Max Capacity of WSM?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Guest
  • Start date Start date

 
Status
Not open for further replies.
G

Guest

Guest
I just came home with 60 lbs of pork butt from Sams. How much can I cook at one time? I've never done more than 2 butts at a time before, but I'm cooking for a bus trip to the Peach Bowl Friday and these fans love Mr. Brown.
I have a BBQ Guru and it makes it so easy to watch football (or sleep) and BBQ at the same time.
While this is my first post, I have been reading these boards for a while and I can't really express how much I've enjoyed reading everyone's posts. They have been both enlightening and entertaining. Thank you all!
 
Hi Jack, and 1st, welcome to the forum, 2nd congrats on your Guru! It will help you out here.

I've read where some people have put 3 Boston Butts on each shelf by setting them up on end giving you 6 butts per load. The guru will bring the temp back up and stabilize it much quicker than most can do manually. But, be carefull on placement of the pit temp probe ~ There have been reports that a large cold heat sink (3 butts) will fool the guru into false readings. I usually place mine half way between the meat and the edge of the grate (Remember that the heat rises along the sides of the WSM) so don't place too close to the edge either. Also, the forced air from the guru goes down under the coals and back up the other side. I wouldn't place the pit temp probe there either ~ maybe 90 degrees from there. And with the Guru forcing air in the WSM, the temp on the upper grate and lower grate are closer but still not the same. You may need to rotate the meat or just put the lighter butts on the bottom. I would monitor both levels with temp probes to make sure.

Now depending on the temp you cook these at, your total time for 2 loads will vary allot. You need to get started tonight!

Oh, and you will probably have to refuel during each cook with that much meat in there ~ Keep that in mind.

Good Luck and Happy New Year!! /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif
 
Thanks for the reply. If I may, I'd like to pick your brain some. If I go with 6 6-lb butts at one time with the guru set to ramp with grill temp set at 225 and meat temp set at 190 how long do you think it will take. (I'll put the other four butts in the freezer for another day). I can start cooking anytime. I just need to be done by 8am Friday to catch the bus to the game.
 
Hard to say, Doc. I've not attempted it butt, if I had to guess, (6 lb butts starting at 225, then ramping down, 1.5 to 2.5 hours per lb at 225*) I think you're talking 14 to maybe 18 hours, maybe even 20. Butts are hard to guess. While not knowing about you, you can always wrap the butts in foil and towels, then place in a cooler to hold for several hours until you're ready, so it's best to plan for the worst. Also, you will loose up to 50% of your original weight to rendering fat and all that fat will end up in your pan, so leave ample room when you foil your pan to catch it all.

Good Luck Doc! And which team are you rooting for?
 
I'm going to shoot for a nice "slow-rendering" 20 hour cook. We have 40 people going on this excursion so I may to throw some tenderloin &/or some chicken on the old Weber gas grill to make sure no one goes hungry. I'll let you know how things turn out.

I'm a huge Tennessee Volunteers fan.
 
I got to see the Vols a few years back when I lived in Orlando ~ Good team!!

Take pics and post if you can.

Do I get some free medical advice now?? /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

Again, Good Luck and Happy New Year!!
 
It probably wasn't my best plan, but I did end up smoking 8 of the 6 pound buts all at the same time. I set the Guru to ramp with a grill temp of 225 and a meat temp of 190. I did have to put in about 20 extra charcoal briquettes as I kept the cook going 21 hours. After coming off the WSM the buts were individually wrapped in foil and rested in a warm "cooler" for 4 hours before being pulled and served with a variety of sauces. The BBQ was pretty good but was not as moist and tender as I was hoping for. Forty-eight pounds was probably just too much meat for the WSM and the Guru to handle. "Half as much probably would have been twice as good."
Now my only comments on the game: No BBQ for Big East Refs!
 
Probably would've been better to keep the cook to 16hrs at 2hrs/lb. I haven't heard of anyone cooking pork shoulder much longer than 2hrs/lb but of course you already know this by now. Being a Buckeye, I can't say that it hurt to much to see Clemson beat the Vols.
 
Jack
DrBBQ posted about running a cook out to 20 hours and the finish temp never got above 180? internal.
There is a big difference using that amount of time (20 to 21 hours) and having a finish temp at 190 or higher.
If your are going to do a long cook like this you need to create a stall that does not allow the internal temp above 180?.
The reason the meat was dry was because fat had been rendered and connective tissue had broken down but the cook continued.
Understand that the protein was done at 160? but the fat may not be completely rendered and connective tissues is still together. Once those two things happen (fat rendered and connective tissues is broken down) there is no longer anything to keep the meat moist.
Jim
PS: We can look at this a little differently, what if you cook butts for 16 to 17 hours to a internal temp of 180 to 185?, wrap in plastic and foil and place in a dry cooler or cambro for 3 to 4 hours. The meat will continue to cook during that folding period, when you pull it you won't find pockets of fat that amount to anything and it will not be mushy.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

 

Back
Top