Trying a slightly new method


 
T

T Bounds

TVWBB Super Fan
Tonight I'm getting ready for my labor day bbq, a 5.5 lb butt for the in-laws, whom I love. They want to eat at 4 p.m. tomorrow and my butts consistently take 2 hrs per pound. I way prefer LOW and slow, so that means 11 hours of cook. I also prefer to not hold butts too long or warm them at all, so my goal is always a 3 hour window of finish time.

All that to say I want to start my butt at 3 a.m. but I don't want to do all the "hard" lighting and temping work at that time of the morning. So, I just packed the ring, lit 10 coals, and started the wsm at 11:30. I've hooked up the guru to hold the temp at 210. I'll get up at 3, put on the butt, toss on an apple and pecan chunk, and let the guru do the hard work and head right back to bed. Hopefully when I get up things will be working and sometime around 2 or 3 the butts will be ready.

I've never done a long start time but logically there seems to be no problem if I hold the temp steady and use the guru. I have a solidly packed ring that should last 14-16 hours at tonight's conditions and such a low temp. I'm looking forward to seeing how this experiment plays out!
 
As it turns out it's working like a champ. The time is a bit long since I've run it at 210 all night and day with the butt on the bottom rack. As we stand it's at 196 after 12 hours. I'm not bothered by the time, but granny is waiting! I expect butterness to arrive any minute now!
 
Well, all turned out great. The butt was tender and juicy at 196 and wrapped up at 3:30, a whopping 12.5 hours at 210! I cranked it up to 260 around 2:30 just to help it along. I can say I'm now convinced that LOW and SLOW is the best way for me to smoke butts. They work out juicier for sure for me, but I'm not sure I like more than 2 hours per cook. I think I'll back up to 225 and shoot for 2 hours or less per cook. But today was a big hit for all the in-laws; they licked the pan clean, literally! I saw them picking at the pan, the shredder, everything, just to get the last drops, and then the complaints came when people didn't get seconds or thirds! It's good to be loved for something!
 
T Bounds said:
Well, all turned out great. The butt was tender and juicy at 196 and wrapped up at 3:30, a whopping 12.5 hours at 210! I cranked it up to 260 around 2:30 just to help it along. I can say I'm now convinced that LOW and SLOW is the best way for me to smoke butts. They work out juicier for sure for me, but I'm not sure I like more than 2 hours per cook. I think I'll back up to 225 and shoot for 2 hours or less per cook. But today was a big hit for all the in-laws; they licked the pan clean, literally! I saw them picking at the pan, the shredder, everything, just to get the last drops, and then the complaints came when people didn't get seconds or thirds! It's good to be loved for something!
Click to expand...
I am sure you have heard the quote, "always leave em wanting more".. Good job!
 
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