Two big pork shoulders - side by side or stacked?

[TSR6]

First time doing two 8lb'ers.

Should I stack them - didnt know if it was cool to have one drip on the other. Offset stack so drippage is minimal, or try my darndest to put them on one shelf? (think it'd be tight)

Smoker is just coming up to temp now, and realized I didnt think of how i'd put them in.. lol

 

[TSR6]

Just put a spare tray on top of my two shoulders that are still plastic wrapped.

I'd have about 1" or less between them on the same shelf. I'm thinking two different shelves, offset?

 

[hillbillyrkstr]

Same shelve or different shelves really doesn’t matter. If you use different shelves keep an eye on temp because one shelve could be hotter than the other. Might have to switch the butts between shelves in the middle of the smoke to keep them close to finishing at the same time .

My mes smokers are hot on the bottom and top shelves so I always use the middle two shelves. The smokers are also hotter in the right side so I move my butts around when needed.

Scott

 

[kmmamm]

Whenever I am doing less than a full smoker (8 butts in 40"MES) I use seperate racks, and position the butts on opposite sides of the smoker. Allows for good air circulation and faster cook.

 

[TSR6]

I did mine on the middle two shelves on my smoketronix - offset . They're cookin!

 

[jbellard]

I would put them side by side so they cook evenly. Otherwise you’ll have to switch them around.

Good luck!

 

[SmokinAl]

Well what did you decide to do!
Either way remember to take some photo's so we can see your work!
Al

 

[tiros]

Whenever I am doing less than a full smoker (8 butts in 40"MES) I use seperate racks, and position the butts on opposite sides of the smoker. Allows for good air circulation and faster cook.

How long does it take to cook 8 butts? How long till the box is cycling on thermostat? The reason I ask is that 4 butts is my maximum in my MES40 mainly because the box can not get to 225 for a long time when stuffed with so much cold meat. 8 Butts in my area is 65-80 lbs. That is a huge thermal mass. The element will burn 100% of the time and the lower peices will get done much too fast wrt the rest of them. My box is hotter on the right, I criss-cross them usually a little more than half way through. I use 4 probes as per my MES brain transplant project.

 

[dr k]

Yes that . Especially when meat in a packed smoker is encompassing the sensor. I just flipped the heating element on my Gen 1 40 to center it and protect the exposed element from constant drips and also using the PID. A large turkey alum pan on the bottom rack with foil over the top that goes into the pan a couple inches is the best drip pan for even heating I have found. The false bottom drip pan helps control vaporizing grease. It butts against back wall with a few inches on the left and right and four or so infront at the door. Sliding the pan an inch left or right gets even temps but centered is great so far with the top right vent.

 

[kmmamm]

Good question! When the temp is set at 230, I can count on about 18 hours. I generously salt and pepper the refrigerated butts , then let them set on a cooling rack covered under a clean cheese cloth for 4-6 hours before placing in the MES. That brings the temps up to just under 40F before I place them in the smoker. I use a MES cold smoker attachment and keep the door closed for the first 12 hours. At 12 hours I move the top rack to the bottom and the bottom to the top. Beginning at 15 hours, I probe each butt hourly, pulling the done ones and move the remaining butts towards the hot spots until they to are done. Tried and true method, it works well for me.

 

[tiros]

Good question! I generously salt and pepper the refrigerated butts , then let them set on a cooling rack covered under a clean cheese cloth for 4-6 hours before placing in the MES. That brings the temps up to just under 40F before I place them in the smoker.

I hope you don't mean you are leaving the meat at room temperature for 4-6 hours, that would be a real bad idea! The surface temperatures would be in the bacterial danger zone for far too long.

dr k ,
I tried the element flip long ago, it didn't work out so well for me. Based on your post, I think I will try it again. I think the false bottom pan is a great idea! Are you talking about one on those oval turkey pans? Do you put it on the wire shelf? Where do you put your PID probe? Do you cover the flipped element in any other way besides the turkey pan?


1 2
3 4
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I put mine under and between 1 and 2

 

[dr k]

I hope you don't mean you are leaving the meat at room temperature for 4-6 hours, that would be a real bad idea! The surface temperatures would be in the bacterial danger zone for far too long.

dr k ,
I tried the element flip long ago, it didn't work out so well for me. Based on your post, I think I will try it again. I think the false bottom pan is a great idea! Are you talking about one on those oval turkey pans? Do you put it on the wire shelf? Where do you put your PID probe? Do you cover the flipped element in any other way besides the turkey pan?

1 2
3 4
____
I put mine under and between 1 and 2

I Hang/secure probes from the top rack to keep wires up and away. My chamber probes are between the top and the rack below. One on the left, one on the right and one centered at the back, The PID probe is at the back with the chamber probe so four probes measuring second from the top rack for testing which is my go to rack. The PID sensor is clipped on top of the top rack so it heats as fast as the others but not slower for preheating, being the controller probe and the top rack being a little hotter than the middle two racks. They all stablize within a few degrees of each other. Cutting the rim of the turkey pan and pinching the corners to straighten the flared walls so it butts against the back wall is the key with back wall mounted heating elements. The heating element is exposed with only the false bottom pan above on the bottom rack. A disposable smaller alum baking sheet or foil covers the turkey pan and handles drips from a couple side by side BB ribs. The exposed element seems to have quicker responses with the PID. If anything the element is totally covered from drips being flipped and centered and doesn't super heat that right wall compared to the other walls, being surround by air in the middle.

 

[tiros]

dr,

Had to tell you how nice the turkey tray worked out for me. My Gen1 drains its grease out to a bucket set up behind it. With your method, nothing even hit the bottom tray! The MB tray is to ovalish, and no matter how much foil i wrap it in, it all ways gets under it. I especially like how the hole in the center, allows the drips in, but not so much grease vapor out. Now I can just throw the whole mess away. I think the smoker will stay cleaner too.

Thanks again for the tip! Cleaning up is no fun!

PS:I didn't flip my element as the screw heads are too far gone now, so I slid the pan right, and noticed more even cooking. I use 4 probes in 4 butts, then I rotate once around 170 to get em closer together.

 

[dr k]

dr,

Had to tell you how nice the turkey tray worked out for me. My Gen1 drains its grease out to a bucket set up behind it. With your method, nothing even hit the bottom tray! The MB tray is to ovalish, and no matter how much foil i wrap it in, it all ways gets under it. I especially like how the hole in the center, allows the drips in, but not so much grease vapor out. Now I can just throw the whole mess away. I think the smoker will stay cleaner too.

Thanks again for the tip! Cleaning up is no fun!

PS:I didn't flip my element as the screw heads are too far gone now, so I slid the pan right, and noticed more even cooking. I use 4 probes in 4 butts, then I rotate once around 170 to get em closer together.

I haven't put a hole in the disposable alum baking sheet on top of the turkey pan since it has a short rim to contain drips. I was thinking about a hole like you mentioned to drip into a large soup can to hold juice in the turkey pan but my smokes aren't very large/messy other than an occasional packer brisket.

 

[dr k]

I finally got to take pics. For Mes 40: Bottom rack in backwards with disposable turkey pan butt against backwall with rim cut off and corners pinched to square up the pan walls. The 15x11 disposable baking sheet rim sits on top of the pan walls. Manages drips for two side by side bb slabs and vertically staggered pork butts. Throw the pans away as needed. The turkey pan wall height makes all the difference to move heat off the back wall than just putting the baking sheet on the bottom rack against back wall. Controls splattering fat and greasy vapor, being higher from the element and false bottom. Move pan left or right against back wall to even heat. No place inside for Amnps with gen 2/2.5. I'll still use smaller disposable roast pans with racks inside them on the top three racks if I want juices. I like a clean electric seasoned smoker like a grease free kitchen oven.

 

[tiros]

I understand now. My turkey tin might be a little bigger. It is sort of oval shaped. I folded the rim edges up to square it a bit, covered the top of it with foil, then pressed on the center of the foil to to indent it, where I also cut about a 2" hole. The grease hits the foil, and drips down into the turkey pan. When its done I throw the whole thing away.

My supplier sells full sheet disposable aluminum trays (looks just like your turkey cover only larger) that fit inside the very bottom tray. I just poke a small hole near the rear drain and it lines it perfectly. I find the aluminum foil likes to glue itself to whatever it touches, that's why I like this idea so much.