Pork Butt and Spare Ribs

AZSmoker · June 16, 2005, 06:23:43 AM

Hi y'all. I'm new to smoking, and just got my shiny new Bradley last week.

My question: Is it OK to smoke 2 types of meat at the same time. For example, a pork butt and some spare ribs? Does it load the smoker up too much to cook in a reasonable amount of time?

I'd like to try an 8 lb port butt and 4 racks of spare ribs this weekend (already in the fridge with a rub). I can't decide if I should smoke them separately or together.

As you might have guessed, I live in AZ, where you can practically grill by just setting meat out in the sun. Maintaining temperature shouldn't be a problem. [;)]

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Habanero Smoker · June 16, 2005, 07:38:21 AM

Yes! It's OK to smoke more then one type or cut of meat at the same time. Just make sure that you monitor the internal meat temperatures of the different meats. If you can fit the four racks and butt in all at once, I would load the ribs above the butt.

MallardWacker · June 16, 2005, 02:13:18 PM

AZ,

Welcome! I am from Arizona myself, now live in Arkansas. Graduated High School from Lake Havasu and went to NAU for a while. Also too if you like to get into BBQ events and the such look into the Arizona BBQ Association. CLICK HERE>>>>AZBBQA. Great bunch of folks. They have great planed events and they also host some BBQ cooking classes. I happened to be a member also, tell the MallardWacker sent you--that will probably get you an empty cup of coffee or something but it is worth looking into.

SmokeOn,

mski
Perryville, Arkansas
Wooo-Pig-Soooie

If a man says he knows anything at all, he knows nothing what he aught to know. But...

bsolomon · June 16, 2005, 02:51:24 PM

AZSmoker,

Welcom to the forum. While the advice is correct: you can smoke multiple items at one time, I wouldn't recommend it without a bit more practice and at least one, but preferably two remote thermometers. The issue here is that the ribs and pork butt will both need to be cooked until they reach particular internal temperatures, and these typically will occur at different times. Because the smoke needs to be applied early in the process (before the pores of the meat close at around 140 degrees), this would suggest that all the meat should go into the smoker at the same time. This will also prevent an extended cabinet reheating cycle that would occur by adding cold meat part way into the cooking cycle.

It's hard to say which would be done first, but I suspect the ribs. Unless you can monitor both the rib temperature and the butt temperature, you will be constantly playing a guessing game, trying to figure what should come out first, and when. This, in turn will keep you peeking and opening the door, which will make everthing take much longer to cook.

If you can afford the time, I would suggest cooking the butt first, since I think it will reheat better, then cook the ribs leaving a couple extra hours for FTC (Foil, Towel, Cooler) before your desired mealtime.

AZSmoker · June 16, 2005, 03:07:25 PM

Thanks for the advice! This forum is great!

I'm now leaning towards smoking them separately. I only have one thermometer (but I have a birthday coming up [;)]). I'll start with the butt, because even if I don't get the ribs done, that should give us plenty of food for our get together Friday night.

I plan on 4 hours of smoke for the butt, but haven't figured out how much smoke ribs should take. Any advice would be appreciated.

I'll start smoking tonight and let you know how it goes.

Also, thanks for cluing me in on AZBBQA. I noticed they have a tour of some local BBQ shops later this month. Sounds delicious [:D]

Chez Bubba · June 17, 2005, 02:44:14 AM

8# butt, all by its' lonesome, probably gonna take about 7-8 hours. But that's kind of a guess because I usually do 4 at a time & it's a 16 hr deal. You're spot-on with 4 hrs of smoke. Just take the internal to 190 & it'll be heaven on earth.

Kirk

http://www.chezbubba.com
Ya think next time I check into a hotel & they ask "Smoking or Non?" they would mind?

Oldman · June 17, 2005, 03:05:13 AM

Greetings AZSmoker and welcome to the forums.

Well I'm more than likely the odd ball to the group. I generally bone my butts before I smoke them. I've been known to split them into two as well. I take mine to 170 degrees or just a tad higher. They then make excellent slicing pork.

Again welcome and we are sure glad you joined us!

Olds

JJC · June 17, 2005, 04:46:36 AM

Welcome to the Forum, AZ. If you do decide to smoek the ribs and butt together, put the butt on a higher rack than the ribs and use the temp probe in the ribs, since they will be done earlier than the butt using this approach. When the ribs reach the internal temp you want, take them out, place the butt on a lower rack and replace the temp probe in the butt. Add some water to the bowl if needed, and do all this as quickly as possible to keep from losing too much heat. Placing a brick or two in the bottom of the smoker will really help the cabinet retain heat, too.

John
Newton MA

Chez Bubba · June 17, 2005, 05:47:19 AM

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Oldman
 Greetings AZSmoker and welcome to the forums.

Well I'm more than likely the odd ball to the group. I generally bone my butts before I smoke them. I've been known to split them into two as well. I take mine to 170 degrees or just a tad higher. They then make excellent slicing pork.

Again welcome and we are sure glad you joined us!

Olds

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

You're just laying there waiting for me to bite, aren't you?[:D][;)][:D][:D]

http://www.chezbubba.com
Ya think next time I check into a hotel & they ask "Smoking or Non?" they would mind?

MWS · June 17, 2005, 07:24:34 PM

Your excersizing great restraint Chez.......[:D][:D]

Mike 

"Men like to barbecue, men will cook if danger is involved".
-John Wayne

MallardWacker · June 17, 2005, 08:50:48 PM

Man, I'm glad I didn't say that.

SmokeOn,

mski
Perryville, Arkansas
Wooo-Pig-Soooie

If a man says he knows anything at all, he knows nothing what he aught to know. But...

Oldman · June 17, 2005, 10:36:39 PM

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">You're just laying there waiting for me to bite, aren't you?[:D][;)][:D][:D]<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Well at least some of us know how to bone a butt [:0] *Oh cough* bone-out a butt! [^] Most can only pull that pork. [:0]

Olds

Chez Bubba · June 18, 2005, 04:09:37 AM

I cook,.....she pulls.[;)]

http://www.chezbubba.com
Ya think next time I check into a hotel & they ask "Smoking or Non?" they would mind?

AZSmoker · June 24, 2005, 04:53:24 AM

And finally... the results.

I ended up smoking both at the same time - butt on the bottom and ribs on top. They both turned out fantastic! Of course, I'm sure they would have been better if somebody would have remembered to actually TURN ON THE SMOKE GENERATOR! DOH! [:I]

My only excuse is that I'm brand new to this and got so caught up in temperatures, rubs, time, etc., that I just wigged out and forgot that the thing needs SMOKE to be called SMOKED!

On the bright side, I still have about 4 hours of Applewood smoke to use on another project.

Oh, and as for the bone in/out discussion, I'm a girl, and I definitely like the bone in. [;)]

Habanero Smoker · June 24, 2005, 11:12:56 AM

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by AZSmoker
 Oh, and as for the bone in/out discussion, I'm a girl, and I definitely like the bone in. [;)]
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
With quotes like this; you will definately fit in with this forum [:)][:D]