I have a huge order of pulled pork to do next month and I was wondering how having a packed full WSM will affect cook time, fuel usage, etc... I have 3 racks in my 22" WSM's and I plan to have 4 butts per rack for a total of 12 in each cooker. I am assuming it will use more fuel, but I wonder if it will still do the whole cook on 20lbs of K? It usually will with 4 butts.
A full smoker!
- Thread starter Ryan Ko
- Start date
Here's another thought... What would it hurt to start making the pulled pork now and freeze it as it gets done. Then thaw it out for the event? That would let me do it a little at a time from now until the event. I freeze pulled pork all the time and don't notice any loss of quality. Anyone see any problem with this? I think it would save a lot of work pulling all of that pork at once too!
Gary H. NJ
TVWBB Platinum Member
Be sure to leave some air flow around each butt, and rotate occasionally.
Steve Whiting
TVWBB All-Star
Ryan I do catering and will often cook the meat a day or more in advance and then vacuum-seal and throw in the freezer or refrigerator till time to reheat. Always tastes great.
Steve Whiting
TVWBB All-Star
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Ryan Ko:
Steve, Thanks for the response! They are planning to dump the pulled pork into roasters. Any suggestions? Should I tell them to put some liquid in there or do you think the fat content will keep it moist? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Some of my customers have warmed the pulled pork in crock-pots. I tell them to add a little apple juice to help with moisture.
Steve, Thanks for the response! They are planning to dump the pulled pork into roasters. Any suggestions? Should I tell them to put some liquid in there or do you think the fat content will keep it moist? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Some of my customers have warmed the pulled pork in crock-pots. I tell them to add a little apple juice to help with moisture.
JSMcdowell
TVWBB All-Star
Ryan,
I installed a middle rack in my 22" just for this reason. I dropped the lower rack a few inches first so that each layer could comfortably hold 4 butts without hitting the rack above.
Back in April I did 12x 10# butts. It’s a pretty tight fit, and it’s a LOT of meat.
Here are some things I learned when doing 12.
First, I do not use water, I use a foiled pan. Make sure to leave room in your pain for grease, because there is going to be a lot of it!
I would suggest only loading the bottom & middle racks if you plan on lifting the middle section when firing the smoker. Even then, it takes a bit of muscle. After the smoker is going, even with handles, I wouldn't suggest trying to move 100+ lbs of meat on a hot smoker, with a bunch of grease waiting to spill.
If you use a meat thermo, just put one per rack. I used them originally, but for my last 9 butt cook I went with a set of skewers to test.
I normally cook my butts in the 260 range. These cooked at 230 because the temp did not want to come up, so they took a little longer than I am used to at 260ish. Looking back at old cooks that I used to do around 230, they took a similar amount of time.
Getting to 230 took 1.5 hours. Normally I am up to 260 in 30-40 minutes with a lot of meat. I started with 3/4 lit; I would definitely go with 1 full chimney lit. I attempted to get up to temp faster by cracking the door, which isn’t so easy on the 22. A couple weeks ago I cooked 9 butts and cracked the lid instead, got to temp MUCH faster. Because of this I want to install a second top vent on my 22 since I will use it a lot for these large cooks.
Neither on my 12 butt or my 9 butt cook did I initially rotate or move the butts. On the 12 butt cook, the top 4 butts were not close to done when the bottom 8 were done. On my 9 butt cook, the top 3 were closer this time, but still not really close to the bottom 6 once they were done. On the 12 butt, the top ones took 2-3 hours after the bottoms ones were done. On the 9 butt, they took 1-2 hours more than the bottom ones. I would suggest putting your smaller butts on top.
I used more charcoal than normal because I used a lot of it getting up to temp. I think a full lit chimney at first would help this, but you are still going to use a little more. For the 12 butt cook, I used a 23 lb bag of blue K in the ring, plus what went in the chimney. I then had to add a couple handfuls towards the end finishing up the final 4. Ditto for the 9 butt cook.
I am also going to get a clay saucer to absorb some of the initial heat instead of just going with an empty foiled pan.
Very important, although I did not learn it doing these larger cooks. Make sure to close your bottom vents before you remove the lid to remove the butts. It will take awhile to test all the butts and to get them off the smoker. Your temp will soar if you keep the bottom vents open. Wearing hi temp food gloves will speed up removal. I use Steven Raichlan’s. They originally came in an off white, which mine got trashed quickly Just got a new pair in dark gray and they clean up much better.
If you have any other questions, just let me know.
I installed a middle rack in my 22" just for this reason. I dropped the lower rack a few inches first so that each layer could comfortably hold 4 butts without hitting the rack above.
Back in April I did 12x 10# butts. It’s a pretty tight fit, and it’s a LOT of meat.
Here are some things I learned when doing 12.
First, I do not use water, I use a foiled pan. Make sure to leave room in your pain for grease, because there is going to be a lot of it!
I would suggest only loading the bottom & middle racks if you plan on lifting the middle section when firing the smoker. Even then, it takes a bit of muscle. After the smoker is going, even with handles, I wouldn't suggest trying to move 100+ lbs of meat on a hot smoker, with a bunch of grease waiting to spill.
If you use a meat thermo, just put one per rack. I used them originally, but for my last 9 butt cook I went with a set of skewers to test.
I normally cook my butts in the 260 range. These cooked at 230 because the temp did not want to come up, so they took a little longer than I am used to at 260ish. Looking back at old cooks that I used to do around 230, they took a similar amount of time.
Getting to 230 took 1.5 hours. Normally I am up to 260 in 30-40 minutes with a lot of meat. I started with 3/4 lit; I would definitely go with 1 full chimney lit. I attempted to get up to temp faster by cracking the door, which isn’t so easy on the 22. A couple weeks ago I cooked 9 butts and cracked the lid instead, got to temp MUCH faster. Because of this I want to install a second top vent on my 22 since I will use it a lot for these large cooks.
Neither on my 12 butt or my 9 butt cook did I initially rotate or move the butts. On the 12 butt cook, the top 4 butts were not close to done when the bottom 8 were done. On my 9 butt cook, the top 3 were closer this time, but still not really close to the bottom 6 once they were done. On the 12 butt, the top ones took 2-3 hours after the bottoms ones were done. On the 9 butt, they took 1-2 hours more than the bottom ones. I would suggest putting your smaller butts on top.
I used more charcoal than normal because I used a lot of it getting up to temp. I think a full lit chimney at first would help this, but you are still going to use a little more. For the 12 butt cook, I used a 23 lb bag of blue K in the ring, plus what went in the chimney. I then had to add a couple handfuls towards the end finishing up the final 4. Ditto for the 9 butt cook.
I am also going to get a clay saucer to absorb some of the initial heat instead of just going with an empty foiled pan.
Very important, although I did not learn it doing these larger cooks. Make sure to close your bottom vents before you remove the lid to remove the butts. It will take awhile to test all the butts and to get them off the smoker. Your temp will soar if you keep the bottom vents open. Wearing hi temp food gloves will speed up removal. I use Steven Raichlan’s. They originally came in an off white, which mine got trashed quickly Just got a new pair in dark gray and they clean up much better.
If you have any other questions, just let me know.
I'd do half of it a few days before the event. Vacuum seal and freeze it. The day of the event you do the other half. While smoking, I'd have the frozen already thawed out and heated. Once the meat you're smoking is done and ready to serve, pull and add the hot vacuum sealed meat to it. That way you mix it in and no one will be able to tell that it was done before.
Lew Newby
R.I.P. 1/26/2024
I read somewhere that you can put the apple juice and/or the pork drippings right in the vacuum bag before you freeze it. You can then drop the bag in boiling water and heat it that way. I've heated pulled pork in the oven, in a crock pot, and in boiling water and I added Apple juice to all. All tasted great.
I wanted to let everyone know how it went. I had 10 pork shoulders (about 80lbs) and a 12lb brisket on my 22.5" WSM. No water only a foiled pan and pot base. I started it with MM. A full ring (20lbs) and about 15 lit coals. I let my stoker bring it up to temp. I put the brisket on first (6pm) then added the butts a few hours later. I have added a middle rack so I had 4 on the bottom, 4 in the middle and 2 on top with the brisket. It was a little tight on top until they started to shrink. It did increase the cook time some, but not much. In the morning the fire was still going strong. I had to add a few handfulls of charcoal to keep it going till the end of the cook, but I think I only used about 25lbs total. The butts on the bottom were done first, then the middle, then the top. My poor wife pulled pork for over 4 hours! I have ordered a Roman Pork Puller and can't wait to use it!
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 Ryan Ko:
My poor wife pulled pork for over 4 hours! I have ordered a Roman Pork Puller and can't wait to use it! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
For it to take THAT long, you really oughta try cooking LONGER AND SLOWER.
"LONGER" so the meat is tender enough, and "SLOWER" so that there is little if any connective tissue or fat to remove besides the cap on the outside. <span class="ev_code_RED">One thing I've since learned is that all that internal fat and connective tissue doesn't necessarily render without a long rest, even if cooking for SIXTEEN HOURS, like the other day. Those 9lb+ butts were about the best I've done yet, but I didn't let 'em rest since I panned them for the next day's lunch. Since both of them were so juicy and tender, I'm now thinking that if ALL the fat and connective tissue is gone, then the butt is cooked past prime. I'll definately be thinking about how hot and how long I can hold (or slow cook
) pork butts in a hot cooler from now on.)</span>
Believe me, it shouldn't be NEAR that much of a chore. Besides, the meat will hold more moisture if left kind of chunky.
My poor wife pulled pork for over 4 hours! I have ordered a Roman Pork Puller and can't wait to use it! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
For it to take THAT long, you really oughta try cooking LONGER AND SLOWER.
"LONGER" so the meat is tender enough, and "SLOWER" so that there is little if any connective tissue or fat to remove besides the cap on the outside. <span class="ev_code_RED">One thing I've since learned is that all that internal fat and connective tissue doesn't necessarily render without a long rest, even if cooking for SIXTEEN HOURS, like the other day. Those 9lb+ butts were about the best I've done yet, but I didn't let 'em rest since I panned them for the next day's lunch. Since both of them were so juicy and tender, I'm now thinking that if ALL the fat and connective tissue is gone, then the butt is cooked past prime. I'll definately be thinking about how hot and how long I can hold (or slow cook
Believe me, it shouldn't be NEAR that much of a chore. Besides, the meat will hold more moisture if left kind of chunky.
Sorry, no pics this time. I was too busy to take the time. The buts were about 190 or so when they came off. They didn't all come off together the lower ones were done first. There really wasn't much fat left on them, most of it had rendered by that time. When they came off I tented them with foil and let them rest for 40mins. Some of them rested longer by the time we go to them. They were still pretty hot as usual. I didn't put them in the cambro this time since we were pulling them right away, vacuum sealing and freezing. I have about 27 butts left to do for this job, but I am waiting until I have the new pork puller.
Dave Russell
TVWBB Honor Circle
Ryan, cool. Sounds like you roll old school like me, with the exception of a long rest in my case since we usually eat bbq for supper. I was just checking since there's so many different skill levels here.
Man, you are doing some SERIOUS smoking, and evidently your wife is SERIOUS about it as well. A night on the town might be in order.
Man, you are doing some SERIOUS smoking, and evidently your wife is SERIOUS about it as well. A night on the town might be in order.