Cooking for a Crowd


 
S

Scott Schaeffer

TVWBB Super Fan
I am planning on doing my first really big cook this weekend. We are having a big party and I want to impress. I plan on doing 4 butts. 2 on the bottom and two on the top. I want to serve food around 6:30pm on Saturday. I am getting butts at Sam's and they are usually around 6.5lbs to 7.0lbs when they go on. I am thinking of putting them on at 8:00pm and that gives me plenty of time.

My questions:
* Is 8:00pm too early to start? I am planning on 2.0 hours per lb. 7lb'er would take 14hrs. If it hits 2.5 hrs/lb then I have some leeway. Any suggestions are appreciated.

* Is 5 hrs too long to hold in the cooler?

* Since I have never done a 2 rack cook with this much meat, should I rotate the butts. Like halfway through move the butts on the bottom rack to the top rack and vice versa?

Please tell me what else I am forgetting because I want to wow my guests. Coincidentally this is also my first overnighter of the season so I plan on very little sleep.

Thanks in advance for all of the help.
 
I think there are diminishing returns to rotating. It might just be that the top ones finish a bit earlier, which is fine. Gives you time the wrap them in HD foil and put them into your pre-warmed cooler for holding.

Your timing sounds good. Holding time should not be a problem.

Make at least 4 great sides. Lots of good beer. When should we come over?

Q-on!

AR
 
I'm in complete agreement with Art on all answers. You should be able to sleep (if you can lose your worry about this being your first overnighter of the season). You'll likely need to dislodge ash in the early a.m.

Good luck!
 
Sounds like a good plan to me. I did notice on Smoke Day that when I held my temps in the upper heat range (250*) for all of the cook, my 6.5 lb butts were done quicker than usual. Actually they were hitting 200* when I checked them at the 9 hr mark. I figured, like you, it would be a 13-14 hr cook. Good thing I checked when I did.

About those same butts. I cooked three and only pulled one. The other two were wrapped in foil and a towel and put into a 150* electric roaster for ... get this .... 12+ hours! Not sure how acceptable this is with most of y'all. But they still came out great. Very juicy, tender, and the bark softened to an edible chew. Took three lbs to work and they loved it.

Any comments? Pro or con?

Rick
 
Rick--

Pro, generally. As long as you don't apply heat--i.e. put more heat on than the food temp is already (you don't want to keep cooking it)--it can work just fine.
 
Thanks Kevin,
I wasn't sure what to expect when I unwrapped them. Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised when I did. The moisture was unbelievable! I did spray them with aj before wrapping which probably helped.

Honestly, I was more concerned about the safety aspect of it. And apparently I was ok there.

Rick
 
Sounds good. Depending on your water pan, make sure you check it for a refill before night night time and first thing in the morning.
 
One other question:

I was planning on using 3 fist sized chunks of hickory. Should I do 2 hickory one apple? I also have some cherry and some sassafrass.

Any help would be appreciated.
 
Maybe it's just me, but I like knocking the top edge off hickory (flavor-wise). I love hickory but I also like a lot of smoke, particularly with butt. A fruitwood seems to soften hickory a bit without diminishing its overall flavor. I'd replace a hickory with an apple (or add an apple, depending on how much smoke you like).

Try the sassafras with a fresh ham.
 
Funny, I'm doing pretty much the same thing this weekend. 2 butts North Carolina style on the top and 2 butts West Virginia style on the bottom.
Plus I have another 2 butts to cook on my weber kettle bbq - hawaiian style (wrapped in banana leaves).

This is the most meat I've cooked all at once but it isn't my first overnight cook. I'll let you folks know how it turns out.

My challenge is that the party is a 3 hour drive away, so I have to have the butts done by 10am tomorrow morning to drive them to the party
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**Updated**
The results are in and the bbq was a raging success. I've posted pictures & my recipes here.Pulled Pork for a Crowd - 2005/06/10 pics

*** Updated*
 
Welcome to the board, Jon.

What are you doing for WV style? Hope you're getting them on soon if they're big boys!
 
michael--

It's definitely different. There are people that say that it shouldn't be used at all but I disagree. Somewhere I saw it described as musky which is apt. I think it's good with pork but it's not one I'd suggest for ribs. I do not use it often but I've found I like it with some fresh ham treatments. If you have some burn a little at the end of your next cook after you've pulled your meat out and smell the smoke. That should help you get an idea of what you think it would work well with.
 
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