Can someone check my schedule please? First major smoke this weekend...


 
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Lee A

TVWBB Member
So we're having an early 4th party this weekend at my place and I'm planning on serving 2 large butts, pulled, and 6 racks of BRITU ribs. I'm telling folks that the food will hit the table around 5-6 Saturday evening, showup whenever you want to around then.

Our estimates are around 15 people or so, possibly 20. I'm pretty sure all the meats will go far enough to feed people but I would like someone to check the schedule...

Ribs are no brainers, they're getting membraned, cut, and rubbed on Wed night. Going into the smoker Thursday night and will simply be reheated Saturday. I could possibly wait until Friday night to smoke them before I throw the butts on, but 1 more night in the fridge won't matter I don't think.

Anyway butts are getting rubbed Thursday and being pulled out to warm up at 9:00 Friday. Minion start at 11:00 and meat going on the smoke at midnight and should finish up around noon Saturday. I want these to finish early because of horror stories about butts getting stuck at the plateau.

Reheat ribs starting about 3:30-4'ish and serve everything at 5-6 sometime.

So? What am I missing?
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">So? What am I missing? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Size of the butts, whether or not bone-in, and what your cook temp plan is.
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">...horror stories about butts getting stuck at the plateau. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
They're supposed to. It's part of the low/slow process.

If 'large' means over 7, bone-in; and temps will be <250-260 lid, you'll likely need more cooktime. But it is quite possible that you will need more anyway. Start earlier; butts hold quite well.
 
I'm not a big fan of reheated ribs, they're OK, but if dinner isn't until 5 or 6, if it was me I'd consider doing the ribs that day, depending on spares or BB's and time them to pull them off right around dinner time and really impress your guests.

I'd start the butts around 9 or 10 also, depending on your definition of large (over 7lbs each).
 
Lee, Sounds like a good plan. The butts could go on a little earlier, I have had had some go 15 -16 hours and others 12 hours or so.

I am with Bruce, I would wait on the ribs and put on right after pulling the butts. Re-heated ribs do lose some flavor and texture I think. When the butts come off should still give you 5-6 hours or so for the ribs to meet your serving time. From my expereince even if you are a hour late serving everything will be fine, most people understand.

Good luck with it and let us know how it turns out. And have fun!!

Randy
 
Hmmmm.... ok let's try this schedule then...

Butts go on the smoker at 8:00 Friday, should pull those off sometime around noon at the latest. Those can get foiled and dropped into a warm Igloo until 5:00. I'll heat up a brick and drop it in there also.

Ribs get membraned/rubbed/cut on Friday and put on the smoker between 12-1 and pulled off whenever we eat. They get a 30 min foiled rest and then we serve.

So turning the smoker around from the butts to the ribs shouldn't be too hard. Both recipes (BRITU and Mr. Brown) require a 250-ish cooking temp. May just need a few more K's and it should be good to go, eh?
 
Lee, That will work about just about right. When I pull the butts I refuel the WSM and clean the grates a bit and put the ribs on. I take the ribs right off the WSM and serve myself, they don't really need a rest like the butts do.

This will create more work for you all on one day so do what you are comfortable with, either way will work out great.

Randy
 
Thank you guys much for the help!

Randy, you know how it goes... you get a large group of friends and family and you want to show off your best, right? I'll do it all on Fri/Sat and get it knocked out at once. I've got one close friend who's really looking forward to ribs and I want him impressed, hehe.
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Lee - It seems like you deviated from your plan to cook the ribs early. The modification is fine.

From a party host perspective, pre-cooking the ribs and reheating is a great way to do it. Honestly, your ribs, even reheated will be a hit, everyone will love them. There's something impressive about a clean showered host just mopping some sauce on some finishing ribs...so nonchalant and casual...let the folks at the party believe its a piece of cake to serve outstanding ribs like that...The only bit of rib advice I'd give you if you want to impress guests is don't strive for that perfect rib that has a little tug to it...just go for over tender, fall off the bone ribs. That's the way the majority of people like them, so give 'em what they like!
 
I agree reheated ribs may be better than what most have eaten. To me I preffer to not reheat them. Definately not the same. Butts on the other hand reheat well and no noticeable taste difference with it.

I open a Q shack on the weekends and I always cook butts thursday night and take off, rest then pull the meat. I put meat into pans and put in a mix of water and apple juice in the pan during reheat.

You could do the butts immediately followed by ribs. Personally that would scare me. It seems everytime I have a tight schedule the meat never gets done when it is supposed to.
 
If you do end up putting the ribs on on Sat, you can pull the butt prior to it being to temp and just finish it in your oven so the WSM is open for your ribs. The butts will have plenty of smoke by then and just need to be finished. Plus it makes the house smell awesome! haha

Good luck with it all!
 
Joe, you're saying cook for the plebes, not the judges? I like it!! Gonna adjust the schedule so the ribs get 5-6 hours on the smoke. Should just about make the meat fall off the bones.

Jeff, my oven's lowest temp is 170... if I've foiled the butts how long can they safely stay at that temp? I figure I'll pull them right before yanking the ribs off the bullet.

Jim, that's cheating. I love it! I know from my previous smoke that because of the way the wind blows around here that most of the house will smell really good already. Added a couple heated butts should be... incredible!
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">--A complete and total lack of fear and common sense </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Ah yes... a man after my own heart!

I agree with allowing at least 16 hours for the pork to cook - that's what mine usually take if I don't foil them. Ditto on the ribs - when we're feeding anyone other than judges, my doneness test is whether I can grab the end of a bone in the middle of the slab and slide it cleanly right out of the meat. Overdone for comp purposes, but that's the way Robert and I like them - plus it makes a fun theatrical presentation to demonstrate just how tender those ribs are right before you sic the hounds on the meats. Same with the bone in the pork butt - he loves to get an audience and ask them if they've ever seen a popup timer for a pork butt, at which time he will dramatically slide the perfectly clean bone out of the middle of the meat before pulling. For some reason people seem to like this bit of showmanship.
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Sounds like you have your meats well taken care of.

How about sides? We could probably point you in the direction of a few, if you need some new ones. I have a corn pudding recipe up here that I had in the Tulsa World last year - easy to make, goes well with barbecue, and people seem to like it. How about beans? Ya'll like sweet baked beans or pintos over there 'cross the border?

Be sure and take plenty of pictures. As you know, we like to drool over food photos!
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BTW - we were in Bentonville not long ago - we worked and judged at the "Fire Up Your Grill in Bentonville" competition that Ducks Unlimited does over there.

Keri C, Hot Wire BBQ


2 well-worn WSMs
1 Diamond Plate Products "Fat 50" with chrome Peterbilt stacks (a girl's gotta have her bling)
1 ECB (retired)
1 Stumper Gravity Feed clone, size XL (under construction)
 
Keri, looks us up next time your in Bentonville, first round is on me!

Thanks for the corn pudding recipe, I'll add that in next time! Sounds tasty.
 
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