Boston Butt and Brisket Smoked at the same Time?

[Elliottbte]

I'm having some company over and couldn't decide between smoking pork and beef, and I only have time to do one smoke.  Is there any reason not to do a single smoke with the Butt on the lower shelf and a brisket above? I always use DM's brine and my cooking time per pound for both has been roughly 1.5 hrs/lb, and I use a Maverick to monitor up to two meat temps.  I would use a combination of Apple/Hickory/Pecan in equal proportions.

Any reason why not to do this?  Ideas for how to do best?

 

[SuperDave]

Brad, no reason at all not to do it. 

 

[swthorpe]

I see no problems, as long as they both fit.  While they likely will require about the same time, you might want to probe them separately to monitor ITs.  Let us know how you make out.

 

[Elliottbte]

I see no problems, as long as they both fit.  While they likely will require about the same time, you might want to probe them separately to monitor ITs.  Let us know how you make out.

Thanks.  I hope to find a 5lb Bone In Butt and same for Brisket.  If anything, I will get a Butt just a bit bigger than the brisket as it will be closer to the burner and I find the brisket takes a bit longer to smoke per pound.  My local Publix store is really good about letting me have just a portion of a larger cryovac brisket flat.  I get the thicker end which makes it easier to smoke. 

 

[swthorpe]

I like your plan!  Good luck, keep us posted on the results!  Cheers

 

[DivotMaker]

Sounds like a plan, Brad!

 

[Elliottbte]

I will never really understand the mystery of smoking meats I don't think.  I am 3 hours into a 225 degree (monitored temp) smoke of a 5.25lb Boston Butt and a 4.75 Brisket.  The Brisket is above the Butt in the #1.  The Brisket temp is 185 and the Butt is 176 ..... only 3 hours in !!  Was thinking it would be 6-7 hours.  Despite my best instincts, I opened the #1, and checked the temps of both, repositioning and trying a couple spots.  No real change so these guys are Smokin Fast !!!

I've turned the temp setting down to 200 to try to slow things down a bit, but it looks like I'll have these two chunks of meat out soon.  I hope the double foil wrap and cooler will keep them good until dinner 6 hours later when company arrives.

 

[swthorpe]

That does sound a bit quick, but have you reached a stall at all?  Perhaps the stall is happening now and the temps will remain the same for an hour or two.    If you are stalling now, you might want to move your box temp back to 225.    For the size meat that you have, I would have estimated 7 to 7.5 hours total time.

 

[Elliottbte]

That does sound a bit quick, but have you reached a stall at all?  Perhaps the stall is happening now and the temps will remain the same for an hour or two.    If you are stalling now, you might want to move your box temp back to 225.    For the size meat that you have, I would have estimated 7 to 7.5 hours total time.

Nope, neither stalled.  I have done at least 6 smokes since I got the #1 at Christmas and never had this happen before.  And it's happening on both meats.  Now, it is really hot in Chattanooga but I don't see where that matters given the thermostat on the #1 and I have monitored the temp and it never got above 225. It is now 45 mins since I turned down to 200.  Both meats are now about 179.  I think I will turn it up to 215 on the setting and see what happens.

 

[swthorpe]

Interesting!  You may be in a stall now, but it is odd also that your one meat previously at 185 is now down to 179? 

 

[Elliottbte]

Interesting!  You may be in a stall now, but it is odd also that your one meat previously at 185 is now down to 179?

Definitely in a stall now at 181.  Feeling better about things.  But with my luck it will now stay there too long.

 

[swthorpe]

That sounds about right ... you may want to bring your temp back up to 225, or even 235.  Good luck!

 

[Elliottbte]

I see no problems, as long as they both fit.  While they likely will require about the same time, you might want to probe them separately to monitor ITs.  Let us know how you make out.

I'm a bit delayed getting back on how things went, but it came out great.  Both Butt and Brisket got to the appropriate temps at the same time.  The 50/50 combination of apple and hickory worked well for both. 

 

[DivotMaker]

Good to hear, Brad!

 

[mizzoufan]

I think we all have experience that 'race to stall' cook once.  My first brisket ran to 176 in record time and then sat there for about 4 hours.  I was getting scared watching it climb that quickly and created a HELP!! post, but all was well in the end.  I truly have embraced the no worries, be lazy BBQ approach and don't even think about the smoker til my maverick starts beeping anymore.

 

[elkins20]

I also learned that I need to have my #1 not in full sunlight for a smoke. When I did my chuck roast I had the smoker on my back porch and it faces east. So most of the morning was in full sun. The top was hot to touch as could have fried eggs on it. The temp. inside ran from 235 to 250 degrees. Rest of my smokes will be on the front porch that is shaded.

 

[Elliottbte]

I think we all have experience that 'race to stall' cook once.  My first brisket ran to 176 in record time and then sat there for about 4 hours.  I was getting scared watching it climb that quickly and created a HELP!! post, but all was well in the end.  I truly have embraced the no worries, be lazy BBQ approach and don't even think about the smoker til my maverick starts beeping anymore.

Did you brine that brisket?  I'm sold on using DM's brine recipe, including the pink salt for the faux smoke ring, but I just wonder if that impacts when/how the stall happens.

 

[DivotMaker]

It's amazing, some times, just how fast meat climbs!  I did some chuck roasts this weekend for burnt ends.  They started at 33°, and climbed to 155° in only 2 hours.  Another hour to 177°!  Then, they stalled.  Hehe.  I knew it was coming, and they sat there (even dropped back to 174) for the next 3 hours.  Once the stall "broke," they climbed to 195 in just over another hour. 

The stall can be disconcerting, if you don't know what's coming!  I almost make it a contest, now, to see how fast the climb to the stall is.  I think these chuck roasts were my fastest yet!

 

[elkins20]

Yes I seen that in the chuck roast. As it went thru the stall was at 190 and then dropped back to 185. I finally said the heck with it and did the patience thing. But, was kind of scary seeing the temp. drop back.

 

[DivotMaker]

But, was kind of scary seeing the temp. drop back.

I look, and wait, for that!  Think of it this way:  When you're in a hot garage, working up a sweat, your internal temp is climbing fast.  When the sweat starts to roll, you walk outside in the breeze, and immediately feel cooler.  That's what happening with the meat!  It's absorbing all that heat until the fat starts to render and flow to the surface (sweat, if you will).  As the moving air flows across the meat, evaporative cooling occurs - just like when we sweat in a breeze.  So, when I see the temp drop, I know the magic is happening in the meat!!  I don't care how long it takes; the meat will tell me when the magic is done.