Question on a Butt/Rib Cook


 
B

BrianG

New member
I am hosting a relatively small soiree at my house for some college pig viewing and lawn games. I have 2 pork butts on order with my butcher and 5 racks of St. Louis spares. So far I have done butt cooks and have done rib cooks but this is my first combo attempt so I have a few questions on approach.

I have an 18.5 WSM. The butts are bone-in from the butcher are usually around 7lbs. I would like to serve the ribs first sometime around 2 and have the butts rested and ready to pull around 4ish.

Should I plan to overnight cook the butts starting around 8 or 9 pm at 225… then move them to the same rack in the morning after they have shrunk a bit and put on ribs around 9-10am? Would it hurt the butt to add some coals at that time and kick up the temp closer to 275 for the ribs?

Any other approach I should be thinking of?
 
Me, I'd simply do both on the top at the outset. Keep your lower grate out of the cooker.

Yeah, I'd start at 8. I'd target 240. I'd use a bit less wood.

For the ribs, remove the top grate with both butts; put the lower grate in; move the butts to the lower grate; cover the cooker. Clean the upper grate; add coals and some wood; put the top grate in; put on the ribs; cover.

The increased temp will not hurt the butts. Depending on how they've cooked overnight, the time they get done can vary; it's possible they'll be done before the ribs. Feel them when you move them. Finish time will be shortened after the cooktemps rise so plan to check them sometime during the rib cook. Just remove the whole upper rack with the ribs and check the butts. If done remove them, if not cook longer. The ribs will be fine for a few minutes sitting on the side.
 
Thanks Kevin..makes sense. I figured I would have to keep an eye on the butts after upping the temp a bit.
 
Brian, you may already know this but you can wrap the butts in two or three layers of foil and then wrap them in a bath towel and place in an "ice chest" and they'll stay hot for 3.5 or 4 hours (if they happen to get done too early.)
 
Thanks Russell..yeah was planning to pull them, wrap, and store them in a cooler for 2 hours or so based on my anticipated timing of things.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Russell McNeely:
Brian, you may already know this but you can wrap the butts in two or three layers of foil and then wrap them in a bath towel and place in an "ice chest" and they'll stay hot for 3.5 or 4 hours (if they happen to get done too early.) </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

We have successfully held butts for 5-6 hours and they were still so hot you couldn't hardly pull them.
 
Save yourself some work and just start the butts on the lower grate. No need to move them at all. When it's time for the ribs, they go onto the top grate. Any overflow can go onto the lower grate.

Better yet, start the butts a bit earlier and hold them as Russell and Ryan have noted.
 
Thanks again all.

One other question.. I have started going straight foil with my water pan but thats been on rib cooks at a bit higher temps and shorter time. I am starting to get a hang of fuel/temps but would y'all suggest water in the pan for my first overnighter? I noticed I had a bag of sand in my shed as well if that might be a better option to go for.
 
I would. I do. I cook most Q at HH (I'm doing SL-cut ribs as I type - temps are ~350-375) but butts I usually low/slow. Many prefer sand - not me - I use water. If overnighting it's worth having a stabilizing heat sink, imo.
 
If you've been using water all along, I would not change for your first overnight.

I wouldn't recommend sand for a first overnight either. Though sand will regulate heat to a point, it will not stop a spike once the sand itself gets hot. Indeed it's more likely to help hold a temp spike.

I was setting up for a cook and had done several cooks using sand. But this time, I got busy and forgot to catch the temp on the way up. When I finally got out there, the temps were in the mid-300º's. Strange, nothing I did could lower the temps - vents closed, shoveling coals out. Then I noticed while on my 3rd shoveling effort, the temps were still in the 300º's despite the upper body sitting to the side. It was the sand now giving off all the heat it had absorbed.

With sand you MUST catch the temps on the way up.

BTW, I no longer use sand nor water, just an empty foiled pan.
 
Water it is... figured that might make the most sense. Thanks.

Now I just have to get through one more day at the office and one more "working" from home before getting things going Friday night.

Looks like a beautiful weekend here in the Northeast.. and some fantastic sports on the tube with college football, MLB playoffs and NFL.
 
It's really hard to get past 250 with water in the pan, I still use it for all my overnights butt cooks. Just make sure you have it full before going to sleep.

Great weekend of sports ahead, GO BRAVES.
 
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