Wedding reception for 150 w/ sides

puggeh

Newbie

Original poster

May 13, 2015

3

10

• May 13, 2015

• #1

I am cooking for my own wedding reception, i am doing pulled pork sliders (Pre-plated) with a mess of other sides.

My only issue is the fuel. i do not know exactly how much to purchase.

I have a (brinkman?) horizontal off set smoker.

I am doing 8 Boston butts, at aprox 10 lbs each (Bone in)

I will be doing a 12 hour smoke.

what i need is to know:

How much fuel do i need per hour? (Lump charcoal / wood chips for flavor)

Is there anything i should watch out for? (Being my first major smoke)

 

capt7383

Fire Starter

Mar 26, 2014

54

16

• May 13, 2015

• #2

Never disagree with her. And No that doesnt make you look fat

 

mummel

Master of the Pit

Apr 8, 2015

2,294

64

Massachusetts

• May 13, 2015

• #3

First smoke, 150 guests?  I'm no rocket scientist, but this seems a bit risky no?

 

drewed

Meat Mopper

Apr 10, 2015

238

30

Waukesha, WI

• May 13, 2015

• #4

I'd not use lump, it is too finicky for long smokes, go with briquettes.  I'd buy at least 4 bags, but it is dependant on the weather.  

 

dirtsailor2003

Epic Pitmaster

OTBS Member

Oct 4, 2012

21,947

4,224

Bend Oregon

• May 13, 2015

• #5

I'd plan on more than a twelve hour smoke, unless you plan on running your smokers pit temp higher than 300 degrees. I'd figure more around 16-20 hours and another 2-4 hours of rest time and time to pull. I hope you are doing this cook several days in advance and not the day of your wedding.

As for fuel that's a big whatt if. What if it rains, what if the wind blows, what if the temp outside is 30. It will also take more fuel to get your smoker up to temp with that large of a mass of fuel. I'd suggest a test run and time everything to see how it goes.

 

Last edited: May 13, 2015

puggeh

Newbie

Original poster

Thread starter

May 13, 2015

3

10

• May 13, 2015

• #6

dirtsailor2003 said:

I'd plan on more than a twelve hour smoke, unless you plan on running your smokers pit temp higher than 300 degrees. I'd figure more around 16-20 hours and another 2-4 hours of rest time and time to pull. I hope you are doing this cook several days in advance and not the day of your wedding.

As for fuel that's a big whatt if. What if it rains, what if the wind blows, what if the temp outside is 30. It will also take more fuel to get your smoker up to temp with that large of a mass of fuel. I'd suggest a test run and time everything to see how it goes.

Click to expand...

I'm smoking the meat a week in advance, i had read somewhere here before asking that, smoking then freezing the meat, then reheating it the day of is a good idea.

i am planning on June 6/7 for the smoke (Reception on the 13th). and according to http://www.accuweather.com/en/us/salt-lake-city-ut/84111/june-weather/331216 Looks to be in the high 70's (Yes, i do understand that this can and possibly will change.)

@mummel:

I've got 16 years cooking experience under my belt. i have smoked things before like a single 8 lb turkey, but i haven't done anything on this scale before.

@Drewed:

I assume you are talking about 20lb bags?

 

jcbigler

Smoking Fanatic

SMF Premier Member

Jun 1, 2015

520

76

Chouteau, OK

• Jun 4, 2015

• #7

How big is your smoker?

8 butts seems like a bit much for a normal home sized offset smoker, unless you are going to do them in stages. 

Since it's your wedding, the only thing I can recommend is finding someone else to do the smoking and cooking. You're going to be so tied up with other wedding things and keeping your bride calm that you won't have any time left for cooking. 

We feed about 120 people at my wedding with 8 full sized briskets. But I put my dad and brother in charge of the smoker and didn't do a damn thing (other than peek into the smoker to get a waff of the hickory smoke).