What have I done? (Boston Butt related)

[jfmorris]

Well, funny thing. SWMBO (Yvonne) is off helping my daughter with baby pack for a drive from Huntsville to Houston, which they leave for when the son in law gets off work at 5pm. I do not envy them that drive, with a baby! Anyway, she texted me asking if I could smoke a Boston butt for a family in church who she signed up to bring some meals to on Monday. I said sure - why not. I'll smoke one for us too while I am at it, and there are our meals for next week.

I went ahead and reached out to my kids too in a group text, to see if any of THEM want a butt for pickup on Monday afternoon on their way home from work. Then the wife texted back saying I needed to smoke a 3rd one for another church family that is dealing with cancer. While that was going on 2 of the 3 kids texted back saying they and their spouses are in on the butts! We got the wires crossed basically.

So I am now up to 5, possibly a 6 butt cook on Monday!

Decisions, decisions. Do I fire up the SNS Kamado, which I think could hold 3 in kamado mode (maybe more if I elevate the elevated grate an inch or two, side by side with the Performer that can hold 2 with the SNS, or do I fire up "Old Smoky" the offset, that can easily handle up to 8?

If I go with the offset, the delimma is I will have to deal with fire management all day long while also trying to work my days job and surf the Pitmaster Club. I mean, it could seriously hamper the time I spend here during the day on Monday. Oh - and the work thing.

Anyone with a SNS Kamado - what's the most you've crammed on there before?

I guess if the 3rd kid chimes in wanting a butt, the decision is made for me, as I don't think I can put 6 butts on the SNSK and the Performer, and that forces me to the offset. Which needs a burnout as last time I lifted the lid it was moldy from 2 years of neglect...

Then the next decision is what rub to use? I hate to use up my remaining stash of Hank's rubs so will likely mix up a big batch of MMD. A double batch will probably be enough to rub 5-6 butts I think.

Last time I smoked this much pork it was 9 butts (84 pounds) for my daughter's engagement party in 2017...

- Jim in Huntsville, excited about a big smoke!

[Huskee]

I say use the offset, sounds like you'll likely have to anyway. "Dealing with" fire management is a pain when the weather is bad or when you're busy for sure, but we both know after the fact, when you're serving, it gets mentioned as badge of honor that you cooked with all wood and ran that baby all day!

Also, might I suggest a light coating of Big Bad Beef Rub, then your regular pork rub. That extra spice sure is tasty on the finished product.

[Huskee]

I know what you mean. It's a production the day before to get ready for a smooth stickburner cook. Yeah, that Kindling Cracker is one of my most favorite tools! I even use it to bust down small wood chunks further. I highly recommend if you pick one up that you go with the XL size. jfmorris

[jfmorris]

Well, if nothing else, you are inspiring me to uncover the offset and burn out the mold I spotted on a recent inspection. In fact I may just do it now, as it is about 50 feet from my office, using 3 or 4 chimneys of KBB. I'll dump 1 in the firebox and 2-3 in the main cook chamber.

The cover is in tatters too and needs replacement, & I bought gasket material to help seal things up on it better a couple of years ago. Maybe this is the year to refocus on improving that cooker as much as I can...

[Steve R.]

jfmorris, I believe there is a Northern Tool in Huntsville, right? Go grab a Kindling Cracker.

[CaptainMike]

Offset, hands down!

[jfmorris]

Yeah it’s looking like the offset, which has its own set of challenges, mostly due to bad firebox design by my dad back in the early 80’s. I know the ins and outs of it at this point and can maintain 250-275, even though sometimes I find myself plugging places on the firebox with foil!

I just found a bunch of post oak mini splits from B&B that I bought on clearance in the fall at Lowe’s for $5 per bag. Was saving for a brisket, but if I don’t have time to chop down some firewood to half size, I may be using those.

[Jfrosty27]

Wow. A major undertaking for sure. Flame on! Keep the photos coming once you get started. And good luck with it all.

[Donw]

People are going to rag me on my suggestion but here goes. 3 in the SNS. Cook 2, one at a time in a pressure cooker or instant pot. Pull them all and mix both methods together. Pulled pork will be smokey, juicy, flavorful and no one will know the difference. Plus saved a lot of worry and time.

[CaptainMike]

Clever!

[fzxdoc]

Wow. I wonder if I could pull that off with our girls who keep "ordering" smoked meats from their Mom/Stepmom. Most times I end up with the WSCGC and the PBC going full tilt, sometimes for a couple of days in a row, before a visit from either or both of them. Last time we visited one of them she wanted me to bring a couple of smoked meatloaves and 5 x one-pound bags of pulled chuck. Oh, and a bechamel/ragu bolognese lasagna.

Kathryn

[CaptainMike]

fzxdoc Hmmm, Kathryn, sounds like you might need to start gifting some books by author/chefs like Meathead, Raichlin, Child, and Hazan.

[WI Bubba]

Despite the challenges, good on you for taking it all on.

[Joey877]

Assuming you can sell the fact the offset may need some "work" before it can be used, seems to me like an excellent opportunity to pick up another cooker for the patio. Wife can't be mad, it's for the family and church!

[DTro]

I imagine with all the pictures you could post that the Pitmaster Club could be super busy - Cook three, get the smoke and finish in the oven, repeat. Sounds like a fun cook any way you do it!

[TripleB]

Here’s my thought- smoke them however you choose on Saturday or Sunday. Wrap in foil and in the cooler for a couple hours and then into the frig. Reheat in the oven (still in the foil) on Monday and then hand off to the family and church friends. I’ve done this with ribs with great results.

[jfmorris]

I did just that for the engagement party in 2017. I smoked until midnight, pulled pork by myself until 2AM, and put it all in the fridge. That evening we put covered pans in the oven on low, dumping them into crockpots for serving as-needed.

[Skip]

This is what I was thinking as I read through this thread. SnS Kamado is easiest to control the heat IMO. So I agree with TripleB .

[glitchy]

Sounds like a good time to rush out and buy a vertical pellet smoker 🤪

[jfmorris]

Haha. Nope. That won't happen. If anything, if I don't use the offset, it will be the SNSK and Performer. The reason I won't let my son take the Performer (he wants it) is the excuse to the wife that I need it for when the SNSK doesn't have enough capacity. Or when I want to use the Vortex for chicken wings (its handy with the gas assist).

[Attjack]

I think you should go kamado because it will be the first time you did a big cook on it and because it will be easier and allow you to work.

[Attjack]

Yes, that's why I mentioned it. I hope you try it. With them, on their ends leaning against each other, I think you could get some air space for circulation. Good idea about the skewers if you need them at all because gravity might be good enough. If not, skewer them. I would assume this technique will add to the cooking time. Take pics if you do it!

[jfmorris]

This mostly intrigues me because I want to see what CAN fit.

But I also have a commitment for the wife to be able to drive off around 5pm and deliver dinner to two different families, along with a couple of my kids dropping by to pickup "their" butts. So I'll probably play with them in the cryovac to see how crazy this is before I actually try it.

[jfmorris]

Unfortunately, I hauled all the butts still in plastic out to the kamado, and even on end I can only fit 4 while staying over the deflector, with some space in the middle of the heap.

[jfmorris]

Well folks, in case I decide to go that way, I uncovered "Old Moldy" aka "Old Smokey" and have 3 large Weber chimneys filled from my VERY LAST bag of the 2018 KBB, from back in the long lost days of 2 for $9.98 sales at Home Depot. Once it is all lit, one gets dumped in the firebox, and 2 get dumped on the charcoal pan I slid into the cooking chamber.

Sadly, when I finally uncovered I found that the 2 eye bolts that are mounted to the frame that hold the front shelf (it drops through them) are deformed and fatigued, and my front shelf is tipping down at an angle. These parts are thankfully not welded, so I think I can cut some eye bolts down from the hardware store to fit.

In the meantime, since the cook is hovering at 5 butts, I really would like to do it on the SNSK if I thought it was possible. I'm going to go buy a case of Boston butts at Sam's Club, freeze 3, and I may test fit them on the SNSK before I unpack them for dry brining, just to see if it is possible...

[FireMan]

Don’t know much about yer day job, but the Pit, who gives a rip! We kin wait a day or two til we see ya agin. Ol’ Smokey is a callin. While yer at it throw an extry on cuz ya never know at the way things sorta grew on ya. You will be glad ya did it the old fashioned way. You will sit back & smile, everybody will love ya & think yer the man, yessir. Git r’ done.

[smokenoob]

Well sure, I’ll take one! What time should I come by?

[jfmorris]

Oh crap. Now I gotta fit a 6th one on there for sure!