Recommended start time for 2 Picnics

[jceroli42]

Morning all and happy x-mas eve,

I have two Picnics 9lb and 10lb been marinating for 24hrs. I need them off the smoker by Christmas at 11am (to get the BGE ready for the bird). Dinner will be served at 4/5pm on Xmas. The catch is I'm heading to Xmas Eve tonight from 5-9/10pm. So my dilemma is when to put them on, before or after the XMAS eve gathering.

I was planning a 225-230* and gauging it can be anywhere from 1.5 - 2hrs p/lb. I was thinking of putting them on right around 4:30 maybe at 220*. If it finishes in 15hrs (1.5hr p/lb it wikll be done at 7:30am, thinking that it's too long to hold for 5pm dinner. But if it goes 20hrs (2hr p/lb.) it will go to 12:30pm (causing my bird to get on late and pushing everything).

I guess I can start around 220*, then when I wake up xmas morning check temp and bump it up if need be?

Decisions decisions... Help Thoughts Advice :)

 

[gmc2003]

Your kind of in a tight spot as far as time goes. My first suggestion would have been to smoke it this past Sunday, but that won't work now. My next thought is to smoke it 270 to 280*. If all goes well you should be done in about 10+/- hours. Depending on the hunk of meat it should be roughly an hour per pound.

Chris

 

[jceroli42]

Thanks, yea tough spot... either throw it on now and hope it take a the long road or get it on 10/11pm and hope I can get it done within 12hrs.