How much Lit Charcoal for Minion Start? (4 pork shoulders)


 
B

Bryan B

TVWBB Fan
Hi all,

I'm going to be Q'in 4 pork shoulders this weekend for a big party, and am wondering how much lit charcoal to start off with the minion method. I am guessing that having 4 pork shoulders in will make it much much harder to bring the temp up. I did 16 thighs this weekend, and had to use about triple the lit coals I normally start off with to get up to 250-275 degrees.

I'm thinking I need to start with a 1/2 chimney of lit, but let me know if you have any other thoughts.

Edit: Also should add that my desired cook temp for the pork is the 225-250 range.
 
Brandon,

I cook 4 butts quite a bit in my 22.5 wsm. I use a full water pan and start with about 20 k blue lit. I never have an issue get up to 250.

Let me know how your cook goes with the 1/2 a chimney.
 
On Saturday I cooked 2 shoulders, total weight before fat trim was 40 lbs. I filled the charcoal ring (Stubbs), tossed on 2 fist sized hickory chunks then dumped two half full chimneys of ash white briquettes on top. Every 2 hrs I tossed in more hickory & topped off the water pan. Kept fire at 225 (using a Stoker). Cook was done at 11.5 hrs & there was a good amount of briquettes left over. I have an 18.5 WSM.

All that to say: I start my Minion fires with a full chimney's worth; I just use 2 chimneys half full to reduce the wait time.
 
Brian the stoker will get your cooker up to temperature much quicker than just a plain old WSM with none of them new fangled attachments.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Bob Sample:
Brian the stoker will get your cooker up to temperature much quicker than just a plain old WSM with none of them new fangled attachments. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Point taken.

I could probably cut back to one-half chimney myself... I'm just doin' what I've always done. The Stoker is a relatively new toy and I haven't thought of compensating for its abilities during start up.

Also FWIW, I cut the two pork butt into approximately 5# chunks as suggested by someone on the internet. Worked fine and I got extra bark that way.

My wife bought me some Bear Paws for my birthday last month. Saturday was the first chance I had to use them. between the Paws and good gloves I was able to pull the pork apart pretty danged easily. OMG that shoulder came out good.
 
Just one comment on the coffee can method. Be very sure that the can you are using doesn't have a soldered seam. It will reach a high enough temperature to melt the solder and when you pull it out it might spring open and possibly sling hot melted solder. Not good. Luckily most cans nowadays use a welded seam. Just be sure.

Ask me how I know....

Russ
 
Russ,

How do you know?
icon_confused.gif
 
It happened when I was melting lead in a coffee can to make lead pigs to go in the keel of the boat I was building. The side unsoldered itself and the lead poured out all over the place. I was using one of those Coleman stoves (yeah I know, young and stupid). Got burned pretty good.

Russ
 
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