over night pork butts


 
J

john hoyer

New member
I have done a few very successful pork butts on my wsm, but im looking to do an over nighter tonight. I have two butts, about 7.5 pounds a piece and im hoping to have them done around 5pm. Does midnight sound like a good start time, and if they get done early just foil/cooler? I know they are done when done, I like to pull about 190-195, so what time do you suggest I start tonight?

The weather should be about 25 degrees tonight, 60 percent chance of snow, with winds 5-10 knots....Im thinking minion method with a full chimney of lit on top of 3/4 full basket of unlit.

thanks
 
Depends on what temp your cooking them at. Sounds like you plan on a high temp short cook. At 225F. to 250F, you are looking at a ten hour plus on a 22in. WSM which will use more charcoal then what you plan to use. At 350F. you could finish in five hours. You don't say what kind of equipment your smoking with. Without more info can't give you much.
 
Ill be cooking at 225-250 on 18 inch wsm....starting at midnight for a 5pm dinner, so not high temp.

Im thinking 2 7.5 butts will take anywhere from 11-15 hours??
 
Sounds like a perfect plan. I do overnighters quite a bit for butts. My WSM settles in 241 for whatever reason, and that's where it stays for usually around 8-9 hours without even budging, so for overnights, when I see 241, I hit the hay. Plan on 12 hours, and if they go over, you still have plenty of time to rest in a cooler with foil. I like a good 2 hour rest, give the bark a chance go soften and let juice recirculate. I also prefer to pull them hot, and eat right then instead of re-heating.

For the minion though, I use a small coffee can, fill the charcoal ring all the way up with the empty coffee can in the middle, then pour my lit into the can, and remove the can. I usually light about 15-20 coals. If you light yours the way you described, you'll only get a couple of hours of heat and then it will fizzle out on ya.
 
After 14 hours, the butts have busted through that 160 plateau. Cant wait for them to reach 195. For the wind last night, with all the recent snow, I built a 3 foot high snow shaped "U" to serve as a wind barrier. Its sweet.lol
 
John, I did the same thing last night but started at about 5pm and took them off at about 9am. I used the Digiq 2 set at 225 and let that puppy do its thing.

Happy New Year.
 
I have two 7.5lb butts rubbed and ready to go on tonight. I am planning on getting them on around 11 for a party tomorrow evening. This is only my second cook on my new WSM and a little nervous that I will screw this up. It is about 20 degress out and just started snowing. Using minion and planning on lighting about half a chimney and throwing on top of a full ring of unlit. How long approx will that last before I have to add more charcoal?
 
Originally posted by Jason H:
I have two 7.5lb butts rubbed and ready to go on tonight. I am planning on getting them on around 11 for a party tomorrow evening. This is only my second cook on my new WSM and a little nervous that I will screw this up. It is about 20 degress out and just started snowing. Using minion and planning on lighting about half a chimney and throwing on top of a full ring of unlit. How long approx will that last before I have to add more charcoal?
Click to expand...
Jason, the temp outside isn't really a big deal, it's the wind you have to worry about. If it's pretty calm out, you shouldn't have to add any coals during the cook. Just load up the charcoal ring with as much unlit as possible. HTH
 
Thanks for the info. Well, the butts are on. I filled the water pan with hot tap water. The three bottom vents were at about 50% and the temp (according to the stock lid therometer) was 180. I opened all three vents and it moved up to about 200. I will check it again in a few min. Hopefully I can get the temp to settle in and I will sleep on it.
I am quite sure if any of my neighbors saw me standing out in the snow, wearing a head lamp, drinking beer, and staring at a "grill," they think I am totally crazy.
 
13n hours later, I just pulled the butts off the WSM. It was about 195 andfalling apart as I took it off. I double wrapped it foil and put them in a cooler. (after a few quick samples) The party is not for another 7 hours. I plan on keeping them in the cooler for at least 4 hours, than pulling them. I was thinking I would put the pork in a crock pot for the party to keep it warm. Will this dry it out, and if so, should I add some apple juice or chicken broth? This is only my second cook and what I sampled was excellent, so I really want to keep it that way. Thanks!
 
Originally posted by Jason H:
13n hours later, I just pulled the butts off the WSM. It was about 195 andfalling apart as I took it off. I double wrapped it foil and put them in a cooler. (after a few quick samples) The party is not for another 7 hours. I plan on keeping them in the cooler for at least 4 hours, than pulling them. I was thinking I would put the pork in a crock pot for the party to keep it warm. Will this dry it out, and if so, should I add some apple juice or chicken broth? This is only my second cook and what I sampled was excellent, so I really want to keep it that way. Thanks!
Click to expand...

Jason,

According to your schedule, the pork will be pulled 3 hours before guest arrive. I would put it in the crock pot on low and pour some North Carolina Kitchen Dip on it to keep it moist.

Mike Mills North Carolina Kitchen Dip

1/4 C water
3/4 C ketchup
3/4 C white vinegar
1 tsp sugar
Ground pepper and kosher salt to taste

Combine ingredients and simmer 5 minutes. I usually double this recipe and keep half for later dipping. It is perfect on pulled pork.

Regards,
Oak
 
Originally posted by Brian Curtis:
Depends on what temp your cooking them at. Sounds like you plan on a high temp short cook. At 225F. to 250F, you are looking at a ten hour plus on a 22in. WSM which will use more charcoal then what you plan to use. At 350F. you could finish in five hours. You don't say what kind of equipment your smoking with. Without more info can't give you much.
Click to expand...

I was thinking spareribs, butts take almost double the time or more depending on weight plus a full tub of charcoal. You received a lot of good info from the rest of the guys.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

 

Back
Top