Good morning all-
I have a bachelor party to cook for on Saturday. Im planning on smoking some pork for the fellas. My question is what cut to smoke? Shoulder, picnic, etc..? Probably feeding around 20 guys on and off throughout the late afternoon/evening of beverages and utv riding. What do you all recommend and more importantly, I was wondering about cooking times. I know you guys probably get sick of newbies asking this question, but here lies the problem. I recently took a job with Edward Jones and I have to door knock Saturday morning and travel an hour back home afterwards for the party. I will obviously have to start sometime on Friday and finish sometime Saturday and FTC for the drive home. Im most concerned with the cook time. Any suggestions would help. I've smoked a lot of things on my 4 rack digital before, but Im really trying to get the timing as close as possible. Again, I understand that is the million dollar question. Thanks again for your help.
Since your doing pulled pork have you considered cooking ahead of time this week and vac sealing it, then you could heat up in simmering water or warm up in a crock pot with some apple juice for moisture. Hope this helps, I'm sure others with more experience will be along with other suggestions shortly, sounds like a good party.
Ditto on Saber's pulled pork (pork shoulder) recommendation. Do it ahead so all you have to do on Saturday is reheat the meat.
Since you're tight on time, you might consider smoking the pork shoulder, then moving the shoulder to your oven to finish cooking. That should shave a few hours off your cook time.
Overall, pork shoulder is a long cooking cut of meat. It has always taken me less time, but I allow for 16 - 24 hours of smoke/cooking time (using the smoker only). Prep with Jan's Rub or the rub of your choice, wrap in plastic wrap and let sit in fridge over night. Four hours of hickory smoke. Then cook to 195F internal temp. All at 225F to 230F. The final step is to FTC for a couple of hours, then pull the pork. I usually will start the smoke so that it runs over night and finishes the next morning. You might need to recruit a smoking assistant to monitor the internal temp and take care of the FTC process on Saturday morning. Since you're feeding young guys, plan on 3/4 to 1 pound raw weight per person.
Some easy sides. Store bought potato salad, coleslaw, beans, chips. Something simple, like brownies, for desert.
Use pork butt, may be called Boston butt. It is the upper part of a whole front shoulder and lends itself to pulled pork much better than the lower half, called the picnic. For 20 guys, plan on smoke/cooking 20 pounds of raw weight pork butt. The guys are right, that is a long smoke/cook time. A way to help that along is smoke in your Bradley at 225 for 4 hours. At the end of the 4 hour period, transfer the butts to your house oven set at 225. The house oven will hold the cooking temp more stable than a Bradley will. You can simply put them on a roasting rack in a roasting pan uncovered.
Good luck and let us know if we can assist you further.
What they said...
I'd start with 20 pounds of butt (or more if it's the only protein for 20 young guys over several hours), smoke when you have time during the week, and finish half in oven, half in crockpot. Shred together and refrigerate to reheat at the event.
(Damn, that KyNola is a fast typist)
In addition to ditto-ing all of the sound advice you've already gotten, I would suggest erring on too much, especially if this is one of those bachelor parties which might include copious amounts of beer and/or other libations. Never know when a late night sammie might be needed (or the next morning! :o)
I'm concur with everyone here as well. cook ahead of time and reheat in simmered water or crockpot.. trying to time it right with 20lbs cooking will be very difficult.
agrees with above
Cook ahead and reheat and error heavy on the meat. SAMs / Costco has 2 packs of pork butt. Don't forget the coleslaw to top your sammies... Good luck
I have been figuring 1 lb of raw butt per person. Because i figure 50% shrink and waste. This allows me at least two 1/4 lb sandwiches. Some eat 1 some eat 3 so it all works out. Of course there's a lot of side dishes too!
but like what was mentioned, smoked anything is amazing, but anything drunk is even better. and if anyone crosses the "line", second time around the pork will probably taste better then potato salad lol.
What they said
Shoulder
Shoulder
Shoulder
Also called a Boston Butt.
Figure up to 24 hours total cook time and place in a crock pot with some apple juice to reheat. Figure a few hour to reheat.
I also recommend a cut with the bone. They just seem to finish an taste better.
Whatever you do DON'T RUSH IT!
It is done when you reach your desired internal temp.
Good luck and let us know how it turns out.
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So... figuring 20lb raw and 10lb finished..
This a Bachelor Party, right?
I wouldn't figure on anything going quite to schedule.
So, all I would add is... pack the finished pork in smaller foil packets.
Don't set it all out at once, or it will get dry and rubbery while God-Knows-What might be happening.
Small packets heat up quick as needed. No sense in 10lbs sitting out for extended periods of time.
In addition to apple juice (or whatever you like), add some BUTTER and it will hold longer/better.
You won't even taste/notice the butter --- but it will help a lot in holding; much better than water-based-whatever (IMHO).
Awrighten.