50th Birthday

newbrian · Jun 25, 2016

Hello everyone! My wife is turning 50 this summer and we decided to have a bar b que. i got my Oklahoma Joes smoker 2 months ago. The party is July 16 and I am cooking for about 80 people. I've been smoking on it every weekend since I got it. I am learning a lot and reading posts on this site has helped me a lot!

I am thinking we are going to do 4 porky butts and 12 racks of baby back ribs. I will also have sausages through out the day until the bar b que is ready. I also have 2 Weber kettles and a gas grill.

Does anyone have any advice on getting all of this food done? Currently it's taking me about 10 hours to do a butt and about 6 hours for ribs. I have not cooked more than one butt at a time on the pit. Will it take me longer to get the butts done if I have 4 on the pit at once?

I will add the ribs after about 4 hours. Any that don't fit on the pit will go in the kettles

If anyone has any advice please post. I have to pull this off for my wife. Thanks everyone!

lemans · Jun 25, 2016

So I would put the 4 butts in aluminum pans and put them on the offset . Start them first. About 1 1/2 hours per lb at 225. I assuming you have 2- 22.5 Webers.
One set up with coals on one side and Ribs on the cool side . Don't forget a few chunks of wood for the smoke. And the second Weber for the sausages..
A lot of running back and forth but it can be done.

newbrian · Jun 25, 2016

There will be room on the pit for some of the ribs. Do you think I can put some on there? Would you do the ribs on the Weber just to keep them in one place? Thanks for the response Leman

lemans · Jun 25, 2016

Keep ribs on the Weber. After 3 hours wrap them
With brown sugar , liquid parkay , and tiger sauce
2 hours then 1 hour naked to tighten the rib up
Pork butts inject with apple juice. Spritz with half juice and half apple cider vinegar. At 160 wrap and take it to
205 . Since its in the pan you have all that great au jus
Once you separate the fat.
Sausages. You cook on a three zone on the second weber( heat on either end and meat in the center)

seenred · Jun 25, 2016

Hi Brian. First off, happy birthday to your wife! Here's my advice on this big cook:

If it were me, I'd smoke the butts the day before, then go ahead and pull the meat and store it in an airtight, oven safe container until the day of the party. Pulled pork reheats very well...just splash some kind of liquid or finishing sauce over the meat (I prefer apple juice), then put it in a 300* oven until it's hot...about a half hour or so should do it.

This frees up your smoker the day of the party for your ribs, sausages, etc. Plus this might allow the pitmaster to relax a bit more and enjoy the party.

However you go, hope it's a fun and tasty BBQ! Thumbs Up

Red

b-one · Jun 25, 2016

I agree with Red cook those butts ahead of time and avoid a disaster! Nothing like waiting for food. I might skip the ribs as well,not everyone likes pork, maybe some chicken or some Tri tip for a little less work and variety. What about side dishes?

hardcookin · Jun 25, 2016

Congrats to the Mrs....50th
SeenRed has a pretty good suggestion if you got the time to cook 2 days.

I usually just throw my butts on the smoker and at 165 you can throw them in a pan with a little apple juice and cover with foil. And then smoke them till they hit 205 or have decent bone wiggle.
Baby backs don't need as much time to cook as spares ribs. I usually smoke till 165 or desired bark.
Then foil and start checking for probe tender at 180.
Most of the time regular spares I don't even foil, I just cook them through and spritz or Moop with apple juice a few times.

lemans · Jun 25, 2016

All good ideas.

JckDanls 07 · Jun 25, 2016

I will get on the "cook the butts before hand" wagon ... as was said above... this way you have no worries of it getting done in time... It can even be cooked the weekend before.. pulled... and then froze... and then reheat in oven when needed ... makes for a little bit more of a relaxed day...

newbrian · Jun 25, 2016

Thank you. You all are great! Thanks for the advice. Only thing I can't cook the day before I have to work, so I have to do it all on Saturday

gearjammer · Jun 26, 2016

Even a few days ahead, PP just gets better with some extra age.

The flavors get together so much better.

Ed

JckDanls 07 · Jun 26, 2016

yes... do the butts the wknd before even.. only gets better with age (pun intended) ...

newbrian · Jun 26, 2016

If I do the PP the weekend before do I pull the meat or leave the roast whole until I re heat? Do I freeze it? How should I reheat it? Again thanks everyone for the input

lemans · Jun 26, 2016

Pull it before you freeze it

JckDanls 07 · Jun 26, 2016

Lemans said:
Pull it before you freeze it

:yeahthat:

newbrian · Jun 26, 2016

What's the best way to reheat it?

foamheart · Jun 26, 2016

SeenRed said:
Hi Brian. First off, happy birthday to your wife! Here's my advice on this big cook:

If it were me, I'd smoke the butts the day before, then go ahead and pull the meat and store it in an airtight, oven safe container until the day of the party. Pulled pork reheats very well...just splash some kind of liquid or finishing sauce over the meat (I prefer apple juice), then put it in a 300* oven until it's hot...about a half hour or so should do it.

This frees up your smoker the day of the party for your ribs, sausages, etc. Plus this might allow the pitmaster to relax a bit more and enjoy the party.

However you go, hope it's a fun and tasty BBQ!

Red

Otr even the weekend before........ I never try and smoke a butt on the clock, pigs can not tell time!

seenred · Jun 27, 2016

newbrian said:
What's the best way to reheat it?

There are several good ways to reheat pulled pork. I outlined what I usually do back in post #5.

You can also reheat it in a crock pot. It's important to splash some moisture in there. Again, I prefer apple juice, but there are many liquids that compliment pork. You might look up Chef JJ's finishing sauce...also great on pulled pork.

Another way, if you freeze the pork in vacuum sealed bags (and depending on the size of the bags) is to immerse the sealed bags in boiling water until the meat is hot. I've never tried this with a gallon bag, but it works great with a quart bag.

There's probably at least a couple more ways that I'm forgetting, but any of these should do it...

Red

newbrian · Jun 27, 2016

Thanks Red

50th Birthday

Smoke Blower

Master of the Pit

Smoke Blower

Master of the Pit

Epic Pitmaster

Legendary Pitmaster

Master of the Pit

Master of the Pit

Legendary Pitmaster

Smoke Blower

Master of the Pit

Legendary Pitmaster

Smoke Blower

Master of the Pit

Legendary Pitmaster

Smoke Blower

Gone but not forgotten. RIP

Epic Pitmaster

Smoke Blower

Similar threads

Hot Threads