Process for Smoking for Other People?

[scdigger]

Hey guys..

Been smoking meat for a while, but just for myself. My mother-in-law is having a Christmas party on Saturday and she has asked me to smoke a couple of boston butts for them to have bbq. I have a 6 and 6.5 lbs. butts.

I know how to actually smoke the meat, but I'm interested in your process for doing something like this for somebody else.

Meat needs to be ready to serve between 4-5 p.m. on Saturday. Here's my plan. Please let me know if you would approach it differently...

1) Prepare smoker to put meat on by midnight Friday night.

2) Once temps and everything is settled (propane), sleep a while...

3) 4-5 hour mark insert meat thermometers...sleep some more...

4) expecting meat to be ready around the noon to 1:00 p.m. mark...

5) remove meat, foil, put in cooler...

6) 4:00 p.m. remove meat, chop...

7) eat

I know I'm probably overthinking the process, but just looking for input. would you start it earlier? later? Anything different?

First overnight smoke to prepare for an afternoon party.

Thanks for ANY input...

Greg

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• scdigger
• Aug 7, 2013

 

[magslam]

I think you have it pretty much check; last time I did a butt, just like you, only I statrted the smoker a bit earlier and timing at 11:35. The but was 7 something lbs, so I had a bit longer than you. It did stall but not much, less than 2 hrs.

Again, I think your shcedule is righ on target. My .02¢

Good luck!!

 

[little smokey]

If you are nervous about timing(cause no one likes a mad mother in-law) in any way why not smoke it the day before and reheat using a crock pot.  I reserve my juices after defatting them and pour them back into my meat once it is pulled and seasoned to my liking(since I worry about it drying out in the reheating process).  I honestly feel the extra time sitting in the fridge does my PP good and lets the flavors marry better.  My wife has commented a couple times that my PP out of the freezer is better than the stuff the day of.  

 

[ak1]

I'd put it on a bit earlier, maybe by 11. Just to give yourself a bit of extra wiggle room. What is nice is that if it's done earlier you can keep it in the cooler(warmer) longer. Meat cuts have their own mind sometimes. One cut may stall a bit, one may stall longer.

 

[shoneyboy]

 
If you are nervous about timing(cause no one likes a mad mother in-law) in any way why not smoke it the day before and reheat using a crock pot.  I reserve my juices after defatting them and pour them back into my meat once it is pulled and seasoned to my liking(since I worry about it drying out in the reheating process).  I honestly feel the extra time sitting in the fridge does my PP good and lets the flavors marry better.  My wife has commented a couple times that my PP out of the freezer is better than the stuff the day of.

 

[txhomebrew]

I agree with the crock pot idea. And I always have small bottles of Apple juice in the pantry I can add if my P/P seems to dry.

Prost!

Tha Beerman!

 

[magslam]

My crock pot got the handle separated from the glass cover. Svcks!!

 

[geerock]

Absolutely do it a day or 2 early. Flavors all meld together nicely and no chance that you'll be the goat for being late with the chow.