Briskets and Butts a plenty

[roksmith]

All,
I am stepping up next weekend and doing several briskets and Butts at the same time for a large event.

The current plan calls for 3 packer briskets and 4 picinic/butts.

My typical Butt or Brisket plan would allow for 12 hours...but I've never done as many at one time.

This event cannot be delayed for meat not being done!!

My current plan is that I have the meat on the smoker by 7pm..planning on the meat being up to temp by 10am in time to wrap for an hour then pull/slice.

The meat must be done and ready to munch by 11:30 am...no room for delay.

Am I allowing enough time?..or am I missing something??

I will not be near any sort of home cooking device...I'll be set up at sort of a picinic pavilion.

Thanks All!!
-Rock-

 

[icemn62]

I would cook the meat a day or two ahead of time, then warm it up on the day of the event. would that be possible? I tend to find that large cuts of BBQ can not be timed exactly. When I cook, the meat gets done when it is good and ready, plus I always plan for something to go wrong, that way when it does not, I look like a genius.

Just my cents worth of information. This is why I don't like to consider catering as a way to make side money.

 

[roksmith]

I thought about that..unfortunately I would have to cook it 4 or 5 days in advance in order to have the required time to cook it.
The event is mid-week and I'm not sure I'd have the space to store it properly once cooked.

I'm really hoping that by expecting a 12 hour cook and allowing for 15-16, that I would build in enough time for the unexpected.

I know that with ribs and chicken, you can wrap then in foil and crank the temp up to 300 or so if you are running over on time..I'm fairly confident I could get away with this with the butts...only the brisket has me a bit concerned.

I hear of folks knocking out a brisket in 8 hour or less...and I have had flats done in about that timeframe..but I guess it's using the packers that has got me wondering.

 

[cajunsmoker]

Hey Rok,

Any chance to start the cook at 5Pm instead of 7Pm?

I cooked 1 brisket and 1 butt this weekend and it took 16 hrs to get the brisket really, really tender.

I could have pulled it a little quicker, but the results wouldn't have been as good.

The butts shouldn't be a problem though.

 

[roksmith]

I can probably get a fire going in it by about then.
I may end up taking a couple of hours off the day before so I can get 'er going earlier.

Id rather have the first couple of hours of cooking by daylight anyways so I can make sure she gets going right.

 

[monty]

Rok
Here's a dumb, but relevant question....have you ever cooked this amount of meat at one time in your unit? Just the sheer volume alone will add time to the process. I am with Rodger on this one! Start earlier!
Cheers!
Monty

 

[cajunsmoker]

Rok,

They way my smoker is set up I run at a constant 225. At that temp with my meat it took 16 hours. If you can kick yours up to about 250 - 275 for the first three or four hours, and then back down to 225 - 250 after that, you might could cook a littler faster than normal.

Other than that, I think you need to start a littler earlier to be absolutely guaranteed to be ready on time.

 

[roksmith]

Monty,
I've had it full before...21 slabs of ribs and a dozen or so chickens..

But, I've never had this many large pieces of meat in there.

I think I will try to get it cooking by 5..I'll feel better with a little extra cushion

Maybe I'll get lucky and find a wi-fi spot for my laptop in case I need some help.. :roll:

 

[roksmith]

Rodger,
So you think it is better to go hotter early instead of later in the cook?

btw..

You ever tried "Slap your mama" seasoning?
My mom brought me some up from Mud Bug land on a visit last month...just tried some on some Red Beans and was pleasantly suprised!!

 

[Dutch]

Rok, I'd go with the earlier start time, too.

 

[cajunsmoker]

Hey rok,

No, never heard of "slap yo mama". Mine slaps back :oops:

Yes, I have had my best results on briskets when I hit them real hard with heat (275) or so and lots of smoke in the first four hours. Fat cap down always. Then ease back to 225. It seems to cut a couple of hours off the smoke. If I had people waiting to eat, I WOULD NOT COUNT ON IT WORKING!

Start a little earlier and be sure. :D