Wsm 18.5 boston butt question

[resstealth]

Hey all, have a big smoke coming up and need some info. I need to smoke a couple 18 pound butts Thursday. Am I going to be able to fit these on my 18.5?

 

[dirtsailor2003]

18 pound? Yikes that's big! The biggest I've ever found were ten pounds. With two racks you should be able to cram them in there. Are you sure it's not two 9 pound butts per pack? That's usually how they come here.

 

[hillbillyrkstr]

I've seen the 18+ pounders at Costco. HUGE!

 

[dirtsailor2003]

I've seen the 18+ pounders at Costco. HUGE!

Hmmm, our costco has 16-18 pound packs of butts but it's two nine pound or two a nine and a 8 pound butt not a single.

 

[hillbillyrkstr]

I believe the ones I've seen at Costco is the whole deal. Butt and picnic all together and not cut up.

 

[resstealth]

Nah dirt they're 18 pounders. What do you say guys, am I gonna be able to fit these?

 

[Rafter H BBQ]

Nah dirt they're 18 pounders. What do you say guys, am I gonna be able to fit these?

resstealth, I have an 18.5 WSM & to try & fit them bad boys IMHO.... That's gonna depend a lot on the shape of them, if they are thicker ... I'd say it's gonna be close if they do fit, do ya have the butts yet or ya gotta go get em ?? Might sound weird, but if ya haven't picked them up yet.... Ya may measure them !! Then again if they are touching the sides ya won't possibly get the proper airflow unless ya cut them in half..... Ya have another smoker ? Trying to help here & think outside the box !

 

[dirtsailor2003]

Nah dirt they're 18 pounders. What do you say guys, am I gonna be able to fit these?

Holy pork butt!!! I'd do just what Justin said take your tape and measure em. With that said that's gonna be one long cook. I can get two 8 pound butts in my Mini-WSM but that's really cramming them in there!

 

[resstealth]

nah I wont pick them up until tomorrow, and I dont have another smoker. I figure if they dont fit laying flat ill try putting them on their sides or something.

 

[demosthenes9]

Pretty sure that if it's one piece, it's an entire shoulder.   If it doesn't fit, you could section it out into the picnic and the butt and it will easily fit your WSM

 

[noboundaries]

Just pick them up and cut off anything that doesn't fit. You can roast the extra in the oven and mix it in later. Trust me, no one will know but you.

 

[resstealth]

Just pick them up and cut off anything that doesn't fit. You can roast the extra in the oven and mix it in later. Trust me, no one will know but you.

If I end up needing to do that, how long and at what temperature should I do the extras in the oven?

 

[noboundaries]

First, check if the pieces you cut off will fit on the WSM on the sides of the big pieces. If they do, just smoke it all together with the big pieces.

If not and you have to use the oven how long will depend on the size of the pieces and the temp you use. To keep it kind of even use the same temp as your WSM. They get done more quickly than the big pieces so just check the IT every so often.

If you want it done quicker, use 325F for about an hour per pound. You can even tie the pieces together so you have one hunk of meat. Same thing, just check the IT every so often.

 

[jirodriguez]

They should fit fine, if not just take some kitchen twine and put a couple of tight wraps around them to squish them in, you can either leave the twine on the entire smoke or cut it off once the butts shrink up a bit (probably around the 8-10 hr mark).