1st KBQ: Butt & beef guidance please?

[jjdbike]

Hello everyone,

I just picked up a "new to me", used KBQ.
My Q experience is limited to the BGE. My 1st cook will be for my wife’s retirement cook out.
I’m doing 2 8lb butts for pulled pork. I’d also like todo a piece of beef for slicing at the same time.
For butts I follow Myron Mixon’s inject, rub, smoke at roughly 275 till bark is firmly established (roughly 3 -4 hours), finish in pan & foil method till probe tender (203 ish).
Can you give me some advice on how my times, temps techniques might be adjusted from BGE to KBQ?
Also, it would be really great if I could offer some sort of beef sliced for sandwich’s too. Is that feasible to do some sort of beef roast & butts at the sand time? I’d sure love to hear some recommendations & technics.
Thanks in advance!
JD

[Bruceski44]

I love Myron's Basic Hickory Sauce and use a kicked-up version on all my butts after pulling them. You will also find that Meathead's Memphis Dust Dry Rub recipe, right here on AR is excellent on pork. I add a little more rub after saucing and it really finishes the flavor.

According to Bill Karau, its creator, the KBQ can handle up to 60 pounds (that's what the 60 in model # C-60 signifies) of food at one time, so cooking two butts and some beef is no problem. With 4 racks, you can cook 7 butts, or 12 racks of ribs or 12 chickens, or 4 briskets or any combo thereof.

The fan which runs all the time creates a convection cooking environment where the circulated air cooks food quicker and more evenly. Again, according to Bill, this may reduce cooking time by 25% or so. I've seen this shortened time in my own cooks.

I have no suggestions for beef cuts to cook at 275F, but others should chime in.

There's an excellent thread on here somewhere by BBQ_Bill about how to setup water pans inside the KBQ. He uses a sheet pan at the very bottom with lava rock in it to absorb water and then make it easier to evaporate. He also uses a full-size catering pan to hold pre-heated water and catch dripping. This pan goes 2 slots above the sheet pan. He writes that the bottom of the KBQ is hottest, but when using this setup, I find the top cooks hotter and I swap grate positions midway through the cook. I'll find the thread and add it here later.

P.S. I can't find the thread I was looking for, but there are good tips here:

https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/forum/grills-and-smokers/logs/karubecue-kbq/723052-brisket-in-the-kbq

It's a brisket thread, but if you get a brisket right, you'll get everything else right too.

[Huskee]

I suppose you could do any beef roast you want, prime rib, tri tip, chuck, etc. You would just have to wager a guess at the time to put it in. You could even start the pork 1-2hrs earlier than you may originally plan to, then put the beef in once the pork is up to temp and in the 'hold' phase. Then all you have to worry about is pulling the beef out when it's at your desired temp, and the pork remains there along for the ride happy as ever to have your attention returned to it after the beef is taken care of.

[tbob4]

I have seen Spinaker cook different cuts at the same time in his. He might have some good advice for you, too. I don’t have the KBQ but I do have a cabinet smoker and have cooked for groups. I like smoking tri-tip alongside pork butts. The size of the butts makes a difference in total cooking time. I generally smoke them both at 225. The tri-tips go on for 3 1/2 hours and are sliced very thin for sandwiches. I like serving them on rolls with sautéed bell peppers and onions with a sauce that is a mixture of Mayo and chimichurri sauce (with a dash of soy sauce and sometimes a little ranch dressing).

[Spinaker]

You will cook things much faster on the KBQ, when compared to the BGE. There is much more airflow. I cook everything at 275 F average, on my KBQ and on my BGE. Again, everything will be faster than the BGE. I would budget 8 hours for the butts, just to be safe. If you are wrapping it will be done in 8 hours, easily...especially if you are wrapping at 160-165. One thing to note.......do not cook by time, ever. Cook by temp.

You can easily cook different meats at the same time, just monitor the temps of the meat and pull them when they hit your desired temps. I added a few beef recipes for you too. Both of these can easily be done on the KBQ.

Let me know if you have any other specific questions.

Here is a great sliced beef recipe

Here is a great sliced chuck roast recipe.

[jjdbike]

Hey Spinaker,
Thanks much brother! great news on cook time & temp! I absolutely love smoked "pit beef"! I've done it on my BGE, using a top round that I'd tenderised w/ one of those tools that put lots of tiny holes, marinated for a couple days. Dried, seasoned, low 7 slow till just barley medium rare. Rested. Cranked up BGE till white hot, then tossed on some wood chips till ignited, & seared all around. Slice sweet onion paper thin and slice meat thin. Amped up tiger sauce & pile on a kaiser! Can't wait to fire up that KBQ!!!!
Best regards all!
JD

[bbqLuv]

Fact, cooking is about Time and Temperature, direct or indirect.
I adapt recipes for my pellet grill. So, if you don't overthink it you should be OKAY.
Searing in a pellet grill, well yes, maybe, sort of can be done.