first time using both grates


 
C

Cory L.

TVWBB Member
Have to cook for a bunch of people next week. Doing 4 0r 5 8-10lbs. butts and 4 7-8 lbs. flats. Doing the butts the night before and flats the day of.

My question: I will need to use both racks for the butts. Do I need to rotate the butts 1/2 way through the cook or just leave them in place until they are done? I have never checked, but assume the lower rack has a higher temp then the top rack. Any suggestions or thoughts are welcomed. Thanks.
 
If using water the lower grate often starts out with a lower temp. I don't bother rotating, I just put the smaller butts there. Temps tend to even out between the grates as the cook progresses. If using sand or ceramic in the pan temps tend to be higher at the lower grate. Because of the proximity of the bottoms of the lower butts to the heat emanating from the pan, rotation is sometimes required, but usually only if cooking at higher temps.
 
Cory, which army are you cooking for? #1 on Kevins answer. Temp variation seems to me more prominant at the edge of the grate near the smoker wall. I tend to turn the meat away from the higher heat in rotation.

Mark
 
Thanks for the tips. I won't worry too much about rotating the butts. I will use water in the pan for the butts and will smoke them at around 250 or so. Sister-in-law is getting married and I have to cook for the prenupt dinner. There may be as many as 70 people there although I would imagine it will be around 45-50. I am figuring I will have around 16-18 lbs of pulled pork finished and the brisket. I don't want to run out of meat and the various families can all take some home to eat later / freeze whatever. My 14 year old son can eat a 9 lbs. butt by himself in 2 days, Ha! That kid will eat a sandwhich for breakfast, mid morning snack, one for lunch, mid day snack and 2 at supper time. The meat won't go to waste but now I am thinking perhaps I am making too much. Oh well, the good news is I am not buying the meat so if there is extra, oh well!!! Thanks again guys I appreciate it as I have been a little nervous about this cook for awhile now.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">My 14 year old son </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Aw, the perfect eating machine. I raised two. They went through food and milk ( 3 gal a day)like it was their last meal. They always seemed to be eating something all the time.
 
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