<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Shawn W said: Since 5 pieces would very likely have a greater surface area to absorb heat and a greater surface area to volume ratio, if anything 5 3lb pieces should cook faster than 1 15lb. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Doug D said: Let's start over. Let's assume, for purposes of discussion, that pork butt takes 2 hours per pound at 225* to reach 200* internal temperature. Accepting that, one 3 pound butt therefore takes six hours to finish, and one 15 pound butt takes 30 hours. If you put five 3 pound butts in the smoker, and maintain the smoker temperature at 225* the entire time, you should be finished in 6 hours. Yes, you will consume more charcoal keeping the smoker at 225* with 5 butts as opposed to only one, but the bottom line is a 3-pound piece of pork butt will cook in 6 hours regardless of how many friends it has in the cooker with it. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
To me, these two statements sum up the arguement perfectly. The ability of a heat source to bring a cold body up to a particular temperature is also dependant upon the output energy (joules or btu) of the source. As long as the source has the ability to keep up with the load AND the losses then all is well. The load in our case is the meat. Now also true is that the more surface area a cold body has (meat), the more entry points there are for the heat energy to infuse to. So absoluetly, three 5# chunks of meat will cook significantly faster than one 15# chunk, since the 15# piece has much less surface area per volume. (mass is not an issue since its all the same stuff)... and as long as the heat source maintains a steady temp, (ie, its keeping up with load and losses) then there shouldn't be any difference between cook times for one 3# piece or 5 3# pieces.
Its also true that the more mass in the cooker, whether its water, sand or meat, the more energy the cooker needs to initially put out in order to supply the load and losses. BUT...once the cold masses start to warm up the system becomes more stable since the temp differential between the source and load becomes less and less, meaning the the source dosn't have to work as hard....time to close off the vents a bit. /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif
My head hurts.. /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif
Tony