Cooking a Brisket and Two Pork Butts Together?

[TBoneJack]

This coming Friday, I'm cooking a brisket and two pork butts for a wedding reception dinner. I have two Weber WSMs (an 18" and a 22.5"), but I love the 22.5 and want to use it to cook the brisket and butts. I've got plenty of room in there.

However, I've never cooked brisket and butts together. And I'm not sure it's advisable. Could the brisket possibly develop a pork flavor?

If I use the 22.5 to cook all the meat, I was planning on putting the two butts on the bottom rack, and the brisket on top. But what about choice of smoke wood? For brisket, I tend toward oak and apple. For butts, I tend toward a little hickory with pecan and apple.

Any advice would be appreciated.

TBoneJack

[hoovarmin]

TBoneJack, that's a great question (and a great handle). I'm going to be lurking to see how The Pit thinktank responds.

[Steve B]

I would do exactly what you plan. Brisket on top.
As far as wood, you mentioned apple for both and you can't go wrong with oak for either. So oak and apple it is. It's gonna be great!!

[Mr. Bones]

Yer logic is sound; Brisket on top, butts lower...
I'd use like 50% oak, 25%/25% hickory/apple, were it me...
Happy Smokin', Amigo!

[Henrik]

Now that's a fun challenge! Yes, you can definitely cook the two together. And no, they won't pick up each other's flavor. The beef won't taste of pork, and vice versa. As for wood, that's a flavor preference only you can decide upon. All four types of wood (oak, apple, pecan, hickory) work great with both meats. The oak, apple and pecan are 'softer' or milder in character, while the hickory adds a little punch. If you're doing all meat in one cooker I would (personally) go with apple. It works really well with a lot of meat. But, that's just my personal preferences.

Since you have two cookers I would put the butts in the 18", and the briskets in the 22.5". The single reason would be to avoid brisket meat juices and rub residue dripping on the butts (or the other way around depending on how you stack 'em). Again, they can be cooked in the same smoker, I do it often, but then I can spread them out horizontally so there's no meat juices dripping onto the next hunk o' meat underneath. Another reason to cook them separately is then you don't have to open the smoker too often. I'm thinking the butts cook differently from the brisket with respect to time. You may also want to open the smoker to wrap one or the other. I would prefer to do briskets separately because they are all more 'synchronized' with respect to wrapping and finish time. The same goes for the butts. That's just my 2 cents.

[TBoneJack]

Thanks for the replies everyone.

I was a bit concerned about brisket fat dripping on the butts below, but then again this is the main reason I bought the bigger 22.5" model - for large cooks. So I'm gonna give it a try.

I trim most all the fat from my briskets before cooking, so maybe the bark on the butts will begin developing before all the interior brisket fat begins to render in quantity.

But I must admit, I'm getting a little tired of multi-level cooking. I love my WSMs and plan to keep them, but I'm getting ready for a horizontal stick burner. Four feet long, offset stack, insulated firebox, etc. Maybe as soon as next BBQ season...

[PaulstheRibList]

Stickburners!!! Oh, but try to learn the art of leaving that 1/4 inch of fat on those briskets, then get the temps enough to render it just right! #HugePayoff

[Steve B]

LoneStar Grillz baby.
Depending on what stick burner you choose there may be a waiting period to get it. Last I checked LSG was about 6 months. Than you look at the Shirley, I believe they are about 1-1/2 years.
So if you're really looking start looking soon. And of course let us know what you get and pics are necessary.

[PaulstheRibList]

Great points by Henrik, and two cookers does give you more flexibility. But you do have to run two fires and pits when you do that. There are always trade-offs. However, I've cooked butts on the bottom and brisket on top on my WSM 22.5" several times. I find temp recovery not a big issue when I run a Fuse type fire on my WSM, since I can keep the vents more open that way. I will have to add some fuel on a 12 hour cook, but it's not a big deal once you've done it a time or so.

I LOVE the beautiful look of a brisket on the smoke! And drippings falling on top of them do I never enjoy. But, once you slice it...it's hard to tell a problem. I don't mind the drippings hitting the butts as much, since I am pulling them anyway.

If you are running a 12 pound packer, and you wrap the brisket after 7-8 hours, they should end up done about the same time. I find it matters more that the brisket is pulled at just the right time, so having it on top is better for checking probe tender once your internal time is in the upper 190's.

What temp are you planning to run your WSM?

[TBoneJack]

Great points by Henrik, and two cookers does give you more flexibility. But you do have to run two fires and pits when you do that. There are always trade-offs. However, I've cooked butts on the bottom and brisket on top on my WSM 22.5" several times. I find temp recovery not a big issue when I run a Fuse type fire on my WSM, since I can keep the vents more open that way. I will have to add some fuel on a 12 hour cook, but it's not a big deal once you've done it a time or so.

I LOVE the beautiful look of a brisket on the smoke! And drippings falling on top of them do I never enjoy. But, once you slice it...it's hard to tell a problem. I don't mind the drippings hitting the butts as much, since I am pulling them anyway.

If you are running a 12 pound packer, and you wrap the brisket after 7-8 hours, they should end up done about the same time. I find it matters more that the brisket is pulled at just the right time, so having it on top is better for checking probe tender once your internal time is in the upper 190's.

What temp are you planning to run your WSM?

I like 250 degrees for briskets and butts. I used to obsess about keeping it right at 225, but I've been to a couple BBQ schools run by pro competitors, and they love 250-275 for just about everything. I'm also a BBQ judge, and the pros I've been talking with at competitions are mostly using 250+ for briskets, with some cooking "hot and fast" at 325. But then again they're cooking $300 Wagyu briskets. Personally, I wouldn't try above 275 in my smoker.

This will be my 3rd cook on my 22.5. It has been delightful to use. I finally listened to Harry Soo and did two things different:

1. I don't put any water in the water pan. I just wrap it top and bottom. This put an end to smoke residue forming on the inside of my lid that had to be cleaned off after every smoke. I also noticed slower fuel consumption since no energy is used keeping a bowl of water hot.

2. I use only the top vent to control temperature. I leave all 3 bottom vents fully open, and adjust the top (lid) vent as necessary. And it's much easier than trying to manipulate 3 bottom vents.

[PaulstheRibList]

I wonder if part of Harry's plan on the no water is that it makes the clean up easier? He is process efficient, after all!
And I have not experienced that residue that needs cleaning after every smoke that you did.
Happy cooking and SEND US PICTURES!