Four Butts vs. One Picnic - Cooking Differences?


 
J

Jim W.

TVWBB Fan
Okay it shows what a pork newbie I am. I just realized that the wonderful pork "butt" I cooked a few weeks ago was actually a Picnic! It was sure good using the Reknowned Mr. Brown recipe here though.

My next project will be to do real butts and I figured to fill the smoker up. Four butts cost less than the four slabs of baby back ribs I usually cook so it's not a big investment.

As a relative amateur, (Maybe a dozen WSM cooks over the past two years), is it harder or different when cooking multiple butts?

My "routine" with the WSM is Minion Method with Kinsford, Brinkman pan full of water, candy thermo in the top vent, Polder in meat on the top rack. I generally have no trouble keeping the vent temps very stable at 240F for 12 hours.

I was thinking of doing four butts with two "Reknowned Mr. Brown" and two "Slathered with Mustard & Rub". I would do an overnight cook in advance of a small get-together. We will only need one or two butts for the party, I just figured to fill the freezer and doggie bags with most of it. My plan will be to have the meat all done and holding a few hours early to allow for any timing problems. I'm planning on starting the cooking at 8:00 PM Friday for a 1:00 PM Saturday meal. That gives me up to 14 hours cooking, 1 hour resting, 1/2 hour pulling, and 1-1/2 hours cushion.

Is fuel consumption, temperature control, or anything else significantly different with 40 pounds of meat vs. 10?

If you experts advise against four I will just cook two butts.

Jim
 
Four will work just fine. Just a bit more cold mass going into the WSM as the temps are coming up, so it might take a while longer to get up to the "cruising" temperature.

What size are the butts? If they're about 8 lbers., I'd plan for at least 18 hours. If they're right on and cook at 2 hours per pound, you'd be cooking 16 hours and have 2 hours to rest it. I usually plan for more time, 'cause butts tend to stall on me and frequently take up to 18-20 hours just to cook.

Good luck. Better to have extra time and be able to relax, than to be right up to the wire and stressing the finish time.
 
It will take longer to get the cooker up to temp with that much mass, but, after you do, it should be about the same cooking time-wise. Obviously, you will use up more fuel. You may want to leave the water pan empty while you get the cooker up to temp, and then add very hot water, once you do.
 
Jim

I would start at 4 with either 2 or 4 butts. You can easily hold them for 5 hrs.

4 will take some longer but probably not a lot. However, you could be looking at a 18+ hour cook either way. Not always predictable on finish tine - thus, start early and hold.

You'll probably use more fuel because of the large heat sink, but it's no problem to add some in the a.m. if need be. I like the idea of cooking 4, if you're set up to properly store, i.e. vacuum seal, the balance. Of course, pull it first.

Paul

Have a great cook.

Paul
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Jim W.:
I'm planning on starting the cooking at 8:00 PM Friday for a 1:00 PM Saturday meal. That gives me up to 14 hours cooking, 1 hour resting, 1/2 hour pulling, and 1-1/2 hours cushion.

Is fuel consumption, temperature control, or anything else significantly different with 40 pounds of meat vs. 10?

Jim </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Cook all four. Might as well load it up. You will (at least) initially use more fuel to get the meat going. All that cold meat can make it take a while to get to the cooker to temp. Temp control shouldn't be any more of a problem than usual once you get there.

I would give myself way more time than you are thinking of. Unless that is as early as you can start. Four butts in a cooler can easily sit for 3 or 4 (even 5) hours and be HOT when you go to pull them. It is better to have too much time than not enough time when you have people coming over.
 
You guys are great! I love it when I can avoid dumb mistakes.

I was thinking 14 hours as being plenty of time- glad I asked. I'll plan on 18 hours cooking and if they aren't cooking fast enough I can always foil the two we're going to eat at the party.

Regarding initial temps my first few cooks heated up too fast so now I start real gently, mostly closing the vents once the temp gets to 200. I then let it creep up to 240 over the first hour of cooking time. Sounds like the greater meat mass will let me be more generous with the air.

Honestly greater fuel consumption with more meat wasn't an obvious conclusion for me. I figured that most of the heat energy was leaving the cooker, not being absorbed by the meat. Wrong I was. Therefore I guess I'll have to add charcoal?

I'd rather not start with a dry water pan for safety and convenience sake. How about starting with nearly boiling water vs. my usual practice of using hot tap (130F) water?
 
If you pour very hot water slowly at first, there should be no steam. You should be awake long enough to monitor it before bedtime. Even at 130°, you're still adding about 16 lbs. more mass in the beginning that will have to be raised 70-80°.
 
I was referring to adding water to a hot, dry pan on a cooker full of meat. Ever since going with the Brinkman pan I have filled it before adding meat. With the Minion startup method the whole cooker is pretty cool right at first when I fill the pan and put the meat on. I don't think I had to top off even when I did the 12? hour picnic cook.

Guess I better buy a long-neck water can!
 
I don't think you'll have that much trouble with a rapid temp rise because of that large mass of uncooked meat that will be sucking up the heat. I wouldn't be closing the vents down too quickly or you could have the opposite problem. The key is making small vent adjustments on the way up.

It does make for a slower process by filling your waterpan before you put the meat on and as soon as you assemble the cooker, but that's the way I've been doing it. Definitely get a platic watering can with a curved neck to refill through the access door.

Paul
 
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