i'm cooking two large butts tomorrow night totally 25 lbs. will these both fit on the top rack or will have to use the second rack? also i need to have the pulled pork on the table at noon on new years day. at first i was planning to start a 9 pm but now i'm wondering if i don't need to start earlier. any advise?
two butts
- Thread starter Brian J
- Start date
If you stick them on at 9 pm Saturday night, no way will they be done for lunch Sunday IMO.
Are these Picnics or Butts? I have never seen 12-13 pound Butts before, but others have. Are they in Cryopack, and if they are, are you sure there are not 2 per pack?
I would use 2 racks. Smaller of the 2 on the bottom. I had 2 10 pound Picnics on the top grate before. They touched at the start, but when they shrunk up a little, I moved them apart.
I would want it done by 10 a.m., that way it has some rest time.
Your largest one, X's it by 2 (hours per pound) and go from there. Your one butt has to be at least 12.5 pounds, and I would figure a good 20 hours for that one alone at 235 grate temp.
What temp do you plan on doing them at? Pulling them around 195?
Are these Picnics or Butts? I have never seen 12-13 pound Butts before, but others have. Are they in Cryopack, and if they are, are you sure there are not 2 per pack?
I would use 2 racks. Smaller of the 2 on the bottom. I had 2 10 pound Picnics on the top grate before. They touched at the start, but when they shrunk up a little, I moved them apart.
I would want it done by 10 a.m., that way it has some rest time.
Your largest one, X's it by 2 (hours per pound) and go from there. Your one butt has to be at least 12.5 pounds, and I would figure a good 20 hours for that one alone at 235 grate temp.
What temp do you plan on doing them at? Pulling them around 195?
adam clyde
TVWBB Pro
like Bob said, definitely start earlier. At 230-ish, I'd start a full 24 hours ahead of time. You won't have any problem whatsoever keeping 25 pounds of pork hot in a dry cooler for 5 hours or more. Don't be surprised if it takes you 20 hours at normal pit temps. It's going to take some time to get those beasts to temp, so give yourself ample time.
If you can't start that early, then I'd run your temps in the 250 to 275 range at the grate.
If there really are only two (not in cryo, like Bob said), then you may just have a whole shoulder, or a very, very large picnic. My local market sells full shoulders this time of year, because they are popular for puerto rican pernil. I saw one today for 13 pounds, so definitely could be the case. Like Bob said, if they are that big, use both grates. It's basically like having a whole hame on each grate. Not much room for anything else.
Enjoy and report back!
If you can't start that early, then I'd run your temps in the 250 to 275 range at the grate.
If there really are only two (not in cryo, like Bob said), then you may just have a whole shoulder, or a very, very large picnic. My local market sells full shoulders this time of year, because they are popular for puerto rican pernil. I saw one today for 13 pounds, so definitely could be the case. Like Bob said, if they are that big, use both grates. It's basically like having a whole hame on each grate. Not much room for anything else.
Enjoy and report back!
thanks for your replies. there are two butts inside the cryo totalling 25 lbs, i weighed it. one is a tad bigger than the other so if i had to guess i'd say one weighs 13 lbs and the other weighs 12.
24 hours uh? i guess i need to make other plans for tomorrow.
this will be my longest cook. got any advise for refueling?
24 hours uh? i guess i need to make other plans for tomorrow.
this will be my longest cook. got any advise for refueling?
Jim Minion
TVWBB Emerald Member
Is this one or two cryo packages, 12 to 13 pound butts would be the biggest I had ever seen.
Jim
Jim
Fill that basket to the rim with fuel, then when you think you have it full, add some more lol. When I need to add more fuel, I have used the Wifey's (shhhhh!) flower bed shovel with a really long handle to move them where I want them after I just toss some in by hand. I'll get "tagged" one of these days lol. Some just angle their door like a chute and let 'em fall in.
Remember a wind block if it gets windy.
happy new year everyone! things are going well. right now the top butt is at 169° so i'm thinking i should make my noon deadline with time to spare. i hand a few spikes and drops in temp but nothing outside the 250 - 215 range. things for the most part have been cruzing ~230°f.
here's a pic of the moon over bluemont
here's a pic of the moon over bluemont
i made my deadline just in the nick of time and i'm glad i started when i did. the top butt reached 190° at 11:15 am today and is now wrapped in foil and sitting in a cooler. the bottom one is still at 185° so i moved it to the top. the seconded on probably won't get eaten today anyway, these things are HUGE.
Remember Brian, if you do get pressed for time, you can wrap them and put back on. It really speeds it up. Your bark may soften a little, but mine do most times after resting for a few hours anyway.
Even if your second but doesn't hit the 190's, it will still taste great. You'll just have to sort through some extra fat while shredding. I've pulled more than a few in the upper 180's.
Even if your second but doesn't hit the 190's, it will still taste great. You'll just have to sort through some extra fat while shredding. I've pulled more than a few in the upper 180's.