Time to start?


 
B

Bob Kuester

TVWBB Member
I could use a bit of help to determine what time to start 2 pork shoulders (just under 20lbs together). The wife is taking them to work for BBQ day. (no, not invited, just doing all the work) she leaves the house at 7am and will have it for lunch at noon. I plan on sending it whole, double foiled and wrapped in towels in a pre-heated cooler. I would love for the pork to be done at 6:45. If worse comes to worse I can always deliver it, but would rather not. So, I'm trying to get as close as possible start time. Cooking at 235 w/bbq guru. Weather looks great for today. mid 70’s and going down to the low 60’s overnight. The guru has worked great for me so outside temps shouldn’t be a problem. My thought was to start at 3-4pm today. any thoughts?

Thanks

Bob…
 
If they are bone-in and you are cooking on a WSM, 15 hours might be way too long.

With them sitting in the cooler for 4-1/2 hours, I would be shooting for 195°F pulling temp. You need to go back to some recent cooks at similar outdoor temps. I take it with those posted temps, you are in the north.

I'm thinking 10-12 hours will provide the much needed slow roll to 195. Since your target time is 0630-0645, You could always get up about 3 am and check. If it's sitting at 167°F, you might look at increasing the Guru 10 degrees. If it's higher, drop it.

My bone-in butts have been cooking in 8-10 hours since April. Winter adds a couple of hours to that down here.
 
It's way easier to hold than to hurry up. I would do 4-ish this afternoon. That factors in a couple hours of "wiggle room"

They will be great!
 
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Thanks guys for input. I decided to go with a 3:30 start. One of the butts is bigger then the other by about 2-3lbs. The large one must be a 12lber, so I think I'm going to put the small one on the lower grate. If they get done too early, I will just pull and refrigerate. She can do the re-heat at work.
 
Even if they're done at 3am, I'd foil them and wrap in several layers of thick towels. They'll stay hot, 140+, for hours. If you put them in the fridge at 3am, I doubt they’d be cooled below 40 by 7am, especially that 12 pounder. I think it’s better to keep them hot.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by bob kuester:


im not sure if this will work </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Not unless your home computer is setup as a server. And I don't think you want your C: drive open to the public.
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You'll need to use an image host like ImageShack.


<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"> If they get done too early, I will just pull and refrigerate. She can do the re-heat at work. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Don't pull. Keep them whole, wrapped in towels, and pull about 30 minutes before she leaves.

They'll never cool down fast enough to go into the frig and you can't put hot things into your frig!
 
Well, it looks like I will have to deliver the pork to her work. I woke up at 3am and the temp was 161. I bumped up the heat from 235 to 270 and foiled it at 5am with the temp at 165. now its at 175. This could be my longest cook yet. Going into the 16th hour.
 
Sometimes they just do that! Below 250,I usually allow 2 hours per pound of the largest butt. It'll usually be done sooner but as others have said, the wiggle room is nice so you don't feel rushed.

I just want to know if that WSM is new or do you take it through the carwash and wax it with carnuba bean wax after every cook! Wow!

Pat
 
Hi Pat, it’s 2yrs old. I do keep the outside clean but the inside has a nice build-up. And no, I don’t wax it….lol just a heavy duty digresser I get at Sams club. It cleans the heaviest of build-up.
 
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