This is my repost of a question I think I put in the wrong forum of pork recipes but now here I go. I have been volunteered to do pulled pork sandwiches for big church event next Sunday. So now I have 30lbs of pork butt in the fridge thawing out got at a decent price of 1.59 lb at restaurant depot. Heres my question having never done this amount of meat before do I bbq it in 2 cooks or all at one time? Is there any drawbacks to doing it all at once? I think I can fit it all on my 18" bullit but just a little worried about the unknown problems, maybe my smoker won't get up to temp or it will take to long . My average time for 2 butts is 8-9 hours. Any input here is greatly appreciated
30lbs of pork butt for church
- Thread starter Victor
- Start date
Brian Staley
TVWBB Fan
No drawbacks at all.. Well, you spend more time pulling all that meat... I did 30 lbs last week, 4 butts, and they took about 12 hours to cook, 1 to 1.5 hours in a cooler, then an hour to pull. But this was on a WSM 22.
Only thing about cooking on an 18 is you might need more fuel before you are done. If you think they might not fit, you can truss them up with twine, that will save a bit of room.
I would give myself 11 to 13 hours for cook time.. If they are done before that, just pop them in a cooler with a bunch of towels..
Only thing about cooking on an 18 is you might need more fuel before you are done. If you think they might not fit, you can truss them up with twine, that will save a bit of room.
I would give myself 11 to 13 hours for cook time.. If they are done before that, just pop them in a cooler with a bunch of towels..
Robert D Wise
TVWBB Member
Did 8 butts (~65lbs) on an 18" a couple of weeks ago for 80 boy scouts. The difference I saw I was I should have used more briqs to start, took a little more time to come up to tem and I use a DigiQ II with a 10cm fan. Air circulation and draft was different with 8 butts, couldn't close the top vent at all and couldn't close the fan to half. I even propped open the door for a little bit to get up to temp. The eight pounders finished a couple of hours before the two ten pounders. Pulling the 8 butts was the hardest part of all, took a little time but filled up a 20 quart roaster.
30lbs should only be about four butts and will fit easily on an 18"; so I wouldn't expect too much deviation from a regular cook. Might want to light a few more brigs than normal to start, but everything else should be the same.
I know I was very nervous cooking for a large group the for the first time, but everything turned out great.
Enjoy!
30lbs should only be about four butts and will fit easily on an 18"; so I wouldn't expect too much deviation from a regular cook. Might want to light a few more brigs than normal to start, but everything else should be the same.
I know I was very nervous cooking for a large group the for the first time, but everything turned out great.
Enjoy!
Brian Staley
TVWBB Fan
Robert, you had 8 butts on an 18"???
Did you take pictures? Would love to see that.
Victor, be sure to take pics also!
Did you take pictures? Would love to see that.
Victor, be sure to take pics also!
Richard Diaz
TVWBB Pro
If your doing 30lb. of butts I'm assuming you have 4 butts? Your should be able to fit 2 per grate. I did 16.5 lb. yesterday, my temps ran a little hot so I ended up doing a high heat cook and foild at 150, started at 730pm friday and they were done by 330am saturday. 16.5 lb. in 8 hours is a record for me. Keeps in mind that your can cook 1 or 4 butts, they will take the same time it will just take you a little longer to get the temperature up.
Michael G. (Canada Mike)
TVWBB All-Star
I've often done 4 butts in one cook, and it goes fine. Depending on your temp, I'd give a lot more time that 8 hours. I usually go 14-16 at 250. Remember, you can always re-heat, but if it ain't ready to eat, then it just ain't.
Enjoy.
Enjoy.
Yes your right about more time for the cook. Pork needs to be ready for Sunday about 11am but I am going to put on the smoker Friday nite about 11- 11:30 whenever I get home from work. Then get some sleep have my wife check temps when she gets up and if she has to can wake me if there are any problems.I figure starting it a little earlier then I planned is better just a little insurance time! better early then late! Yes it is 4 butts. I plan on useing wild willy 's rub that we make ourselves,and a little apple juice to baste.
Bob Sample
TVWBB Diamond Member
Victor that much meat is going to be a pretty big heat sink so I wouldn't use water in the pan. You may want to add a little more lit to start the Minion method than you normally would and rotate the meat 1/2 way through the cook.
I would cook it the day before and reheat in the oven or crock pots at the event if you can. I just did an event for 60 people last Friday and I had 13lbs of pepper stout beef that was done the day before and reheated. Everyone loved it.
I would cook it the day before and reheat in the oven or crock pots at the event if you can. I just did an event for 60 people last Friday and I had 13lbs of pepper stout beef that was done the day before and reheated. Everyone loved it.
Yes I think I will just use a smaller amount of water then usual. I see I have gotten a double post here in the bbq forum I guess Chris A must have moved my first discussion which I posted in the wrong forum Of pork recipes I wonder how do I ask him to maybe combine my 2 discussions I know I goofed up and I think it is going to get a little confuseing with 2 posts.
dwayne e
TVWBB Super Fan
I did four HUGE butts in my 22 two weeks ago.
All four butts were thoroughly thawed and heavily rubbed approx. 12 hours before the cook. I took them out of the fridge approx. 1 hour before the cook.
I started off with a completely full water pan and a HEAPING ring of K with four fist sized chunks of apple wood.
I got it running at about 225 overnight and all four were done perfectly in about 13 1/2 hours. I think the amount of meat and water is irrelevant when it comes to keeping the temp up.....if you let the meat come up close to room temp before the cook and if you regulate your vents properly at the beginning of the cook.
I added some charcoal at the end.....I probably would have made it to the end OK but I wanted to make sure, plus I threw some ABTs in right after I pulled the butts out.
I did not inject, turn, baste or rotate whatsoever during the cook (and not one peek). I had a probe in the largest butt on the top grate and I checked them all for fork tenderness (and loose, wiggly bones) when it got to 190. They were done and I foiled them in a cooler for about three hours before pulling.
Best cook ever......for me anyway.
All four butts were thoroughly thawed and heavily rubbed approx. 12 hours before the cook. I took them out of the fridge approx. 1 hour before the cook.
I started off with a completely full water pan and a HEAPING ring of K with four fist sized chunks of apple wood.
I got it running at about 225 overnight and all four were done perfectly in about 13 1/2 hours. I think the amount of meat and water is irrelevant when it comes to keeping the temp up.....if you let the meat come up close to room temp before the cook and if you regulate your vents properly at the beginning of the cook.
I added some charcoal at the end.....I probably would have made it to the end OK but I wanted to make sure, plus I threw some ABTs in right after I pulled the butts out.
I did not inject, turn, baste or rotate whatsoever during the cook (and not one peek). I had a probe in the largest butt on the top grate and I checked them all for fork tenderness (and loose, wiggly bones) when it got to 190. They were done and I foiled them in a cooler for about three hours before pulling.
Best cook ever......for me anyway.
Dave Russell
TVWBB Honor Circle
So you usually cook two butts on the top rack with water in the pan and they only take 8-9 hours? That's pretty fast for pulled pork tenderness on a wsm with water in the pan.
Anyhow, if you use water in the pan, which I'd definately recommend based on your fast cooks, the cook will definately be a good bit longer. This is because the butts on the bottom rack are gonna be so much closer to the 200*-ish water, and I'm assuming you normally cook upwards of 275* going by the quick cooks. Also, the bottom rack butts serve as a heat sink for the ones on the top.
Now if it was MY cooker, I'd allow for AT LEAST 14 hrs, just in case, 16 if the weather wasn't optimum, but that's cooking in the 235-250* range measured by a probe hanging in the top vent. Regardless, if cooking two to a rack, because of the outer grate heat zone I've found it's worth the trouble to turn and/or at least rotate the butts 180* sometime mid-cook, and other than that I don't take the lid off until the smallest one reaches at least 190*. Then occasionally start checking for tenderness. No need to mop or spray at any time and the bbq should be plenty moist if you cook to tenderness but not overcook.
Anyhow, if you use water in the pan, which I'd definately recommend based on your fast cooks, the cook will definately be a good bit longer. This is because the butts on the bottom rack are gonna be so much closer to the 200*-ish water, and I'm assuming you normally cook upwards of 275* going by the quick cooks. Also, the bottom rack butts serve as a heat sink for the ones on the top.
Now if it was MY cooker, I'd allow for AT LEAST 14 hrs, just in case, 16 if the weather wasn't optimum, but that's cooking in the 235-250* range measured by a probe hanging in the top vent. Regardless, if cooking two to a rack, because of the outer grate heat zone I've found it's worth the trouble to turn and/or at least rotate the butts 180* sometime mid-cook, and other than that I don't take the lid off until the smallest one reaches at least 190*. Then occasionally start checking for tenderness. No need to mop or spray at any time and the bbq should be plenty moist if you cook to tenderness but not overcook.
Dave Russell
TVWBB Honor Circle
No need to cook that slow unless you're measuring temp by cold meat at the grate, in which case I'd be fine with 250* by the next morning.
I'm happy as long as the butts on the bottom grate aren't getting hit with temps over 275* in the heat zone, and you can check that with a fairly accurate cheap oven therm sitting right inside the door on the bottom grate. Carefully rotate the cooker around the ring 180* if you want to check opposite sides.
If you've been using the OE Weber dome gauge to measure temp though, your 200-230* plan is just fine since it reads quite low compared to actual cooking temp, especially with a lot of meat in the cooker. Later on in the cook though after the meat is hot and cooking, you want to cook at a higher temp going by the dome gauge since the temps in the cooker even out more as the cook progresses. Basically, if it's in the "smoking zone", you're good, although I prefer to keep the temp no higher than 250* if cooking four butts since the bottom two will be exposed to the heat zone which is at least 25* higher. At the start of a cook though when I was using the dome gauge, I was doing good to get 200* with a cooker full of cold meat. Of course, you want to manage temps for timing the cook too, and lots of wsm users that cook 225-250* at the vent will give themselves 2hr/lb for a butt cook.
I'm happy as long as the butts on the bottom grate aren't getting hit with temps over 275* in the heat zone, and you can check that with a fairly accurate cheap oven therm sitting right inside the door on the bottom grate. Carefully rotate the cooker around the ring 180* if you want to check opposite sides.
If you've been using the OE Weber dome gauge to measure temp though, your 200-230* plan is just fine since it reads quite low compared to actual cooking temp, especially with a lot of meat in the cooker. Later on in the cook though after the meat is hot and cooking, you want to cook at a higher temp going by the dome gauge since the temps in the cooker even out more as the cook progresses. Basically, if it's in the "smoking zone", you're good, although I prefer to keep the temp no higher than 250* if cooking four butts since the bottom two will be exposed to the heat zone which is at least 25* higher. At the start of a cook though when I was using the dome gauge, I was doing good to get 200* with a cooker full of cold meat. Of course, you want to manage temps for timing the cook too, and lots of wsm users that cook 225-250* at the vent will give themselves 2hr/lb for a butt cook.
I use a remote Polder combo oven temp and meat temp thermometer on the butts in the upper rack and on the lower I use a Maverick remote oven thermometer on lower and a standerd 6 inch push in dial themometer for meat,which I plan on leaving in the butt by the door for reading. I got to go check my batteries now........
Dave Russell
TVWBB Honor Circle
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by victor:
I use a remote Polder combo oven temp and meat temp thermometer on the butts in the upper rack and on the lower I use a Maverick remote oven thermometer on lower and a standerd 6 inch push in dial themometer for meat,which I plan on leaving in the butt by the door for reading. I got to go check my batteries now........ </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Wow. That's a lot of measurements. I try to keep it simple and measure at the top vent with a probe since I often have a full grate and readings are suspect when next to cold meat. As for the meat, I'll only probe the smallest one and start checking all of them for tenderness once the smallest butt IT reaches about 190*.
IF you do reach a 240*+ measurement at the top grate between the two butts fairly early, I'd say yes, they'll be done in 12-14hrs. I've heard of hanging the probe in the middle of the grate positioned in the middle of all the butts, but I just find it easier to hang in the top vent and shoot for 250* or so depending on my timeframe. I'd probably give it 14 hrs to be on the safe side.
I use a remote Polder combo oven temp and meat temp thermometer on the butts in the upper rack and on the lower I use a Maverick remote oven thermometer on lower and a standerd 6 inch push in dial themometer for meat,which I plan on leaving in the butt by the door for reading. I got to go check my batteries now........ </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Wow. That's a lot of measurements. I try to keep it simple and measure at the top vent with a probe since I often have a full grate and readings are suspect when next to cold meat. As for the meat, I'll only probe the smallest one and start checking all of them for tenderness once the smallest butt IT reaches about 190*.
IF you do reach a 240*+ measurement at the top grate between the two butts fairly early, I'd say yes, they'll be done in 12-14hrs. I've heard of hanging the probe in the middle of the grate positioned in the middle of all the butts, but I just find it easier to hang in the top vent and shoot for 250* or so depending on my timeframe. I'd probably give it 14 hrs to be on the safe side.