- Aug 12, 2016
- 11
- 10
Hey all,
I'm smoking my first full packer this weekend on my 18.5" Weber Smokey Mountain (a 15 lb. Snake River Farms beauty). I'll be using Weber's lump charcoal briquettes, which I've found to be a great fuel for long cooks.
Timing the cook is my biggest concern. I've got 30 guests coming at 2:30 PM on Monday, and I want to let it rest for 2 hours. I was planning on starting it about 10 PM on Sunday, and planning on a ~14 hour cook.
I've crutched ribs many times, and I want to be able to control the timing of this cook as best I can. I also understand that crutching really helps with brisket tenderness. I've got a roll of pink butcher paper and I've got heavy duty aluminum foil as well.
Here is my question:
My experience with smoking (most) meats on my WSM uncrutched is that they reach ~150F quite quickly, they stall, and then once they clear the stall, they slowly climb up to the target temp (~203 for ribs, pork butt, and brisket). When I crutch though (ribs for example), I find that the meat rockets toward the target temp. It barely takes 40-60 minutes for ribs to climb from 160 to 200. And this is at ambient temps in the 225-250 range.
I'm concerned that my brisket is going to hit 150 in an hour or two (with an ambient temp of 225 F), I'll crutch it, and I'll be done way too early. Is this possible, or will brisket take much longer to climb while crutched? I was planning to use pink butcher paper.
If you were in my shoes, when would you start the cook, and when do you think it's right to start the crutch?
Thanks in advance.
Todd
I'm smoking my first full packer this weekend on my 18.5" Weber Smokey Mountain (a 15 lb. Snake River Farms beauty). I'll be using Weber's lump charcoal briquettes, which I've found to be a great fuel for long cooks.
Timing the cook is my biggest concern. I've got 30 guests coming at 2:30 PM on Monday, and I want to let it rest for 2 hours. I was planning on starting it about 10 PM on Sunday, and planning on a ~14 hour cook.
I've crutched ribs many times, and I want to be able to control the timing of this cook as best I can. I also understand that crutching really helps with brisket tenderness. I've got a roll of pink butcher paper and I've got heavy duty aluminum foil as well.
Here is my question:
My experience with smoking (most) meats on my WSM uncrutched is that they reach ~150F quite quickly, they stall, and then once they clear the stall, they slowly climb up to the target temp (~203 for ribs, pork butt, and brisket). When I crutch though (ribs for example), I find that the meat rockets toward the target temp. It barely takes 40-60 minutes for ribs to climb from 160 to 200. And this is at ambient temps in the 225-250 range.
I'm concerned that my brisket is going to hit 150 in an hour or two (with an ambient temp of 225 F), I'll crutch it, and I'll be done way too early. Is this possible, or will brisket take much longer to climb while crutched? I was planning to use pink butcher paper.
If you were in my shoes, when would you start the cook, and when do you think it's right to start the crutch?
Thanks in advance.
Todd
