2 Hooks per butt?

[hubmacfan]

Im cooking three butts this weekend (I’m feeding everyone at work on Monday). I only have 8 hooks. Each butt is at least 8 pounds. Is it safe to hang a butt by only 2 hooks?

[Sam6687]

I assume you are using the PBC or something similar, but yes i use 2 hooks all the time. let it hang until about 170 degrees and then i take it off and wrap it. put it back on using the grate until it gets to about 200 degrees. just no way to let it hang the entire time, once it gets into the 190s it would start to get tender enough to pull the hooks out and fall into coals before it reached temp.

[hubmacfan]

Sam6687 Thanks. IIRC, the videos I watched used 4 hooks, and that's why I was concerned.

[JeffJ]

With pork butts I don't even bother with hooks. I just go straight to the grate. It's easier and it eliminates any risk of the meat falling into the coals. The only thing about cooking on the grate is you have to flip the meat a couple of times for even bark development.

Given that butts are essentially round, you can't really hook and hang more meat than you can put on the grate anyway.

[JPGators17]

I never understood how anyone could hang briskets or butts in a PBC. Unless you plan to under cook them, won't they fall into the pit around 195?

[JPGators17]

That makes more sense, but what's the point of hanging them to begin with?

[hubmacfan]

JPGators17, 'cause it looks cool! (Plus I'm lazy and don't want to remember to flip the meat.)

And if it looks cool and tastes good, why not?

[JPGators17]

lol, cool is a good enough reason for me! I only hung ribs in my PBC, for obvious space reasons, and I don't flip my briskets or butts, so even less reason for me to hang them, it seems.

[Dadof3Illinois]

I do what Sam does, wrap and sit on the grate when it reaches a certain temperature. But IMO it depends if it a bone in or boneless. I would double hook boneless, I’ve had some close calls with boneless butts but never with the bone in ones.

[Spinaker]

I always hook them in a daisy-chain. So, I use 4 hooks per butt.

[RobertC]

Throw a few loops of cotton twine around each butt. Since I've been doing this, I haven't had a drop, I haven't had to move to the grate, and I really haven't had to use more than one hook.

[hubmacfan]

ssandy_561, I was arrested last time I did that. :P

[jecucolo]

+3 on twin and -1 on worrying about anything falling into coals

[hoovarmin]

I agree, truss the butt and you'll be safe. It will cook more evenly too, if you do it properly.