Can someone please explain how/why the more pounds of meat you cook the increase in cook time? I do not understand why, if I add more meat it takes longer. To me, a 250 degree grill is 250 degrees whether it has 2 racks of ribs or 5 racks. but that does not seem to be the case. Anyone offer some insight?
pounds of meat vs. cook time
- Thread starter drew c
- Start date
George Curtis
TVWBB Olympian
meat absorbs heat to cook. the more(mass)that is absorbing the longer it takes.
Yes, 250º is 250º but does it stay at 250º?
When you put cold meat into a hot WSM, the meat will begin absorbing heat energy, reducing the ambient temp, until everything comes back up to temp.
The same thing happens in your kitchen oven. The big difference is the oven's thermostat will detect the temp drop and kick on the heating elements to compensate.
Unfortunately, unless you're running a BBQ Guru type device, your WSM has no way to "kick on" more heat from the coals.
Cooking time, once up to temp, really doesn't take much longer. It's the temp recovery that adds more time.
Recall the rule of thumb - every time you lift the WSM's lid, it adds 15 minutes to the cook time.
But ... how much longer are we talking about? When I do 1 or 2 butts, the overall time really isn't much different. All sorts of variables are involved from cook to cook that adding an extra butt or a couple more racks still falls within a ±25% 'tolerance'.
When you put cold meat into a hot WSM, the meat will begin absorbing heat energy, reducing the ambient temp, until everything comes back up to temp.
The same thing happens in your kitchen oven. The big difference is the oven's thermostat will detect the temp drop and kick on the heating elements to compensate.
Unfortunately, unless you're running a BBQ Guru type device, your WSM has no way to "kick on" more heat from the coals.
Cooking time, once up to temp, really doesn't take much longer. It's the temp recovery that adds more time.
Recall the rule of thumb - every time you lift the WSM's lid, it adds 15 minutes to the cook time.
But ... how much longer are we talking about? When I do 1 or 2 butts, the overall time really isn't much different. All sorts of variables are involved from cook to cook that adding an extra butt or a couple more racks still falls within a ±25% 'tolerance'.
K Kruger
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">every time you lift the WSM's lid, it adds 15 minutes to the cook time. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Except that it doesn't. I've no idea where that got started but it doesn't hold.
More meat mass does mean more of a heat sink. How much more depends on the mass of the meat and the cooker design.
If putting meat into a hot cooker one can compensate, as Travis alludes, by heating the cooker more before adding the meat so that the heat sink has less temp impact.
I virtually never put cold meat into a hot cooker. I always Minion the start. If I'm cooking a lot more meat than usual I simply start with more lit (if I am concerned about time, which isn't often). Though a larger heat sink has its effect, and the cook time might total more, it's rarely a dramatic difference.
Except that it doesn't. I've no idea where that got started but it doesn't hold.
More meat mass does mean more of a heat sink. How much more depends on the mass of the meat and the cooker design.
If putting meat into a hot cooker one can compensate, as Travis alludes, by heating the cooker more before adding the meat so that the heat sink has less temp impact.
I virtually never put cold meat into a hot cooker. I always Minion the start. If I'm cooking a lot more meat than usual I simply start with more lit (if I am concerned about time, which isn't often). Though a larger heat sink has its effect, and the cook time might total more, it's rarely a dramatic difference.
Michael O'Neal
TVWBB Member
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by K Kruger: