4 8lb butts on 22.5


 
A

Andrew Wands

TVWBB Member
Seasons Greatings everyone!

I am planning on cooking 4 8lb butts on the 22.5 and was planning on trying the Mr. Brown recipe. I have read some posts that folks do not use water in the pan with this much meat...any inisght on this? Also, the temps will prob be down in the 20's...I plan to overload the chamber and then Minion. For wood maybe 3 chunks apple and 3 hickory. too much or too little? I plan to put the butts on around 10pm Thursday night in preparation for a Christmas Eve party. wonder if i should just leave all vents 50% from the start? last but not least, about how long will this take. im guessing 16 hrs.

Thanks so much and have a Merry Xmas!
 
Andrew, smoking time will in all cases take into account what temp you are smoking at. We don't know that yet. I suspect that your calculations are based on a lower temp smoke. For safety I would estimate 2 hrs/lb of one butt so 16 hrs total. If done early you can hold. Butts as you may have read can be cantancorous at times and take longer than the average. As far as water, I would not use it. With the cold outside I would want to be able to maintain temps without having to heat water. Opinions vary however on water usage.

Happy Holiday Smokin'

Mark
 
ok thanks! So the water doesnt really moisten the atmosphere? Will maintaining temps in the 225-250 range be difficult without water?
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Andrew Wands:
ok thanks! So the water doesnt really moisten the atmosphere? Will maintaining temps in the 225-250 range be difficult without water? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Water is a heat sink. It takes more fuel to heat water. Some feel that for inexperienced WSM users water helps. I do not feel that it is necessary. Proper cooking techniques will keep meat moist. If you want a heat sink and also want to use less fuel than if you used water you can use a ceramic flour pot holder in the water pan. You can also use nothing in the water pan, but do foil for ease of clean up.

It should be easier to maintain your desired temps without water. I do not live in such a cold climate but many here have written on the subject. Logic would seem to state that what ever you can do to reduce heat loss throught the body of the WSM will maintain internal smoker heat. I would use a wind break and perhaps a welding blanket. I don't need the blanket here but do use the wind break.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Andrew Wands:
ok thanks! So the water doesnt really moisten the atmosphere? Will maintaining temps in the 225-250 range be difficult without water? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

The steam can be quite apparent, but most folks say that doesn't translate to moisture in the meat.

As to maintaining -250 temps, I've had an easier time with water in the pan, but I know you can do low-n-slow without it as well. You just need to know your cooker (can you quickly extinguish the coals?) and not leave the vents too open, and I'd recommend good briquettes, not lump, but that's just me. Anything 200-275 is bbq temps, though, so don't sweat a temp spike too much.
 
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