My Birthday, I'm smoking pork, need advise !

[Rooftop777]

Birthday coming up in a week in a half. I'm making the meal. Have 20 to 30 people invited. I'm thinking of buying 3 ten lb pork butts from local meat store. Making other salads to feed people so there is other stuff to eat.
Is that the right amount of meat to feed all with buns once cooked ?
thanks

[squirtthecat]

Birthday coming up in a week in a half. I'm making the meal. Have 20 to 30 people invited. I'm thinking of buying 3 ten lb pork butts from local meat store. Making other salads to feed people so there is other stuff to eat.
Is that the right amount of meat to feed all with buns once cooked ?
thanks

Yes!

I always plan on 1lb raw per person, and then expect to have some leftovers..    Maybe.   ;)

[Rooftop777]

Thank you
I'm thinking buying 3 ten pound pieces.
I'm going to buy them 2 days before, seal with rub for 2 days then smoke them.
Because three 10 pound pieces, is it expected to take like 30 hours since I have 30 lbs ?
Kind of confused,

[squirtthecat]

No...     But others will be along to help you with the times.

[Wildcat]

You did not say what you are smoking/cooking them in and at what temps. If it is a 4 rack Bradley my guess would be that you are smoking for 4 hours and then transferring to another tool for finishing them off since I can only get 2 nine pounders in my original. If you are doing it in a 6 rack for the whole cook then you may find 30 hours would be a minimum time unless you have done some mods on your smoker. It takes me 24 to 30 hours for 2 nine pounders.

[Rooftop777]

thanks
I have the 4 rack digital one.  All 3 ten lb pork should fit. I was thinking of smoking 4 hours then finish in home oven. Then can keep all juices.

[Wildcat]

Finishing in home oven is fine. How long it takes will depend on true cooking temp and the individual butts. If you cook at a minimum of 230 degrees in the oven, and if it is an accurate 230, then perhaps 30 hours might be reasonable. Do the fork test for doneness. Hope this makes sense as I am 3 sheets to the wind.

[beefmann]

you  can always  smoke for  4 hours  then  into the house oven .. or  even  crock  pots  to  finish,...  a 7 quart  crock   pot  will do  a 10  lb roast ..  will be tight

[Rooftop777]

Got trouble big time !!!!
Can't get pork butt, I'm getting picnic pieces............so I'm worried !!
Do you think it was a mistake and it won't turn out ???? :(

[Saber 4]

Got trouble big time !!!!
Can't get pork butt, I'm getting picnic pieces............so I'm worried !!
Do you think it was a mistake and it won't turn out ???? :(

I haven't smoked a picnic yet, but others have talked about it and they will turn out but they tend to be a little drier I believe they said because the fat content is lower than the shoulder. You may need to do them early, pull and reheat in crock pots with some apple juice to help with the moisture content if they come out of FTC drier than you would like. Hopefully those with experience doing pulled picnics will come along with their input and corrections to my thoughts.

[Habanero Smoker]

Picnics have a lot of bone, fat cap, and skin, so you should purchase at least 50% more in weight. I generally like to slice picnics, but there are several members on the forum who cook picnics for start to end in the Bradley; taking them to temperatures anywhere fro 185°F to 195°F, with good results.

A lot of times that cut does not sell, so they will cut it into smaller roasts, steaks, or grind it. Often if you go to the meat counter, and ask for the Boston butt cut  they will have them in the back. The name of the cut could vary depending on your geographical location. I believe where you live it is called a blade shoulder roast.

[Rooftop777]

So here is update,
I bought 30 lbs picnics. so 6 separate pieces.
I injected all with apple juice recipe off internet, then put mustard and nice rub on all, then now in fridge until tomorrow in ziplok bags.

I also had a thawed 10 lb turkey, cut it in bigger pieces then put in a brining solution. Going to experiment doing that too.....

Taking pictures and writing all down and will post for all to see,
I don't have bone in pieces or skin on them, told them to take them out and maybe regret getting bones out...... I may have to go buy butchers rope to bundle each back together so that edges don't cook too fast and dry out.
Everyone says to get internal temp to 195, so will keep reading posts,
thank you to all that help me along !

[Wildcat]

195 is for the pork.

[KyNola]

I would tie those picnics back together so as to retain moisture.  Are you going to try to smoke the turkey with the picnics?  If so, that will be a 40 pound load and that is quite a job for a Bradley with a 500 watt heating element.  I would not expose turkey to that long of a period in the 40-140 zone with 30 pounds of additional protein.  If you are going to smoke the turkey separately disregard what I said. 

[Rooftop777]

I'm only doing the pork alone, yes adding turkey would be too much. Been smoking it it for 4 hours now, internal temperature slowly rising. Internal temp is now still 145 for last few hours, likely in a stall......
Not getting much dark bark, maybe I need to have top air vent wide open, but it's a bit windy and ma\y loose my heat...
thanks for all advice,