Hey All, the #3 and the BBQ (BB Ribs, 8lb pork shoulder) have been great since I received the smoker. I'm in need of some ideas for a larger party in a couple weekends. Couple questions for you. If I buy a 14lb butt, should I still assume 2 hours a lb? 28 hours of smoking? Also, I would like to offer the guests something in addition to the pulled pork. What other meats work well in the SI while the butt is doing its thing? Can I add additional wood in the 15th hour if I decide to go with some ribs? Or would this additional wood have a negative impact on the butt already cooking. Thanks!
BBQ ideas for a party
- Thread starter Kaz
- Start date
DivotMaker
New member
Good to hear you're having success, Kaz! One question: Where the heck to you find a 14 lb Boston butt?? Holy cow! (or should I say, holy pig?) That's huge! I'm in hog country, and the biggest I've ever found is about 11. Wow.
Now, on to your question - I just had to ask that! You should be fine with the 2 hr/lb rule. If you are going to do ribs, at the same time, they will obviously cook much faster. I would put them on the top shelf, above the butt, and start them at the same time. When they are done (probably 6 hours, considering the big, cold, butt beneath them), I would remove the ribs, let them cool a bit, vacuum seal them, and refrigerate. Let the butt continue on its way. At about 1 hour before the butt is done, I would put the ribs back in the smoker to reheat. When the butt is done, wrap and rest in a cooler, turn the temp down to 140, and take the ribs out after the butt rests 30 min to 1 hour. You should have pork to pull, and hot ribs at the same time.
Don't add more wood. It will have an effect on the butt (over-smoke), and you may have a hard time getting the wood smoking while the smoker is in maintenance mode.
Might not work, but that's how I'd tackle it.
Now, on to your question - I just had to ask that! You should be fine with the 2 hr/lb rule. If you are going to do ribs, at the same time, they will obviously cook much faster. I would put them on the top shelf, above the butt, and start them at the same time. When they are done (probably 6 hours, considering the big, cold, butt beneath them), I would remove the ribs, let them cool a bit, vacuum seal them, and refrigerate. Let the butt continue on its way. At about 1 hour before the butt is done, I would put the ribs back in the smoker to reheat. When the butt is done, wrap and rest in a cooler, turn the temp down to 140, and take the ribs out after the butt rests 30 min to 1 hour. You should have pork to pull, and hot ribs at the same time.
Don't add more wood. It will have an effect on the butt (over-smoke), and you may have a hard time getting the wood smoking while the smoker is in maintenance mode.
Might not work, but that's how I'd tackle it.
Pork Belly
Moderator
I think you likely have 2 seven pound butts in a commercial cryovac pack. Those look like one but are really two. If that is the case you are looking at 14 hour smoke time.
I would smoke some chicken wings separated into flats and drumetts. You would want to do these the day before your event and get them about 75% done. Finnish them in the oven the day of your event. This will give you something to snack on while the butt rests before serving.
You can also smoke a few racks of baby backs the day before wrap and cool them. Remove from the fridge and cut each rib separately between the bones. Using a nonstick skillet heat the ribs on the cut sides, turning as needed with tongs. When ribs come up to temp. briefly increase the heat and give them a squirt of sauce, the sugars will caramelize in the pan nicely. Put out a big platter of wings and single ribs, that gives you snack food any surplus can be served with the meal.
I would smoke some chicken wings separated into flats and drumetts. You would want to do these the day before your event and get them about 75% done. Finnish them in the oven the day of your event. This will give you something to snack on while the butt rests before serving.
You can also smoke a few racks of baby backs the day before wrap and cool them. Remove from the fridge and cut each rib separately between the bones. Using a nonstick skillet heat the ribs on the cut sides, turning as needed with tongs. When ribs come up to temp. briefly increase the heat and give them a squirt of sauce, the sugars will caramelize in the pan nicely. Put out a big platter of wings and single ribs, that gives you snack food any surplus can be served with the meal.
DivotMaker
New member
Kaz said:
Good catch, Brian! I didn't even think about that being a 2-pack! :-[ If you still just want ribs and butt, I'd still tackle it the same way; you just won't have to wait so long until you re-heat the ribs.
An alternative method since I like my ribs fresh out of the smoker (maybe 30 min rest, wrapped and put in a cooler). I generally set my butt's target time to 5-6 hours before we're supposed to eat then let it rest for 4 hours double wrapped, wrapped in a towel in a cooler. It will still be almost too hot to handle (or just plain too hot to handle). I have the ribs ready so I can put them in when I pull the butt out and by the time I get done shredding the butt, the ribs are done and everything is served at once.
The plus side is that if you're off a bit on your time, pulled pork reheats very easily compared to ribs.
The plus side is that if you're off a bit on your time, pulled pork reheats very easily compared to ribs.
DivotMaker
New member
That works, too, Steven! Great tip!
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