30 lbs on, slow temp climb


 
Joel Kiess

Joel Kiess

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So I'm doing pulled pork for my neighbors surprise party tomorrow. Its his big six oh and his wife is figuring on about 50 people. I've got 30 lbs of butt in the WSM, Minion started around 9PM. Around 11PM it's just pushing through 225. I've got one vent that's bent so I just keep it closed, the other two I just now closed a touch so it doesn't get out of hand after I go to bed. It's been slow climbing but I'm in no hurry - the party is not until 1 PM.

Just thought I'd share.
 
Wow, aren't you cuttin' it kinda close?

I guess, you'll be fine if the guests don't start eating until the early evening.
 
Oh I don't know. 16 Hours should be OK.

Once the temperature hit 250 it was pretty steady the rest of the night. 7 AM and the lid was at 225. Opened up and checked the butts all were 160ish. we could see plateau now.

Shook the ash down, added a few briquettes and topped off the water.
 
If they get stuck in the plateau and time starts to be a problem, you can always double wrap in foil and crank up the heat. I do that when butts seem to be taking forever to reach temp.

Al
 
If I need to (or want to because of impatience), I'll open all the vents wide open.

If it's not sunny, temps will usually settle up to 275 or so. If the sun is out, maybe 300.

Note; I still use a large water pan for butts, but mainly to help with the timing of the cook. I'll add water to the pan to keep temps down just before going to bed, and by morning there is little water left.

Ramping up the temps in the AM is done with an empty, or near empty pan.
 
Are they bone in? I just did some Boneless Butts from Costco. They were just over 5 LB. each. I worry so much about that 2 HR per pound time frame I started them in the middle of the night for 4 PM party. They finished about an hour and 15 minutes a pound which seems to be my consistent time. That's cooking at 225 at the grate. I think next time I will just plan on 1 hour and 15 minutes a pound and if I get in a crunch foil them. My Brisket took about the same amount of time, actually closer to 1 hour a pound by about 5 Minutes per pound?
 
They were bone in, 4 pieces from 2 twin packs and the biggest piece was probably 8lbs plus.

One of the butts was done enough by 1PM, so I pulled it for the first wave. The others were foiled and stayed in the smoker at that point. After awhile I stuck them in the oven since it was already hot from baking beans and the WSM was starting to lose the fire. The first one was less done than I usually like, so some of it was a little more like chopped pork than pulled.

By the time we needed the second, I checked and picked one that felt pull-able. (I've begun to worry less about actual temperature and more about whether its 'done') The third is in the cooler for later and the fourth is for a rainy day.

I've received no complaints so far.
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