In over my head - how to cook all of this ?

[Anonymouslemming]

I may have got myself in over my head - I'm having a total of 11 people over for a BBQ in a few week's time and I've no idea how to cook all of this.

The plan is to do a small brisket (3lb) and 2 shoulders (2lb each). Ideally I'd like to add some wings to this but I think that's a bridge too far.

I've got a Weber one touch pro with a smokenator, and I'm used to doing long cooks, but only ever 1 thing at a time.

The options I see at the moment are either:

• Cook the stuff in stages
  • Maybe do the 2 shoulders the day before, pull them and reheat on the day
  • Do the brisket on the day
• Try and work out how to do this all at once

From what I understand, the bottom grill (where the charcoal / smokenator sit) in my Weber is at about 180f when the main grill is at 225f.

Is there any way to do this as a one-shot deal (obviously with some things being in for longer than others)? If not, what are the downsides of doing the pork the day before (besides obviously losing that lovely steaming hot beatiful smell as you pull it) ?

[kmhfive]

I would cook the pork on the top and the brisket on the lower grate and raise the temperature so that you were at 230-235 on the lower grate to put you at about 275-280 on the upper grate. Well within low-n-slow range for the pork and brisket. When the pork is done, pull the brisket to the top.

Limitation: do you have enough probes to monitor all that?

[Anonymouslemming]

I would cook the pork on the top and the brisket on the lower grate and raise the temperature so that you were at 230-235 on the lower grate to put you at about 275-280 on the upper grate. Well within low-n-slow range for the pork and brisket. When the pork is done, pull the brisket to the top.

Ok - might try it with some sausages as a test run and see if I can manage those temps over an extended run.

Limitation: do you have enough probes to monitor all that?

Embarassingly, yes

[kmhfive]

Not embarrassing! I have a Fireboard a Maverick and about three Bluetooth thermometers! A habit I picked up brewing beer.
Good Luck!

[vandy]

Oh no you can never have too many thermometers or probes!

[Nate]

If you intend to wrap your brisket and/or butts then you may consider finishing them off in the oven. I have done this a few times when I needed more room in the smoker. Also brisket and butts both benefit from a significant hold in a faux cambro or from being held in an oven around 170. Can do that for hours...

While you are holding the bigger cuts you could throw the wings on the grill.

If you do decide to cook the butts the day before the I would recommend wrapping them in foil after the stall and when you pull them off reserve all the juice you can. You can add it back in to the pulled pork to help keep it moist after reheating.

[RonB]

I agree with Nate. And holding the meat is not a compromise - it's a good thing that will help with tenderness.

[Nightrayne]

Nate's recommendation on finishing in the oven was exactly what I was about to post myself.

[Anonymouslemming]

Sounds like a consensus then

Will aim to start around 5am and see how I go. Will post back in 3 weeks after the event.

[Anonymouslemming]

If you intend to wrap your brisket and/or butts then you may consider finishing them off in the oven. I have done this a few times when I needed more room in the smoker. Also brisket and butts both benefit from a significant hold in a faux cambro or from being held in an oven around 170. Can do that for hours...

While you are holding the bigger cuts you could throw the wings on the grill.

If you do decide to cook the butts the day before the I would recommend wrapping them in foil after the stall and when you pull them off reserve all the juice you can. You can add it back in to the pulled pork to help keep it moist after reheating.

It sounds like I would need to work out my expected temperature and time plan then and work out what could go in the oven and when if I decide to go that route.

I normally take around 7 hours for a shoulder and 8 for a brisket. The different temps top and bottom would change that though.

Need to find out if I'd be able to run probes into the oven too, to make sure that I don't overdo the brisket in there. But if I can hold for a few hours, that might get me some flexibility.

[HouseHomey]

all of those cuts benefit from the hold. if you bump up the temps a little and wrap you will be fine. I suggest you add more time and plan on finishing earlier. Then grill your wings, better to be done with meat holding. the butts are forgiving and like the rest.my kettle (26) goes about 25 degrees less below. when i wrap the lower shelf meat, finish and hold it comes out really good. all the advice above is perfect just weave it in your cook and you can do it all the same day.

[Breadhead]

Collectively you listed 7 pounds of meat plus the chicken wings. You can place the 3lb brisket and the 2-2lb Pork Butts right next to each other on your standard Weber kettle grate, preferably 2" apart. Briskets and Pork Butts cook exactly alike at the same temperature. That's like 1 simple cook with more than enough cooking space. They will finish, become probe tender, at about the same time. 7 pounds of meat is what 1 pork butt normally weighs. Having 3 pieces of meat weighing a total of 7 pounds is going to cook fairly quickly at 225° to 240°... 10 hours or less.

If I were doing this cook on my Weber kettle & SnS I would start the cook exactly 12 hours before I told my guests I was going to serve dinner. I would cook the beef and pork on the standard grate placed 2" apart and when the bark looked good at about 180°, I would wrap them in foil and cook them to probe tender. I'm calculating that the cooking time would be 8 hours, certainly no more than 10 maximum.

Getting the beef and pork done in 8 or 10 hours gives you 2 to 4 hours in the Cambro to make your meat really great. Plus it gives you plenty of time to finish your chicken wings... just as your guests are arriving. Cook your chicken wings at 350° so you get nice crisp skin. It will take about 30/40 minutes to cook your wings.

I cook my chicken wings at 450°... 7 minutes per side, 14 minutes total. I copied that 450° baked chicken wings for 14 minutes from Dominos Pizza.🤗 That's exactly how they cook their wings when you order them well done, crispy skins.
Then I sauce them in a large Stainless Steel bowl to get them evenly coated.

You got this... it's an easy cook. Don't sweat it!🤗