I am planning on smokin for a my group at work.
Plan on smokin brisquet and pulled pork to feed a group of about 40.
I have 1 OBS with integrated PID.
4 original racks and 4 jerky racks.
2 internal probe temp monitors.
What I need advice on and help with is:
How much meat - I figure I should plan to feed 50?
Is smokin 2 different types of meat at the same time a good idea considering the different times required.
How much time would be required for smoking such a large amount of meat? Ideally would like to take everything out of the smoker at about 7am and FTC to transport to work and serve lunch (11:30am).
Trying to figure out the timing for everything as well as amount to brisket and pork butt (no bones)
Any thoughts / guidance / shared experience / Lessons Learned / etc. is much appreciated. ??? ???
Thanks
Scotty-G
Quote from: Scotty-G on March 19, 2007, 05:57:41 PM
Plan on smokin brisquet and pulled pork to feed a group of about 40.
You mean 41. What is the address? :D
You need icerat4's advice on this one. This sounds like quite a few butts...
Arcs_n_Sparks
Quote from: Scotty-G on March 19, 2007, 05:57:41 PM
Plan on smokin brisquet and pulled pork to feed a group of about 40.
I did 30 for my wifes work folks.
Did 2 briskits, 2 pork butts. everyone had 2nds and had a little left over.
Briskits i did the day before, ftc put in my warmer. The butts i did there early in the am like 3. Everyone was eatin around 3pmish. Had rolls for sopping and all the other items to go with. Makes for a long day.
Hope this helps some
nepas
I did 2 pork butts last year for my group (around 15). Did the carolina style with vaunted vinegar and slaw on french rolls. Also brought in some store bought potato salad and made some salsa for chips just to start things off.
For a traveling you doing it all, I suggest keep it simple, stick with either the brisket or the pork since they cook at different rates. If you do the time right, you will be able to take them out for FTC before going to work (give yourself plenty of time prior to departure) and they will keep in FTC for many hours. The pork is versitle (sandwich, vinegar, bbq, plain, etc.).
Enjoy and let us know what you ended up doing and how it turned out.
I generally prepare my BBQ early and then reheat; both brisket and pulled pork reheats easily. Timing BBQ is too difficult and gets me too hyper to enjoy myself if I attempt to time it to finish just at the right moment. I have smoke/cooked two butts and a brisket at the same time. The two butts fit on one shelf, and the brisket on as separate one. I started them at the same time, placed a probe in the brisket, and a second probe in one of the butts. Pulled them out as each obtained the internal temperature I was aiming for.
I then reheat the meat using disposable aluminum half steamer table pans. Depending on the size of the butts, you can get about 3/4 - 1 pulled butt in a pan, I then add vaunted vinegar and/or more rub to taste, cover tightly with aluminum foil and reheat in a preheated oven at 300°F, stirring occasionally. With the brisket I slice it thinly across the grain, and layer it in the pan, adding a mixture of 1/2 apple juice and 1/2 beef broth to each layer (just enough to moisten each layer). You can also add additional rub to the liquid mixture. Reheat in a 300°F preheated oven. I almost forgot to add, you don't want to reheat higher than 165°F.
Here's a tip:
In the summer months I use the BS to hold my pulled pork and brisket at 140°F until I am ready to serve. I have the Raptor/Guru; so after the meat reaches it's internal temperature, I adjust the temperature of the BS to 140°F. Remove the meat, tightly foil and let it rest an hour or so. Then I return the meat to the BS, and it will hold the meat at 140°F without drying it out until I am ready to serve. I guess those with PID's could do the same.
Are you the only main meal provider. If its a pot-luck like thing you can assume there will be 2nd for almost everyone. I did a brunch for about 35 people a couple weeks ago. I did two butts, about 13lbs. For work this last December there was more like 60 people, pot-luck and I brought in 19lbs of pulled pork, some had 3rd and 4th returns. Still had a little left.
We cooked the week before the event, enough time to FTC and pull the butts, then vacu-packed and used crock pots (a couple of them) to warm the pork wit Apple Juice for serving, kept the pork warm for the 2 hours or so the party went for.
Serve with variety of sauce, some go for the Carolina Red but some prever a sweeter red sauce.
Thanks for the feed back thus far
Arcs-n-Sparks : B/181 C/A-8 if that means anything to you.
Quote from: NePaSmoKer on March 19, 2007, 07:46:28 PM
Did 2 briskits, 2 pork butts...
nepas
nepas - how long did everything take to cook?
I'm leaning more towards 1 brisket & 2 butts, rolls, slaw, tater salad, etc.
Like the idea of making the brisket a day or two earlier but still have to figure out how to reheat.
Could make (along with FTC) day or two before and then, morning of, heat up in 145°F oven (or lowest temp my oven goes) for 1-2 hrs and then stack trays into a big "cooler chest" to keep warm until lunch time.
Thoughts?
I know wood has it right cook ahead of time and vaacum seal then nuke and such before serving.I am doing 40 for easter and already have done 35 pounds pulled pork and 8 pound brisket last weekend and this saturday will be the ribs 12 slabs and i have 4 meatloafs already done.Do them way ahead of time this way there no problems.The stuff when vaacum and reheated taste as good or better then when frist out of the smoker.Try this it will save you alot of headache and worries about time.Then when folks are coming over start up the nuker and the convection oven and grab a beer. ;D and enjoy your food.Thats my 2 cents ;)
Quote from: Scotty-G on March 20, 2007, 11:25:50 AM
Thanks for the feed back thus far
Arcs-n-Sparks : B/181 C/A-8 if that means anything to you.
Quote from: NePaSmoKer on March 19, 2007, 07:46:28 PM
Did 2 briskits, 2 pork butts...
nepas
nepas - how long did everything take to cook?
I'm leaning more towards 1 brisket & 2 butts, rolls, slaw, tater salad, etc.
Like the idea of making the brisket a day or two earlier but still have to figure out how to reheat.
Could make (along with FTC) day or two before and then, morning of, heat up in 145°F oven (or lowest temp my oven goes) for 1-2 hrs and then stack trays into a big "cooler chest" to keep warm until lunch time.
Thoughts?
You don't have to use a low temperature to reheat. Since more meat surface had been exposed, because it has now been either pulled or sliced; you just need to be careful that you don't let too much moisture escape during the reheating process. Also one of the reasons it tastes better latter, after the meat has been sliced or pulled, more meat surface is not exposed to the bark, which contains the flavors of the spices and smoke.
Quote from: Scotty-G on March 20, 2007, 11:25:50 AM
I'm leaning more towards 1 brisket & 2 butts, rolls, slaw, tater salad, etc.
Like the idea of making the brisket a day or two earlier but still have to figure out how to reheat.
Scott,
When I am cooking for a large group I will usually cook everything the weekend before and vacuum seal then into the fridge. If you are only storing it for a week I don't think you will need to vacuum seal, if you don't have one, but someone else here may know better then me. Then, just as IKW does, I reheat mine in a crock pot. Just add a little apple juice to keep it moist. Good luck whatever you decide to do.
p.s. Our Terps didn't look to good the other day. Pretty bummed that they got knocked out.
Hey Icerat: are you cooking those 12 slabs of ribs in the BS or some other unit? If in the BS, in shifts or at the same time? Curiosity is getting the better of me with respect to solving the BS capacity challenge.
I have 2 obs ;D ;D.So i load both up and fire it up.Sit back and watch the smoke show :D ;)
Have you ever tried the inverted rack trick with ribs? How did it work out?
Quote from: IKnowWood on March 20, 2007, 05:41:07 AM
We cooked the week before the event, enough time to FTC and pull the butts, then vacu-packed and used crock pots (a couple of them) to warm the pork wit Apple Juice for serving...
Quote from: icerat4 on March 20, 2007, 11:55:19 AM
I know wood has it right cook ahead of time and vaacum seal then nuke and such before serving.
Quote from: begolf25 on March 20, 2007, 01:23:38 PM
When I am cooking for a large group I will usually cook everything the weekend before and vacuum seal then into the fridge.
Got a vacuum sealer but here's the question -
Vaccum seal with the meat hot or wait for it to cool down, warm or room temp? Then throw into freezer/fridge warm or wait till room temp?
Thanks
Scotty,
I usually wait until the meat has cooled down just a little before I vacuum seal it. Usually by the time I get done shredding it has cooled off enough. It is still a little bit warm when I seal it then it goes right into the fridge.
I wait a lil till the stuff cools alittle .It seems to help the seal prosess IMO.Ive done it both ways and did not have any problems.Expecailly when the event is so close i dont think its going to matter.Hope my 2 cents helps. ;)
Here's a link the might be of some interest.
http://www.extension.umn.edu/info-u/nutrition/BJ640.html
This is good news ice .I follow all those guide lines so im good to go.Thanks as always on the inside track info.Your always so helpful. ;D
Scotty G, I agree with Begolf that it would not be necessary to vacuum seal if you are going to use it within the week.
If you are going to vacuum seal, here is another tip. If you have added a sauce to the pulled pork or brisket you may want to semi-freeze the meat prior to packaging, by placing the meat in the freezer for 10-15 minutes. This will reduce the amount of liquid that can be drawn out of the bag which could interfere with a good seal.
Great tip HabS. Even in the fast mode I have had it pull fluid up.
Thanks for all the tips thus far. The group hasn't been able to settle on a date yet so I am starting to make the food now and will vacuum store and freeze till they decide. Picked up 2 cryovac 11lb briskets for $1.59/lb. Pork butts will be next weekend.
(http://usera.imagecave.com/Scotty-G/Brisket/Brisket-01.jpg)
Thrusday Night trimmed it and separated into 2 flats and 2 points
Coated with Kosher Salt, Cracked Pepper, Ancho Chilli Pepper Powder, Garlic Powder and Onion Powder
(http://usera.imagecave.com/Scotty-G/Brisket/Brisket-02.jpg)
Wrapped and stored in the fridge overnight
(http://usera.imagecave.com/Scotty-G/Brisket/Brisket-03.jpg)(http://usera.imagecave.com/Scotty-G/Brisket/Brisket-04.jpg)
Friday Afternoon warmed up the PCOBS (PID Controlled Original Bradley Smoker) to 200 and trayed the flats, 2 points and trimmed off fat
(http://usera.imagecave.com/Scotty-G/Brisket/Brisket-05.jpg)
Into the smoker they went with Trimmed Fat on top, Points on 1 tray and 2 flats at the bottom
(http://usera.imagecave.com/Scotty-G/Brisket/Brisket-06.jpg)
Mesquite 1 hr, cherry 1 hr, Mesquite 1 hr, Apple 1 hr
Plan on 200 Box till IT on bottom brisket is 170 then bump up Box to 215 till IT of 180. Pull Flats (on bottom) and continue on Points (on top)
till IT of 190. FTC everything for up to 4 hrs with honey and apple juice. Slice/chop, chill and vacuum seal into freezer [thanks for the tip HabS].
Been in the smoker for 7 hrs now with Damper almost fully closed untouched. PID reads box internal temp of 170 - it doesn't seem to want to climb up to the 200 it should - has me concerned a bit. Meat read IT of 145 at 2 hr mark and still reads 145 at 7 hr mark.
Does anyone have problem with PID controlled cabinet coming up to temp when loaded with meat?
Hi Scotty
I had a little bit of trouble at first. What I did was, while smoking a couple of butts I ran the auto tune. Prior to doing that I would recommend you write down your current settings just in case. For me this worked perfect and I haven't had any problem since. You have a fair size load in there and if you ran the auto tune while the tower was empty that might make a difference.
Good Luck
Mike
Not to worry scotty, brisket and butt is famous for making you crazy at about the 140 to about 170 IT point. It is cooking (7 hours is a good while though). You are at the temp where the connective tissues and all start to break down. This activity requires a lot of energy and results in a temp stall that will last hours (more meat the longer). It does not seem like time to blame your controller yet. You are coming to a water change soon. When you do the water change you can pull the fat tray and that will probably speed things along. Refill the bowl with hot water is another idea.
Dont know your location or ambiant temps, vent etc. that could be working against you.
I see your temps doing what I would expect with or without a PID given 22 pounds of brisket including the fat tray (really dont want or need the fat tray till you get to an IT or 170 anyway) you can put it back in then.
Dont have a PID so not speculating on that...if you pull the fat and things dont move soon then I would worry more and maybe go to the oven in the house.
the beast absorbs lotts of heat...
it always takes me a while for the box to get to my desired temp...
the rendering temp stall is painful for me...
but i knows i gotts to wait...
you gotta to eat...
im guessing all is well...
owrstrich
At 6am the 180 deg temp alarm went off on the bottom shelf flat.
Box temp was 200 :)
Next Flat up was registering 165. Pulled the bottom and shuffled everything down 1 spot.
Here's a pict of the flat
(http://usera.imagecave.com/Scotty-G/Brisket/Brisket-07.jpg)
FTC'd the flat with honey and apple juice and waited on the next flat and 2 points
(http://usera.imagecave.com/Scotty-G/Brisket/Brisket-08.jpg)
By the time everything was done, I pulled the fat tray and man even it looked good enough to eat.
Dare not, lest I want health troubles - smoked fat...... mmmmmmmmm
(http://usera.imagecave.com/Scotty-G/Brisket/Brisket-09.jpg)
After 4 hrs FTC I sliced up the first flat, repeated with other flat and chopped points
(http://usera.imagecave.com/Scotty-G/Brisket/Brisket-10.jpg)
then bagged and tagged
(http://usera.imagecave.com/Scotty-G/Brisket/Brisket-11.jpg)
All ready for the freezer until the group party. Next weekend will be the pork butt.
Of course I kept a taste for myself and I gotta say - 2nd brisket and it came out FANTASTIC!!! :o :o
I noticed a difference between using ground pepper and cracked pepper in the bark taste and mouth feel. Will use cracked again!!!!
Thank you to everyone with the advice and insight. This forum is great!!!
BTW, HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!!!!!! :D ;D :D ;D :D ;D
Fresh ground spices are the way to go :) with todays packaging the difference is surprising. Guess that is Fresh vs not Fresh. :-\
Your Brisket looks Great. Glad it work out for you...
Very coool Scotty-G...Your friends will be back for more. ;D
Coyote
Your co-workers are in for a real treat.
Wow! that looks great!, i could really murder a plate of that! ;)
Wow!.... Scotty, that looks awwwwsome!
Mike
Beautiful, I put on a couple of pounds just looking at all that food! ;)
After smoking 2 full briskets I set about smoking some pork butts.
My wife picked up 30 lbs (20 for the work party and 10 for us).
First I made my own rub and douced them good
(http://usera.imagecave.com/Scotty-G/Pulled_Pork/Dry%20Rub.JPG)
Then let them sit overnight and got them ready for the smoker
(http://usera.imagecave.com/Scotty-G/Pulled_Pork/Into%20Smoker.JPG)
14 hrs + 4 hrs FTC later
(http://usera.imagecave.com/Scotty-G/Pulled_Pork/Pulling.JPG)(http://usera.imagecave.com/Scotty-G/Pulled_Pork/Pulled.JPG)
Since this was still a week before the party - bagged and tagged just like the brisket
(http://usera.imagecave.com/Scotty-G/Pulled_Pork/Bagged%20and%20Tagged.JPG)
Party was a big success and everyone loved the food. Brisket had a cracked pepper bark and did not need any sauce. The tomato based BBQ sauce went unopened :D I made a vinegar based north carolina style sauce for the pork. Most had never even had that style before and they loved that too with the pork. Got to admit, that style of sauce tastes great even with just plain white rice :D :)
Will have to do something like this again in the future!
Several asked about how I did this and there seemed to be a strong interrest.
Told anyone who asked about this forum so hopefully we might get a few more members and maybe even a new bradley owner or two.
Looks good. When I make pulled pork I cut (shave) the bark off first and finely chop it up. After the pork is pulled I thoroughly mix the bark in. This gives the pulled pork much better flavor throughout.
Mighty fine - you did good! I grew up in North Georgia, not far from the NC mountains, and they do have very good sauce up there. I always thought that sauce was the best until I tried Iceman's. If you have not tried his, you need to.
Very nicely done Scotty-G, must have been a great feast!(http://smileys.on-my-web.com/repository/Food/eating-24.gif)(http://smileys.on-my-web.com/repository/Food/eating-02.gif).....now i'm a very hungry LilSmoker! (http://www.emotipad.com/newemoticons/Tip-Hat.gif)
Hey, this may help when I cooked in the U.S.M.C we always figured 6oz. per person so if you do the pigeon math you need 15# of meat to give all your guests a 6oz. portion but this is a party so I would bump it up to 25# or mabye go 20# and 5# or 10# of hot smoked wings for appetizer.
I hope this helps :)
ScottyG , Don't you just love it when a plan comes together ? Great work ! :)
Coyote
Hab S has a great suggestion with the bark. I think of it as distributing little flavor crystals ;D
Have started to double rub also. Mustard Coat, Rub, tight wrap in plastic overnight, Mustard Coat and Rub again. Helps to build the bark. A less messy approach is warm maple syrup with a splash of apple juice as a mist on the second round... moisture lets you sprinkle on extra rub to build up the bark. Forget but think the double rub was an IR4 idea. :) :)
I have been reading this topic with great interest....During a recent retirement party at work, I may have bragged a bit too much about the great smoked foods I make. Long story short, I will be preparing lunch for the gang (50+ people) sometime this summer. It was also suggested I brew an appropriate batch of ale for the event. Lots of great ideas and tips I just got from reading this.
Speaking of bark....sometimes I cut the butts in half, then apply the rub. When they are done, there is more bark and the butts cook quicker.