taking the plunge and need some advice!

[winemakers]

This should be prefaced with noOBE (newbie unsure of proper spelling, in person you'd get to see the pocket protecter and know right away).

We have an annual get together on Sat for ~35 adults and several herds of children, and I was volunteered to provide pulled pork for all above age of consent.  I have +/- 30 pounds of bone in skin on butts coming from my local butcher today.  They will be fondled with rub tonight awaiting nirvana tomorrow.  I won’t know specific sizes, butchers best guess is 6 or 7 lb’ers.

The big question: What time to start on Friday?  Guessing from forum research, I’m looking at 16 hours at 220 deg for a 190 deg pull temp.  Am I close?  Got to coordinate with the honeydoooooo list of hypercritical items.  (To all with spouses: male or female, I grudgingly acknowledge that our priorities aren’t always the same!).  Trying to balance sleep, lawn mowing, beer consumption (shhhh), etc.

Guessing the following
Out of fridge at 5 am for 1 hour warm up and BS preheat
Smoke 4 hrs
Continue another 12 puts me at 10 pm, past my bedtime!
FTC necessary a newbie assumes some 2 hours,

Pull now or chill over whats left of the night and pull prior to reheating next day?

Any and all suggestions are welcome!

[nsxbill]

You might be looking at a lot longer time in smoker with the meat weight you are doing.  I will let others chime in.  Last I did took about 24hrs, but I cook at 210° F to internal 190-195°F for the best butter-like pulled pork product.  

Always fat cap up, cross hatch the fat cap while marinating to allow marinade good penetration.  Bacon on top of roast to add more flavor.

Change out your water bowl every 4 hours.  It will eventually all be fat.  Have very hot water ready to pour in so you don't cool off the cabinet.  Open door only when changing water and rotating shelves.  Don't peek in other words!  Use your remote temp thermometer as your gauge to doneness.

Remember you are doing this slowly.  Allow enough time to allow sitting for about 2 to 4 hours in FTC.  It really makes a difference in tenderness and flavor.  

Pull it all at once, and if necessary for this large group, after pulling, deposit into slow cooker with sauce to keep warm and ready for rolls, or if serving much later, into vacuum bags and then boil to reheat.

Prepare for accolades!  It will be a success!

Bill

<i>There is room on earth for all God's creatures....on my plate next to the mashed potatoes.</i>

[winemakers]

Sounds like a better idea may be (for a 4 pm saturday serve time)

Start at 12 noon fri. then the ubiquitous 4 hour hickory followed by low and slow cook period.

This would allow for close monitoring during smoke period and to develop some newbie confidence in the cabinet temp stability post smoke time.  W/O that confidence, sleep wouldnt be happenin'.  2-3-4 hours ftc, and walla, service with a cervaca (spanish speaking spelling help appreciated).

If done a little early, the forum suggests a longer ftc would not be detrimental.  A remote therm. in the ftc cooler would help the confidence factor that the meat isnt cooling into that &lt;160 deg danger zone.

Thanks, and speedy healing!

mld

[tsquared]

I would agree with Bill, Winemakers. I did 23 lbs of butt a few weeks back and it took a full 24 hours.Bill and others gave me great advice.  I only had time for about 1/2 hour in the cooler before it was time to serve. I think your noon start time is about right, or even earlier. BTW-its "cerveza", and the words are: pour more, por favor!.[8D] Let us know how it turns out.
T2

[Oldman]

winemakers,
First welcome to the boards, and good luck on the pork~~!
 
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">This should be prefaced with noOBE (newbie unsure of proper spelling, in person you'd get to see the pocket protecter and know right away).
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">Close but no cigar.... nOOb! []

Olds

[winemakers]

Thanks for the advice. Went will with caveat.  In at 11:00 am Fri, by 3:00 am Sat. internal temps at 195 on all four butts.  Cabinet temp registered 205~210 for cook cycle.  My best guess is door thermometer wasnt representative of general temp,and I was cooking significantly hotter than that.  Oh well, good product sucked down by pork guzzling masses.  No leftovers to speak of says it all.  

Batch of ABT's went like wildfire.  Another lesson learned.  Pull them off the grill and stash yourself several prior to serving guests!

thanks for the help all.

mld

[JJC]

I had to learn the "stash some ABTs" lesson the hard way myself . . . []

John
Newton MA

[MallardWacker]

At my house the Cook gets the ABT's and what ever is left-the are dispersed at that time.  I consider it tips to the cook.  You think I am kidding?


SmokeOn,

mski
Perryville, Arkansas
Wooo-Pig-Soooie

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