are probably about twice as open as for just 1 butt. (Nickel thickness vs dime thickness)

And load up that ring FULL. Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.

Your plan of "on at 7, done by noon" is good. They'll probably be done around 10am leaving you an good hour or so to rest.

Good luck.
 
Cooking in the 250-275 range should be about 10-14 hours...

So I would start at about 11 to 11:30pm.. assuming you are up to that temp range (250-275)within an hour say by midnight. That gives you 15 hours until feeding time. Which should be enough time for cooking and resting a little and pulling.

John
 
Billy, three butts at that weight is no big deal on the wsm in terms of adding cooking time.

Regarding the water pan, you don't need to add water that much at all, not like the old shallow pans. Mine doesn't ever go dry in less than eight hours, time enough to get plenty of sleep, and that's the Brinkman pan, which holds less than the new pan. Good luck with it, and be sure to let us know if the clay pan lets you get much sleep.
 
Billy, I have smoked only one BB on my 18.5, but it took about 12 hrs to complete. It sounds as if you are pretty set on not using the water pan, on my BB smoke, I kept the temps around 230-250 and my pan had plenty of water even at the 10 hr mark. These new pans hold quite a bit of water, and they last for many hours.
Good Luck, and plz remember to take some pics!
Tim
 
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