Graduation meal 2011


 
Outstanding Don! 80 lbs of pork, so it's just what 4 of you eating?
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And welcome to the forum!
 
Not only does it make clean up easier, but once the meat is pulled and shredded I add some of the drippings back into the meat. I really think it makes a difference.

Over the length of the cook I probably drained nearly a gallon of dripping from the pans. Since I use a clay pot base in the WSM that amount of drippings would have really made a mess.
 
Don, First, congrats on your son's graduation. My oldest son just turned 10, but it fear I will blink and I too will be in your shoes. I have never tried the pan under the pork, I may have to give that a try. Great looking pork, looks like there is going to be lots of good eats and great memories at the party.
Again, Congrats,
Tim
 
I took the meat off at 11:00 am, covered the pan with foil and went to lunch. Came back at 1:30 and shredded the meat. I found the meat from four butts would fit in an 18 quart roaster pan. I mixed approximately two cups of drippings (enough to make it moist but not soupy) and a half cup of Wild Willy rub in each roaster. the roaster pans will be refrigerated until Sunday afternoon when we have the party. I like doing stuff ahead so I don't have any last minute surprises and its and good thing because it rained all night last night and will probably rain most of today (Saturday). I can smoke in the rain but it's no fun.

Folks have told me they don't need any BBQ sauce when it's seasoned this way. I joking tell them they will insult me if they add sauce but I always have some Sweet Baby Rays available for those who don't mind hurting my feelings.

I saved two of the butts for my sister's retirement party on Memorial Day. I found that the pulled and shredded meat from one butt will fit in a one gallon zip lock bag. Handy to know in the future.

Doing 80 pounds of meat is more than I'd want to do by myself. My youngest son helped trim the fat off the butts (I was surprised how well he did with a butcher knife at age twelve)and rub them with seasoning; my buddy Tom helped pull and shred the meat; and my lovely daughter Emma took the pictures.

Tim, the son graduating is the middle of seven children. Just remember there is a lot of truth to the quote "The days are long but the years are short."





butts in covered foil pans
shredding meat
jelled drippings added back into meat
 
Great pictures! My oldest daughter is graduating in a few weeks and we have been trying decide what to grill or smoke for her party. You make a good case for straight up pulled pork!
 
Don that is one extreme cook! Looks like a lot of fun right up to the part where you have to pull all that pork. I'm betting all of your hands and arms were hurting after that! I saw a devise that you chuck into a drill that would have been great for doing all of that. Good luck with the party. BTW where are you located? I see your a cubie fan!
 
We held the party Sunday evening after the graduation. Everything went great and I got a lot of compliments on the meat.

I don't know how many folks we served but we used up one roaster of meat, about four butts, and 80 hamburger buns. Since some folk ate meat without a bun, I estimate we served the equivalent of 100 sandwiches. the rest of the meat I gave away or froze.

A couple of observations:
* The meat yielded about three sandwiches per raw pound of bone-in shoulder.

* I earlier said I was able to fit the pulled and shredded meat from four shoulders in one 18 quart roaster pan. That wasn't a good idea. While the meat did fit, it took nearly two hours to heat up after having been refrigerated for a day and a half. I should have put only three butts worth per roaster. As the meat was re-heating I had to add the rest of the dripping and stir the meat regularly to keep the edges from scorching.

* Counting the drippings I added when we pulled the meat and that I added when re-heating, I used all the drippings collected during the cook - nearly a gallon. I should have added more rub to the meat when I was mixing it.

All in all ti was a very successful evening and I hope I've learned some things I can use in the future.

Vince - I'm located just south of Peoria.
 
Congats on everything, Don! My baby girl graduates from High School next month. Seems like yesterday afternoon she was out playing on her swing set! sigh!! LOL I'll be doing a smoke for about 65 - 75 people. After reading your experience, I'll probably do 4 shoulders as I'll also be cooking bb ribs (figuring 10 racks?). The ex is squawking about having burgers and dogs too but since I'm cooking, there'll be none of that!! lol
 
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