What wouldya do?

[Dave Russell]

This is sort of like a poll:

So you're gonna load a wsm full with 40 pounds of pork butts(5) to be done sometime before supper at five, and you don't typically wrap in foil til done.

Do you do the typical overnight 225-250 cook (like I usually do) and hold wrapped in a cooler for a few hours before serving, or do you just get up early and cook a little hotter? How early? How hot? (and temp measured where?)

I intend to cook to maximum tenderness for pulled pork, but all my wsm butt cooks have been overnight thus far. I used to get 'em done in my uds cooking around 275 in about 10 hours or so, but lack the confidence in achieving that with the wsm. What say you? I'd really appreciate any opinions!

Dave

 

[Dave K]

I would overnight them. Go a litlle lower than your normal temp, say 225*F, that would take 2 hrs per lb.for about 16 hr per. If you start between 10 and 11 at night, that gets you to 3 in the afternoon. Foil and keep warm till supper. That's what I would do anyways.

 

[Ron G.]

I'll 2nd what Dave said above.

 

[JimK]

I would (and usually do) do exactly as Dave described as well.

 

[JSMcdowell]

As above, cook overnight. Start early, wrap in foil when done, and hold in cooler.

This is exactly what I am doing Friday for 4 butts @ 40 lbs.

 

[Ron G.]

IMHO
When you pull the pork as you serve it / just before serving, it is the best that it will ever be.

I also think that "resting" it in foil, in the cooler, for a while, improves it.

A real treat for your guests!

 

[MKEvenson]

Dave, I personally don't enjoy overnight cooks cause I wake up every hr to check things out whether they need it or not. I feel terrible the next day if I don't get my beauty sleep. So I opt for an early morning start, cook at a higher heat say 325-350, foil at about 160 and cook till done. I like to have the meat timed so that it is ready about 2 hrs before service, cause it never goes exactly the way I think it will. Holding till ready to pull or slice is no problem.

Mark

 

[Dave Russell]

I'm not surprised by the replies so far, and I really appreciate them all!

I'll probably just end up doing what I usually do and rely on water in the pan, Stubbs briquettes, and my Maverick Redicheck for peace of mind after putting the meat on at about 10:00 or so.

I just wanted to try a little faster cook but didn't know how much time I'd need if targeting 275 with that much pork butt.

Thanks!
Dave

 

[Bob Sample]

I'd overnight it. Have a few beers while you prep and then head for bed, have a nice sleep and then a relaxing day with a few more beers knowing that your good to go.

Or

Get up early and start stressing about getting the smoker going,the meat on, running a hot enough temp but not to hot so the **** thing is done before the guests get there. Oh and you didn't pay close enough attention so dinner will just be another hour folks so go ahead and play another game of crochet. Well maybe we will have desert first and I'm sure the pork will be done in just another hour.Then go get a beer to relax and remember you forgot to go to the beer store. **** I should have put the thing on last night.

 

[Buzz Price]

What Dave K said .. You have a WSM and it will hold nicely for at least 6 hours so you can get some sleep. Make use of the equipment you paid for. I recently did 6 (48 lbs) butts on a 70° night with RO and it held the 225° for more than 8 hours.

 

[John Solak]

Most if not all of my pork butts are overnighters but I use a Guru. I set it at 220 and put the meat on around 10 or 11 at night. The smoker is right outside of my bedroom window so I can hear the alarm but it has never gone off. The temp is rock steady. I get up a couple of times a night anyways to do my nightly thing you do when you get older and the temp is always at the setpoint. Its a lot of $$$ initially but $$$ well spent IMO

 

[Phil Perrin]

Got to overnight it. Beats getting up at 2,3,or 4 to try and get it done. Like I've said before,Ron Popeil ain't got nothing on set it and forget it like the WSM!

 

[Erik Gerharter]

Know what you Know, Know what you don't know! If you're used to cooking overnight, stick with it. Save the high heat cook trial for your co-workers or neighbors. You'd hate to fudge up on that amount of meat.

 

[Michael G. (Canada Mike)]

I always overnight, but at my age, getting up about 4 am sot of happens regularly - smoke or not. There's no reason to get up more than that. The extrA time you're allowing means if the heat falls, you have the option of cranking it up later.

 

[Chuck_B]

I would overnight it. Especially if you have an auto temp control hook up.

 

[Brad W]

I've done a large cook (100+lbs) a few times and based on those cooks I would do the overnight. When you are cooking larger amounts of butt there can be a big difference in your cook times and the stress of needing to finish the meat by a certain time versus having it done holding in a cooler is not worth it.

 

[David-B]

i prefer the long cooks to be at night also, I generally stay up late on the weekends anyway so I check on the smoker once or twice then head to be around 12am or so

 

[Dave Russell]

If that's not a consensus, I don't know what one is. Thanks for all the replies and input!

 

[Russell McNeely]

One more vote for overnight - especially with that much meat. I'm only doing one pork butt this weekend and I'll be doing overnight. I'll just set my vents to run on the low side of my target range so there's not much danger of running to high. If need be I can always crank up the heat a little bit the next day (as Canada Mike pointed out).

 

[Rich G]

Dave-

I think you'd really be better off borrowing all of your friends' crockpots for this one. No sense messing with charcoal that gets your hands dirty, and having to deal with all that smoke and grit and stuff.

Just thought you needed an alternate view point. Oh, and don't forget to add liquid smoke to the gallon of sauce you smother everything in......no one will know you didn't make it on the grill.

Rich