Advice on my big cook


 
Status
Not open for further replies.
J

Jim Babek

TVWBB Pro
I just picked up the butts, 4 cryos of two butts each and each cryo averages 15 lbs. The final number of guests is 38 broken down as follows. 14 men, 18 women and 6 kids. Also need to factor in appatizers, 11 lbs of cole slaw, potato salad, baked beans, and corn bread along with cake and ice cream.

Ive modified the smoker to give me the extra rack so if need be the capacity is there.

The question is how many butts? I can theoretically fit 6 on the cooker at once. Keeping in mind they average 7-8 lbs each were looking at about a 16+ hour cook given the amount of meat. I just want everyone to walk away stuffed and not have to worry about running short of the pork.
 
Hi Jim,

Following the guidelines in this thread you should do between 3 and 38 butts.
icon_smile.gif


You should do three 8lb butts at minimum, I'd do four or six and foodsaver the leftovers.

If doing four I would plan on at least a 20 hour cook, and plan on a 24 hour cook for six.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Keeping in mind they average 7-8 lbs each were looking at about a 16+ hour cook given the amount of meat. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Jim,
The basic 2hr per lb goes out the window when you are doing that much meat due to the mass. I cooked 4 8lb butts and they took 21 hrs. Just make sure you give yourself plenty of time!
 
Actually, the hours-per-pound estimate goes out the window when you try to apply it to a larger-than-average single piece of meat-- usually it ends up taking less time than the rule would indicate. An 8-pounder should, theoretically, take as long to cook by itself as it would being cooked alongside three other 8-pounders if the cooking temperature is the same. Where the extra time comes in is getting the cooker up to cooking temp against the cumulative load of several butts.
 
I cooked 2 9 pounders and it took 22 hours. Plan on 24 like the above said.... Make 4 and 3 slabs of ribs for appetisers....
 
Man...now you guys have me nervous. I was planning on cooking 5 butts for a total of 45 lbs. Im definately going to start early on Saturday just to be sure. God knows they will hold in a cooler for at least 4 hours and then I can always toss them into a warm oven to hold.

So if we plan on eating at 2pm Sunday then when do you all think I should fire it up? Around 11 or 12 Saturday afternoon?
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Jim Babek:
Man...now you guys have me nervous. I was planning on cooking 5 butts for a total of 45 lbs. Im definately going to start early on Saturday just to be sure. God knows they will hold in a cooler for at least 4 hours and then I can always toss them into a warm oven to hold.

So if we plan on eating at 2pm Sunday then when do you all think I should fire it up? Around 11 or 12 Saturday afternoon? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Don't forget to add in the 'rest' time you are going to want for the butts, so if you are targeting a 2 PM start for dining I'd think you'd want to target no later than a noon finish to allow for resting and pulling. Usually better to be done early and hold the meat then to either make everyone wait or try to futz with the temps to 'speed up' the cook.
 
Hey Jim,

For five butts, putting the meat on at 10AM on Saturday sounds good to me. If ya keep your temp up consistently within range I would expect they will be done no later than 11AM the following day.

That should give you ample time to rest in foil and pull the meat plus a lttle extra.
 
Jim,
I'd start at nine or ten on Sat to make sure you end up with plenty of time for the 'cooler'. Also, you want to have a little relaxation time before all your guests start arriving. Just to catch your breath. Good luck. I think I'm going to Costco today to buy 'chuckie'.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Jim Babek:
Man...now you guys have me nervous. I was planning on cooking 5 butts for a total of 45 lbs. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
umm . . . my arithemetic indicates that you will have about 37 lbs if you cook 5.

I cooked 2 cryovac packs, about 28 lbs in 19 hours a couple of weeks ago. Outside Air Temp was in the 70s versus the 35-47 range that you will be working in. Unfortunately, I cannot find the time/temp graphs.

I agree that your timing plan is a good one to start around 11-12 Saturday. That will allow you some flexibility if you are subject to the same schedule erosions that always seem to happen to me.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> So if we plan on eating at 2pm Sunday then when do you all think I should fire it up? Around 11 or 12 Saturday afternoon? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Why not start them Friday night, pull them Saturday and just reheat on Sunday? If you are concerned about time, that is the foolproof way of making sure your meat is ready when the people are hungry. Pulled pork tastes just as good if not better reheated the next day! Enjoy your company!
 
Believe me I was and still am seriously considering beginning tonight and just reheating on Sunday but somehow its gonna detract from the whole "show" of a Q party. Wanting to show off what I got Im looking for the reaction when the cooler is opened, that heavenly smell blasts out and the people watch as the meat simply falls apart with the slightest touch.

Yeah I guess Im a bit vain.
 
Jim, you could do as Larry suggests. Use the oven method for reheating... Just do it in your WSM. Throw in a little smoke wood at the end so your guests SEE THE SMOKE. Now that's vain.

BTW. When I do butts ahead, I pull into LARGE chunks for reheating. Then I pull after reheating. I think it keeps the meat texture, flavor, moistness, etc more like it's not a 'reheat'.
 
Jim,
Chris' suggestion is perfect! Just reheat in the WSM. Or you could, throw on a few sausages or some chicken for the "show" part of the Q party!!
 
Jim, the butts need to rest for one or two hours after cooking so that the fluid absorbes back into the meat. you may be loosing moisture by a) keeping the meat on until the guests arrive and b) going straight from the cooker to the pulling. I liek Chris's idea about rewarming in the smoker.
 
Jim,

Just saw your thread. First off, DON'T BE NERVOUOS! The SO and I did this exact same cook (and it was our first ever cooking butts) a few months back. Here's how things went, and what we would do different. I cooked 4 butts using the same cryos you are prolly using. They took 20hrs, and probably could have cooked a bit longer but I was pushed for time. If I remember right two were at 185* and two were at 190*. I wanted to take them to 195* but just couldn't do it(time ran out). Once done I put them in a cooler to rest for an hour and a half. The first guests that arrived had the honor of helping us pull the meat. We had 4 of those disposable roasting tins filled up. They were the smaller ones, measuring 10" x 12". We had about 40 odd guests, all adults. There was plenty of food throughout the night, but that was it. I only had about 1/3 of a gallon size ziploc of meat leftover. EVERYONE loved it. That being said, this is what I would do different. I would try to get at least 5 and better yet 6 butts on the WSM for 40-45 adults. This should leave me with some leftovers(which of course I want and love!) and should also leave me with plenty to give away. I really wanted to have leftovers to giveaway but it just didn't happen. I would also do it at least the day before if not two days before. I was up all night tending the butts(I was worried as it was my first time cooking butts, and 4 no less!) and got no sleep. The day of the party I was VERY tired from being up all night, plus we were running waaaaay behind as to getting party stuff set up. The party was a huge success but I hardly had a chance to talk to anyone, mostly due in part to my lack of having a party knowledge. Not only was this my first ever big cook cooking butts for the first time, it was also our first time cooking for this many people.

In a nutshell, I would do the butts before hand. As to how many well thats up to you. 4 would do it for sure, and you'd end up with a little more left over than I did. Cooking 6 would just be more cool
icon_biggrin.gif
and you would definately have enough to freeze for yourself AND give away. Have fun with it, it will work out.

Ron
 
Just finished trimming up all the butts and getting the smoker ready. Im going to fire it up around 11am tomorrow/today and let her rip for as long as it takes. If they are done early I will pull and then reheat and if they get done within the estimate then even better.

One more question. How much wood? Im using cherry and hickory. Starting with 1 lump hickory and 3 cherry. Figured it would be mellower.
 
4 chunks sounds ok, safe, I would probably use 6, but you can always add more next time if you want more smoke
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

 

Back
Top