Labor Day Weekend Party Plan


 
V

Vin

TVWBB Fan
I'm having 10 people to feed on that Sunday at about 2-3 PM... wife and others are handling the sides and dessert.. I'm in charge of meat.. I've got a WSM and a Weber Genesis gasser with a smoker box... Here's my plan of attack...

Saturday..
Pork butts on WSM bottom rack (8-16 hrs, depending on foiling or not)
Chicken Wings on WSM top rack (about 2 hrs)

My plan Saturday is to have the butts on the WSM by 7-8AM. Using the "quick cook" method, have the butts done by around 5pm. Put the chicken wings on right after the pork is done. Pull the butt around 6-7PM.. Cover, put pulled butt in fridge overnite. Take wings off after 1.5-2 hrs. Cover and put wings in fridge overnite.

Other option is to start the butts on Friday nite without foiling and let them go to Saturday afternoon. I know foiling the pork butts isn't the best method, but is it worth the overnight cook? I'd probably be able to start it sometime around 7-8pm. Then start the wings mid afternoon the next day.

Last option is to start the butt during the day on Saturday, do an overniter and hope it's done by 8AMish next morning. I don't have a Maverick ET73 so I'd rather not risk an extinguished fire. That'd be a disaster.

Sunday
3 racks of Baby Back Ribs on WSM (take about 5 hrs total)
ABTs on Genesis (1 hr)
Fattie on Genesis or WSM (2 hr)
Crisp and Reheat wings on Genesis (2-5 min)

If I start the ribs at about 9AM, I can prep the ABTs and have them on the Genesis around 12:30 or 1sh. If I can fit the fattie on the WSM with the ribs, I'll put that on at about 11:30-Noon. Otherwise, on the Genesis. Throw tray of Pulled pork in oven at 250 to reheat. When the ABTs are done on the Genesis, throw the wings on teh Genesis on med/hi to crisp them up.

Anyone have any comments or suggestions? I've probably overanalyzed and overplanned this way too much.. but it's the scientist in me to have things laid out and orderly.
 
Hi Vin,

How large are the butts? I would be inclined to start them on Saturday with a targeted finish time of around noon Sunday at which point I would foil them and place in a cooler for resting.

While the butts are finishing you can put the ribs on to stay within your projected 5 hour cook time.

I would do the butts on the top rack, start the ribs on the bottom on Sunday, then move them to the top once you pull the butts.

I'm doing a very similar cook this Sunday, except doing brisket instead of pulled pork.
 
Too much food, imo, to wait to cook the butts. Anything happens Saturday night to screw up the flow and you'll have nothing in the bag. Get the butts out of the way by doing them Friday overnight of Saturday early. (No need to foil--I don't like foiled butt either--simply cook hotter (270-280 grate) and the cook will be shortened.)

Have fun. Sounds like a great weekend.
 
Kevin,

That was my thought... I'm too new at this to be working on a "high wire"... I'd rather be safe and get it out of the way.

When you guys do overnight cooks, how much babysitting is required? Is the cooker fairly stable? We're expecting fair weather, so I don't think I have to worry about wind knocking it over, and the WSM is on my stone patio.

I'm a bit leery on doing an overnighter.
 
I just did an overnight cook and I didn't have to babysit at all. Using the minion method is the way to go. Just be sure to check the weather. make sure there is no rain predicted over night. If there is or just as a precaution cook under one of those fold out tarps.
 
Don't be leery Vin. As Paul notes, no babysitting needed. There are times when weather, a wayward piece of smokewood, whatever, can cause temps to end up higher or lower than your target over the course of the night but this is easily dealt with. The big deal is paying attention: Not a few members here, on occasion, have had higher temps at some point in the night and discovered the door on the ground (check the door and be sure it's latched!) or that in the rush to assemble the middle wasn't placed securely on the bottom, leaving a gap. Those sorts of things.


Kevin
(originally from Newington, Conn!)
 
Thanks all...

I think we'll try doing the overnight cook on Friday-Saturday if I can get everything together after work... Otherwise I'll do the quick cook Saturday.. My wife thought our "quick cook butts" came out so great, but we both want to try the difference without the foil.. we both love the crispier parts.

I'll be sure to post pics and let everyone know how it turns out.
 
Vin,

I can vouch for what Kevin says. I did my first overnite a couple of weeks ago. I woke up when I heard a loud storm outside. I looked out and saw that my side door had fallen off and the temps were in the 325 range. I quickly put the door back on and got the temps back down. In spite of the spike, the butts were unbelievable. They can take the swings pretty well and I'm sure you'll be fine. If I can do it, anyone can.
 
UPDATE...

Guys.. cook turned out awesome... other than a few trips back here to assure myself that things (water drip, butt plateau) were normal.. everything went very smoothly...

18 lbs of butts netted us about 8.5 lbs of pulled pork. We made 3 racks of BBRs, 2 fatties, 2 types of wings, ABTs, 2 homemade BBQ sauces, slaw, beans, cornbread, fruit salad, orzo salad, zucchini casserole. We had a feast.

For dessert, my wife made a golf cart cake and some amaretto chocolate cupcakes..

Here's some pictures of the spread.
ClikHere
 
Everything looks great, Vin. It already looks like you've been doing this for years. (And the golf cart cake is too cool!)
 
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