first time out


 
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Pat Barnes

TVWBB Pro
I FINALLY got to take the Bullet out for a test drive. Tuesday I did three whole chickens and Wednesday I did some beef ribs.
Thanks to this webbie and all of the great tips/info it went a lot better than I figured it would. I had some trouble with the chickens as I didn't use enough charcoal to start with. They still cooked for about 4 hours and came out very moist and tender without any basting or mop. I got better the second try with the ribs and got a very consistent burn with very few adjustments.
It really is amazing how the Bullet can maintain a steady temp for long periods. I held about 225-230 at the lid for about 5 hours with no trouble.
I am going to cook 2butts for Labor day. I will try to get some in the 5-6 lb. range and allow 9-10 chours to do both. A few questions:
Since the top grate cooks faster than the bottom,is it wise to swap the butts at the halfway point?
I don't plan to go all the way to "pulled pork". I would like slicing consistency. What changes should I make to the procedure?
This is brisket country down here in South Texas and I want to introduce people to the joys of pork butts. I don't know if I can go all the way to pulled pork sandwiches with slaw and Carolina sauce right off the bat! Rather ease them into it. Any thoughts on my situation would be greatly appreciated.


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Pat Barnes
 
For slicing the pork butt cook to an internal temperature of 180.



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Chaz
 
Pat, I would allow more time. 9-10 hours is cutting it close, and you'll neeed to let the butts rest a while before slicing/pulling. If you read through previous posts, you'll find more than a few stories of having to take the meat off before it reached the desired temp so that starving guests could be fed. You can always keep it warm if it gets done early.

Regarding the temp differential between the grates, you're only cooking 2 butts, right? Just put them on the same grate. I've had 3 on one grate several times.

Lots O' Luck.
Steve

[This message has been edited by Steve Bennett (edited 08-25-2001).]
 
I would do one pulled, heck put on three and do two pulled - there is a lot of fat in a butt and slicing might not go over very well - "Deep in the heart of Texas". Make sure you have some slaw handy and lots of CWB, you could do the pulled a day ahead and re-heat and throw on some chickens that day.

May the smoke be with you,
Steve
 
Pat,

I don't number my vents but I do use a laser system to determine vent opening size, ok, I just listen to Chris in his main page - bottom vents usually darn close to closed, top always wide open. As for positioning my unit I use a GPS unit after speaking to my astrologer, ok - I have a big old piece of slate which I use to level "my machine" and I keep it out of the wind.

I would do pulled pork well ahead of time, do you have the site for "The Lexington Collection"? - some great ideas there.

May the smoke be with you,
Steve
 
Hey pat. I would go ahead and cook it to the pullable temp if you think it will be too fatty for your guests. The longer you cook
the more fat will be rendered out of the Butt. I like to use that sweet and sour cole slaw they sell at HEB. It goes pretty good with pulled pork.I also mix in a good amount
of Carolina red sauce and let it set awhile.

Heh... before I started reading this group and the KC BBQ Forum, I didn't know what a pulled pork sandwich was. 100's of brisket
chicken and ribs, ya know. Now pulled pork is one of my favorites.

Later,

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Couch Potato
 
This is the problem with the net - I have a dry sense of humor and I was just trying to make you ease up a bit and laugh at the entire process but since it was not a face to face conversation it was taken the wrong way.

Oh, and if you want to try out my laser system and my GPS just send me a mail. In closing when I went to culinay school we were not permited to use a scale or any other measuring tool (except for baking) - cooking is an art, not a science.

Regards,
Steve
 
I really don't use a laser system or a GPS but I do use a Polder (you can buy direct and save money for tacos). I use two probes, one in the butt and one in a potato, it is really great as I don't have to open the lid - that is why my cooking times are short.

Last but not least, big butts are good - "except on women" I like mine about 8 pounds.

May the smoke be with you,
Steve
 
Jury duty from hell! - five years ago I was on jury duty for three weeks. My boss was getting pissed so on the third Thursday I asked the judge after we all were seated if this was going to last much longer as our employers were all getting pissed, the next day it was all over.

Eight pounds sounds like a lot of butt but a heck of a lot of it goes away. I hit 300 for a few hours until I got it down to 257 - on at 6:30am off at 12:00 (don't open the lid). It takes a while to cool, do it a few days ahead of time.

See if you can get another probe for the potatoe thing.

Regards,
Steve - ps, Chef's sells some quality stuff, it may even be a Polder - the connection is real simple and you don't need two computers just a few extra probes.

[This message has been edited by NJ Steve (edited 08-27-2001).]
 
I've eaten at 612 a few years back. Good food. I stop in Trudy's once in awhile to
sit on the deck with a plate of Nachos and a couple of 'Ritas.

Hmmmm... upscale Trudy's?!! Will they be serving more of a interior Mexico menu or the same Tex-Mex? Will it be dfferent food altogether? They serve mostly Tex-Mex now.

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Couch Potato
 
Good idea letting this thread go - but I do want to hear about how your party works out.

Regards,
Steve
 
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