How Much Pork Butt can be Squeezed Into a PBC?

[texastweeter]

While I don't own a PBC, I saw the words BUTT and SQUEEZE in the same sentence and couldn't help myself.

[FireMan]

Yeah I hear ya, sorta like a chant, "gimme a butt squeeze", "how many can you fit" rah, rah, rah.

[texastweeter]

FireMan that depends on if they are folded up, wadded up, or straight bills. Remember, I charge by the pound.

[JeffJ]

My wife and I have hosted countless parties for crowds varying in size from 20-50 people over the past 20+ years. The one thing I've learned is that when planning on quantities I've over-estimated way more than I've under-estimated. Given the variety of sides. other entrees, accompaniments and snacks that we will be having I suspect I can get this done with the 26 + PBC. I also find that slightly less-cooked pork butt is more appealing texturally than more thoroughly cooked butt. I feel the exact opposite about Chuck roast or brisket.

[JeffJ]

I have a thought - would it be possible to hang pork butts from the grate? Have butts on top of the grate and just below? Or, would that put the meat too close to the fire?

Jerod? Kathryn? Huskee? Any other PBC experts?

Jerod Broussard
fzxdoc
Huskee
Spinaker

Pit Barrel Cooker Co.

[JeffJ]

I contacted PBC co. From their website. Got a response within an hour confirming what I suspected - hooking from the grate would put the meat too close to the fire.

[N227GB]

I'm always hearing good things about their customer support. Thumbs Up

[RobertC]

I don't have a PBC. What's the distance from the grate down to the basket? What's the distance from the rebar holes down to the basket? When you hang ribs from the rebar, how close do they come to the basket?

[JeffJ]

RobertC when you hang ribs they are literally almost touching the basket. The one rib closest to the basket gets a bit over-cooked. When you hold your palm over a hot fire it gets hot really fast. But, when you turn your hand so that only the pinkie side is exposed - that is the difference between ribs and pork butt in a PBC.

[abandonedbrain]

Just to add to this, I just yesterday fed about 40 people with pulled pork I had cooked in the PBC, and we did so at a park where the only thing I could really do was warm up water. I did a faux sous-vide thing on-site. I had cooked a bunch of 9-10 lb. butts in the PBC over the past two weeks, two at a time on the grate, bone-in and NOT cut in smaller chunks. I ran the PBC at about 275F and it took me about 11 hours for two on those occasions (high humidity required adding more charcoal during one session).

I bagged the pulled pork into 1.5 lb. amounts, in vacuum seal bags, and froze them. When I was on-site, I pulled the bags from the cooler, still completely frozen, and warmed them up in water running about 170F for about 40 minutes for 3 at a time (4.5 lbs.). I then transferred them to pans with covers over chem burners, where they were devoured.

I would do this method again in a heartbeat! The benefit of smaller packages is that A) they warm up fairly quickly, and B) you can leave some frozen when the lines start to diminish. That way, you're wasting very little meat, and it can safely go back into your freezer.

Never dump in BBQ sauce; always let the diners pick their own of several different types.

[JeffJ]

Our local grocery store had a meat sale last Friday. Pork shoulder was $.99 per pound. I stocked up. Yesterday, I trimmed, dry-brined, halved and vacuum-sealed the butts. They were a bit flatter than I realized and I think I can fit more in the PBC if I hang them than if I use the grate. Unless I can stand them up on their sides. Ditto for the 26. Cooking 70 pounds in the PBC + 26 will be close. If I throw the 14.5 WSM in I'm sure I can get it done.

[abandonedbrain]

Ah, you must be around Ann Arbor/Novi. We don't have Busch's around GR. Great deal, though, for sure!

[JeffJ]

abandonedbrain Yes, very close to Ann Arbor and Novi. In fact, if our town, Ann Arbor and Novi were plot points on a map you'd have a nice triangle.

[abandonedbrain]

Awesome! My son starts at U of M at the end of the summer, so I'll get a chance to hit Busch's occasionally!

[Citizenoftheworld]

Get the boneless butts from Costco, extra turkey hangers and do 4-5 at a time.

[RichRybak]

30 lbs!

[JGo37]

well I'm late to the kettle on this one. For what it's worth, I have two kettles and one SnS. When needed, I setup a kettle 'like' an SnS with cookie sheets.

[RustyHaines]

I'm struggling to understand this picture. I get there is no SnS but do you cut a groove in the cookie sheet to slide it down through the grill slats to separate the fire side from the meat side? Sorry for my confusion.

[JGo37]

Hi RustyHaines yep I sure do. In fact that setup, running a full sheet from the fuel grate up to the dome, works best for me.

In a 22.5 with a large cookie sheet I do almost no temp management to keep the cooking grate @ ~ 240F. 1/8 open on the bottom vent, 2/3 on the top, full fuel basket, one big hickory chunk on the cooking grate above the fuel.

I'm doing a chuckie for burnt ends this way today, I'll take pics. It will be done in ~ 5 hours, the hickory will run out at the stall, and I won't need to refuel.

Here's some more picks. If you click on them, you'll get a large view in a new window.

I've got the Smokenator & SnS - it all depends on what I'm doing and how many kettles are in use. The SnS dries out too fast for me. More accurately, I have to tend to it.

[RustyHaines]

I'll be damned. What a great looking set up. What size cookie sheet do you use for the 22.5 and how long is the groove in the cookie sheet to allow for dome clearance? Last, do you ever put water in the drip pan?

[JGo37]

RustyHaines the sheet you see just above is 16" x 11" & the grate slit it 5.5". I always put water in the pan for ribs. It helps hold the temp down ~ 230F. I do a spatchcock chicken the same, but with broth, open vents and hot, and use the drippings.