XXL cook on the PBC

[ssandy_561]

Planning on having a bunch of people over sometime this summer. I am thinking about cooking a couple of pork butts (~ 7 lbs each), 4 racks of baby back ribs and 4 chicken halves.

Usually I like to serve about 3:30 PM.

I plan on putting the butts on at 7:00 am and letting them go to 11:00 am. Wrap them and then finish them in the oven and then re-wrap them when they reach 200 and put them away in the cooler.

After taking off the butts I plan on resetting the PBC and getting the ribs hung at 11:30. Let them go for about an hour and a half and then put the chicken halves on at 1:00.

This is my first large cook on the PBC and was wondering if the more experienced BBQer here think my plan is good.

Thanks

[ssandy_561]

I have a 22" Weber also but I plan on having that set up to cook burgers, dogs and chicken pucks.

[doctorak]

1) My first thought is 4 hours may not be enough for the baby backs especially with all that meat on the grill at once. I'd be worried that you'll need to serve at 3:30 pm and they won't be ready. Maybe start earlier and give yourself at least an extra hour. Plus, if you're anything like me and "plan" on a 7 am start time, that usually means the PBC isn't lit and hung til like 7:30.

2) Again, with all that meat, temps might run a little lower than usual (for the PBC) thus increasing your cook time. Also might want to be ready to re-light some charcoal toward the end of your cook. Be careful about ash when you dump in the new coals; I've had to do this once and ended up pulling the meat before dumping the new coals. Even then, ash went up everywhere and might have sprinkled on the meat which was on an adjacent table. Consider covering the meat with foil to avoid this if you need to re-light.

3) Have a backup plan for each step with a cook that big. The Weber is a good one. The oven, or a gasser you can turn on indirect heat, are both good as well.

4) The more planning the better, so you might need some help pulling/chopping the butt while you tend to the end of the rib/chicken cook. Otherwise you'll be at the cooker the whole party instead of enjoying your guests' company (unless the plan is to avoid them...understandable)

4*) The overarching theme I've learned from a couple of larger cooks (PBC or not) is that it's better to have everything ready to go as early as possible and be prepared for hiccups than it is to try and precisely time everything up to the last minute before company comes. I personally enjoy spending time with everyone at a party, and my last big cook on Memorial Day I was so happy I had finished all my grilling and smoking by the time everyone arrived. All I had to do was break out the bear claws and pull some chuckie, which was mindless enough that friends could hang out with me while I did it.


4**) I guess what I'm saying is...I'd start even earlier. Maybe even get up at 5 or so, get the butts on, and head back to sleep for a bit. The butts won't need much tending at the beginning of the cook anyway. This way you have the ribs on hopefully around 9 and off around 1-2, chicken off around the same time, and everything can keep warm in the cambro while you make other last minute preps for your party. Plus, you can pull/chop the butts around 3 (and even put back in the cambro if not quite ready to serve).

[Breadhead]

Ok... I'll roll with you on the potential of a magical fridge...👌 Who's the maker? Do they have a patent? I'll buy their stock. That's a great feature!🙀

[GadjetGriller]

yep I have heard that taking a shower and changing clothes after the cook will greatly impact the cooks ability to taste the smoked flavor. I too once believed that a night in the fridge let the flavors bloom but the the olfactory nerves being overwhelmed makes more sense (pun intended!)

[hogdog6]

Haha 😂 Breadhead I'm with you if only that feature was true.

[jecucolo]

I guess the this could work with the oven for the pork butts. The ribs really need to cook at a different temperature than the chicken. My guess the ribs will take 3-4 hours and the chicken will take 2-3 hours. That is a lot of moisture pouring on the coals
I would start earlier 5 am min. You are going to have to watch the temps. Cracking lid often. It works but I get a little distracted when I start having people show up while I'm cooking.