Big load for party - How much longer will cook take?

[DrunkenMick]

Welp its finally time to cook a big load.  I've only done single item smokes thus far (Single shoulder, brisket, etc).  My daughters 2nd birthday party is coming up next weekend.  My wife decided rather then making a bunch of food that i should make a bunch of que.  So we decided on brisket and pulled pork.  We've got about 25-30 people coming over. 

My estimates are a pair of ~7 pound briskets and and 3 8-9 pound shoulders (We expect more of the pulled pork to be eaten). So after all that my question is how much longer is this going to take to cook?  I plan on smoking the shoulders for 4 hours and pulling and putting in a 210 degree oven to finish.  Then put the brisket's in, smoke for 4 hours and then stuffing them in the oven along with the pork.  Beings i only have a single maverick i can only monitor the temp of one of each meat once they're in the oven.  Do i need to think about rotating the meat once they're in the regular oven?  I do have a convention oven, should i enable the fan to help out with hotspots? 

Sorry for all the questions but everyone always raves about the que i make and i want to make sure it turns out as good as it usually does.

Any tips would be much appreciated!!!

[tsquared]

I'm a firm believer in doing as much before a get together as possible, leaving you free to enjoy your guests (and beverages). If I were cooking for that many people I'd do the pulled pork a day or two or a week prior to your party. Just finish it up on party day by sticking the pork in the slow cooker. People will still feel it's fantastic, trust me. That leaves you free to do your brisket without worrying about shuffling stuff around.
T2
Ps--I hope you have a great party!

[Consiglieri]

Hey T2: good to see you posting.  I've been looking at that plum marinated pork loin again.

And as for the DM: I think preparty prep is the right idea.  Smoked food is unpredictable time wise.  If you can start a bunch of pulled pork a day or so ahead of time, it will reheat quite well in a crock pot (with a bit more sauce, vinegar and splash of apple juice).   for brisket, I'll defer to others.  I've done pastrami a few times but the beef, as beef, I'd like to practice on a bit.  Plenty of folks here to help you out though.

Good luck!

[West Coast Kansan]

See above, smoked food improves with a day or so resting in the fridge  :) Another approach is to smoke one or the other for the four hours of smoke and then finish in your kitchen oven while loading the second load in the smoker to complete.  ;D

[Gizmo]

Do i need to think about rotating the meat once they're in the regular oven?  I do have a convention oven, should i enable the fan to help out with hotspots? 

I boat in a foil pan, covered with a sheet of foil, and also put it in a convection oven.  Never had to rotate pans as the fan does a great job for me.

[Habanero Smoker]

I am also one that likes to get as much as I can done prior to the party. I would do the butts several days ahead of time, and pull and season prior to storing. The brisket can be done a couple of days ahead of time. If you don't have a slow cooker, the pulled pork can be reheated in the oven. Use a foil pan, and a little more vaunted vinegar, seal with foil, and reheat at 320°F. Depending on how much you are reheating, this can take from 20 to 40 minutes, and you should stir up the meat every 20 minutes until it is heated through. I found that one pulled butt will fill a half steam pan.

The brisket can be reheated using the method that Gizmo pointed out. Just add a splash of beef broth. Also for reheating you not only have your oven, but the Bradley does a fine job reheating and holding hot foods at a safe temperature. I would use that for reheating and holding the brisket.

[tsquared]

Hey T2: good to see you posting.  I've been looking at that plum marinated pork loin again.

Thanks,Consig. I've been thinking about doing that one again too. For some reason, the cherry tree in blossom outside my study gets me thinking about cherry wood and how well it goes with that recipe and....well you know how it goes. All roads lead to smoking! :)
T2

[DrunkenMick]

Thanks guys.  I'll do the butts on Thursday into Friday.  Should i pull the butts after an FTC then store?

I'll be sure to take plenty of pictures of the 30 or so pounds of meat i'm cooking :)

[West Coast Kansan]

Yep, FTC, Pull then Store.  Just as HabS says. They will be much easier to pull than after you store them.  ;)

When not under the cooking for an army pressure, we like to use FTC for time flexibility as much as for the finish on cooking.  Has been fun to pull it or better let guest pull it just before we eat.  Promotes grazing, and a more informal gathering...Kansas thing or maybe just us.  ;D

[FLBentRider]

WCK,
That's how we do it here in sunny S Florida as well. We _always_ do more Q than we need for one meal, FTC them all, pull one, eat it, pull the others (not shred) store and take to work. I _love_ putting Pulled pork in the nuker at the office, makes 'em all hungry!

[West Coast Kansan]

Butts are great, you can really draw a crowd but a nicely smoked butt. My son usually sells enough at work to pay for his wood and meat for himself and wife.  Started with the breakroom draw...

[Artmiester]

Did 45# of butts last week for a property owners assoc. luncheon last Sat. Started Thursday afternoon and went for 30 hours at 250F with 4 hrs. of cherry and 6 rotations. Didn't FTC but let it come down slowly in temp in the Bradley for 4 hrs. and then took to a members home to pull and refrigerate. Heated the pans of pulled on the grill for 1/2 hour and it was awesome. Fed 48 guests and there wasn't a scrap left. In addition did 6 chickens w/apple for 3hrs. and finished on same grill. Our local Bradley dealer was there also and was blown away by the compliments (and sold three DBS').  ;D ;D

[iceman]

Way to go Artmiester!!! ;) Now that's truth in advertising if I ever saw it. ;D

[DrunkenMick]

Rubbing the butts down tonight.  Got a pair of 8#'s. 

Little problem i noticed with my Brisket.  I sent the wife to the butcher (Never a good idea) and told her to get a 6 or so pound flat.  She got me just that but the butcher trimmed it up real well.  A little too well.  Almost the entire fat cap was trimmed down.  Is this a deal breaker or will a slab of bacon on a rack above it do the same thing?

[West Coast Kansan]

A pound of cheap bacon above will be just fine.  ;)