Butcher messed up...how should i adjust tonights smoke???? PICS ADDED!!


 
W

Willie (Green Bay)

TVWBB Member
Ok guys, my original plan have changed thanks to my wonderful butcher.

I originally ordered (4) 10lb butts, but showed up at the butcher this AM to 7 smaller butts. He proceeded to tell me that 9-10lb butts are not possible. So i argued with him for a bit, mentioning i have ordered 9-10lbs butts from him in the past without any issues. After calling my 2 other sources with no success of them having anything better, i negotiated $1 off per lb.

So, the question. I have (5) butts (bone in, fat on) that are around 5.5lbs, and I have (1) around 7lb and (1) around 4.5lb. My original plan was to start around 9pm tonight, and hopefully pull tomorrow PM and let rest foiled in the cooler until 4pm and pull for 5pm serving.

Since the total lb is the same, but now i have more butts on the grates and they are smaller....how should i adjust???

I'm gonna go rub them down and get them in the fridge and I'll check back shortly.
 
Smaller butts will finish sooner. Cook time depends on the size of the pieces of meat, not the total weight in the smoker. (More total weight will probably take longer, but that's not the situation you are asking about.)

Smaller butts will also have more surface area to adsorb smoke so you can expect a little more smoke flavor in the pork.

Smaller butts will also take more space on the grates. This is one area where you could run into difficulty but you should be OK with 5 butts.

My recollection is that the higher grate is hotter and if so, that's where I'd put the two bigger butts with the smaller ones on the lower grates. With that range in weight, you might also need to finish the smaller ones earlier to avoid overcooking them by the time the biggest one is done.
 
Can't really help you on the cook, but I sure can empathize about the butcher. I had problems this past weekend with our local butcher shop. I'd like to threaten to go somewhere else, but the options are worse.
 
I'm with Hank keep the smallest ones together on the bottom rack with the biggest on top. Your probably going to have to take the small ones off first and hold them longer than the others but that shouldn't be a problem. Time your cook for the 7lber.

I remember a few years ago when my local butcher told me he was closing up shop and retiring I went home and cried myself to sleep. Took me quite awhile to find another that I liked.
 
Im sure Ive probably had a 10lb butt at some time but 99% of my cryo's end up between 15-18lbs. When I hear people saying they have 10-12lb butts, I have to kind of question that
 
Hey Willie, Because you have such different sizes of butts you smallest will be ready way before if you start at the same time. I would stagger the cook.

7lbs x 1.5 hours = 10.5 hours
5.5lbs x 1.5 hours = 8.25 hours
4.5lbs x 1.5 hours = 6.75 hours

-Start up your 18.5 WSM at 3:15-3:30 AM (Minon Method) and get it to you desired temp. 225-250 I shoot for 225.
-At 4:00AM add the 7lb to the top grate. Make the necessaty adjustments to get your temperature to 225. This one should be ready at 2:30PM (195 internal temp)
-At 6:15AM add the 3x5.5lbs & 1x4.5lbs butts to the bottom grate (add more wood) The 4.5lb should be ready around 1:00PM & the 5.5lb should be ready for 2:30PM

As the butts become ready, wrap them up in foil and then wrap in a towel and store in a warmed cooler.

There are many different ways to approach a cook such as this. This is what I have done in the past with success.
 
I am going to say, yeah, what Tim said with the added note to monitor your meat temps. Times are good estimates and you need them to plan things out. At the same time the only true measure of doneness is the temperature. Stalls and any number of things like wind can set things off course. You will want to know for sure when the meat is ready.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">At the same time the only true measure of doneness is the temperature. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Could not disagree more. The only true measure of doneness is feeling the meat to see if it's tender. Temp has nothing to do with tenderness.
 
Some pics thus far:

The Meat!
6154570142_0256ef74cc_b.jpg


Rubbed Butts!
6154570950_74e8c877cf_b.jpg


Waiting for showtime!
6154574314_4a683de469_b.jpg
 
Hey Willie, Sorry, I misread your original post. I thought you had five butts in total. Didn't do the math. I would still do the same timing but I would put 4 5.5lbs on the bottom and the rest on the top.
What time are you going to start?
 
Dang, this overnight BBQ thing is serious dedication
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Anyway, fired up chimney at 1:05am, added to WSM coals at 1:15, and at temp with meat on by 1:30.

I only have the 7lb on right now, i'll add the rest in about 2hrs.

Dome temp is reading 225, long probe thermometer is 250 and Maverick is running high at 284.

Stay tuned!
 
I probably would have loaded all the meat at once and just removed each as it achieved done but either way is fine.

Hard to say if the Mav is actually high or not. If temping the grate it all depends on placement (a key reason I don't).

Have fun with the rest of your cook.
 
I agree temperature will let you know when the meat is cooked, what temperature will not let you know is when meat is tender. Example brisket in all honesty is done at internal temp of 160-165 but the brisket will not be tender which is what one wants. Your choice cook to temp or cook to tender, i prefer cooking to tender.
 
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