How close?

[juanito]

I am going to do a fundraiser for our fire department and try to smoke quite a few pork butts at one time. How close can you put them together? Can they touch? I am cooking on my reverse low homemade smoker, never put that many on it at one time. The cooking surface is 24" X 48". Just looking for a little experience.

 

[bbq bubba]

Put em in snuggled up but remember, gonna take a lot more fuel and time like that.

 

[juanito]

Thanks Bubba, should I back them off where the reverse flow turns so I will still get flow?

 

[bigbaldbbq]

Yeah Bubba is right. Another thing to keep in mind if they are touching then the area that are touching will not develop that nice bark that we all like. In fact, at least when I did it they didn't get smoke penetration in that area either.

Best would be to allow some room between them to allow that smokey goodness do it's job.

 

[bassman]

That's one reason I like my Smoke Vault. I could easily do nine butts at once and have room left over.

 

[juanito]

Those sure look tasty bassman. Not sure how many mine will hold, the most I ever smoked at once was 3 pork butts, a pork tenderloin, and a briskett. So it will be another evolution in my smoking experience. Here is the grate in my smoker, thinking about adding a shelf so I could fit in more bbq.

 

[bigbaldbbq]

Nice looking butt there buddy!! And this is really the only place where a man can say that to another man and not get punched....

 

[teleburst]

Well, there are plenty of places where you won't get punched, but you probably don't want to go to them. Then again, I guess it depends on your definition of "punched" in those places as well.

Sorry, couldn't resist.

 

[chadtower]

Damn, I guess that's one of those "you had to be there" bits of knowledge, eh teleburst?

:)

 

[bigbaldbbq]

LMAO!!! Yeah I didn't think of that, but you are right!!

 

[teleburst]

With a screen name like yours, I'm surprised you would open that backdoor.

 

[pignit]

I personally wouldn't let them touch. Even if you only leave a half inch between them, you'll get a better bark and I think a shorter cook time than if they are mashed together. I'd give them a little space. Remember too that they are going to shrink.... so if you put them in almost touching each other, you'll have much more room as they cook down.

 

[grothe]

Thanks PignIt for gettin this thread back on topic