How Many Pork Butts Can a 22 Handle???


 
S

S Mitchell

TVWBB Pro
Here's the thing... My son graduates this year and we had planned on a Carolina style pig pickin as he was born in North Carolina. I am now leaning towards buying another 22 and cooking butts in batches and wanted to know how many butts you guys have cooked at once. I have a 22 WSM already. Should I get another or just buy a pig cooker? Both? So many toys so little time.
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We will be cooking for around 150-200 people. Thanks.
 
Depends on what other meats are being served.

Considering no other meats, for 150 ppl, you'll need 9~13 8# butts. For 200 ppl, you'll need 13~17 8# butts. You should be able to do 8 butts on a 22" easy. Cook one batch the day before and time the last batch to be done after the party starts for the display effect.

Or you could try a Suckling Pig for the WOW effect. The PrimoXL grate measures 25"x18.75" so the piglet should fit on a 22.5"'s grate.

And it looks like it will - Piglet on a 22.
 
The most I have done on my 22 is 10 butts and have no doubt I could have 12 to 14. They might touch a little bit to start but as they shrink they will separate. I have also done 7 butts on my 18, 4 on top rack and 3 on the bottom. No problem.
Part of the trick is put them on their sides they take up less space that way and cook just fine.
 
i'm having trouble with that title. no matter what you stuff in there, make sure you have some space between the meat so the heat and smoke can reach all of it.
 
Thanks guys. It looks like I don't even need a second 22 then. I can't believe we can get that much on! Travis, I will definitely do the suckling pig!! That will be awesome! Changed the title so there won't be any misunderstandings.
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Getting in a little late but have done 125lbs of butt by adapting two additional racks, so a 22 can handle a bunch if you need it to.
 
Originally posted by S Mitchell:
Wow. I assume that you added a third grate in between the originals and then one in the dome?
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Yep, full sized between the original and a 18.5 above the top one.
 
Just be careful of one thing... with that much meat / thermal mass in the cooker, it will take longer to cook and more charcoal as well. I usually only do two butts at a time and take 8-10 hours to finish. My first go at 4 butts at a time I didn't adjust things well. It took more like 12 hours to finish. I'd suggest doing some good research and maybe to at least one trial run with significantly more meat on the grill than you usually do to get some experience.
 
Shane, be sure to do research on how to do a piglet. I'd only do 1 piglet and back it up with butt. I imagine the piglet served on a bed of PP in a long pan.


Glenn, what did you use for the mid-grate supports? Flat head screws? I don't see anything protruding on the outside of the mid-section.


Ken's, right, it will definitely take a lot more fuel. If you add the meat early on, it will take a lot longer to come up to temp. If you add the meat later, you'll see a sudden drop in temp and the smoker struggle to get back up to temp.
 
Thanks guys. That is why I want to start asking questions now. We won't have the party till June or July of next year, but I figure I better get things organized now. Plus what a horrible experiment to have...cooking as much pork as you can!
 
Done as many as 10 9lb butts in our 22". Didn't take any longer than if I was doing 2.

The one thing I would warn you to be careful of is to be wary of potential grease fires. With that many butts going you'll have a LOT of pork fat collecting in your water pan
 
Glenn, what did you use for the mid-grate supports? Flat head screws? I don't see anything protruding on the outside of the mid-section.
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I used tapered stainless steel machine thread screws, sorry can't remember if they were #8 or #10, they where 1/2" long though. I drilled the straps and counter sunk the holes so when reinstalled the screws where snug. Both my WSM's are set up with this and work great!

Shane, the butts will cook no longer than 1 or 2 butts once you reach 200+. That is the issue though. I would recommend letting them come to room temp or close before assembling the cooker (if smoke ring is not important). You will burn alot of fuel otherwise!
 
Glenn,

What does the distance between each great work out to on your 22 ? Thinking about doing this to both the 18 (for ribs) and the 22 (for butts). Is it a tight squeeze on the height for butts ?
 
JS, I went halfway between top and bottom grates (when installed). Big butts will touch the top grate. I am going to lower the middle soon, prob 1 inch or so as I don't use the bottome grate as much as the others.
 
I try to cook 10 lb butts so I might have to do some adjusting. I definitely want to use all three for butts. 120 lbs of butt just sounds wonderful.
 
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