Butt - First smoke

[Smokin Q]

My #3 has been delivered and seasoned. I am planning on cooking a 9# butt and 3 slabs of BB ribs for my first cook this weekend. I have read a lot of post regarding cook times, temps, etc. and I have a few questions and would appreciate any advice and insight.

I am planning on eating Sat. night around 5:30-6:00 before the Alabama-FSU game kickoff at 7:00. I do not want to be dealing with cooking during the game! The post I have read on the forum have cook times at 225 ranging from 12-30 hours! It seems like 1:40/pound is an good average time at 225. This has made me start to overthink my timing. One other consideration is the butt selection was sliim and the one I got is thinner that any bone in butt I have ever smoked. This makes me think it will cook on the lower side of the time range.

Also, I am not sure about cooking a single 9# butt in my #3 and how this will impact cooking time?

I am trying to come up with a plan that will allow me to start late Friday night (10-11 range) and be ready to pull off about 3:00 Saturday. But, I don't want to wake up and have it ready in 10 hours or be ready at 10:00 PM Sat. I plan on putting the ribs on about 11:30 AM Sat.

In the past I have smoked at 200-210 and taken it really slow. I thought about putting it on about 9:00 or 10:00 PM Friday night on 200 and raising to 225 about 6:00 AM Sat. Cooking to 195 IT. Any thoughts or results doing this. I want to avoid wrapping in foil during the cook.

Or, I am overthinking this and just put the butt on at 11:00 PM Friday night at 225 and wrap it and put it in a cooler when it is done. I just want to avoid it being ready before 1:00 PM Saturday.

Thanks in advance to any responses. I am open to your suggestions from all of the cooking experience on this forum.

Miller

 

[Jimeo]

Going to be a good game Miller, I plan on watching it myself.  I'm sure a more experienced member will come along and offer better advice, I've only been at this a handful of months.

You should consider doing two separate smokes. Get the butt done, wrapped and resting, then start the ribs.  The butt should take 1.5-2 hours a pound, the ribs 5-6 hours depending what method you are using.  If you put the ribs in before the butt is done there won't be any wood/smoke left, if you add more wood, your butt could be over smoked.   

Hope this helps in some way...

 

[JustChillin]

I agree with Jim. Cook the butt & rest it in a cooler then smoke the ribs. I like the 5-51/2 hour no peek method.

 

[old sarge]

When the butt is done rest in two layers of tightly wrapped heavy duty foil and wrap that in a large thick towel and place in a cooler till you are ready for it.

 

[SconnieQ]

I would allow at least 18 hours minimum total for the butt. You can easily rest the butt for 5 hours or more (double wrapped in foil, towels, and in a cooler), so I would err on the side of having it done way ahead of time. And even if it is done more than 5 hours ahead of time, double-wrap in foil, place in a pan, then into an oven at 140, or as low as it will go that is above 140. When done, remove from the oven, and if it's more than an hour or so before eating, transfer to a cooler.

I would put the butt in at 9 pm at 225. At 11 am, if the butt is not done, transfer to a 225 oven, double wrapped in foil, and in a pan to catch juices. Put the ribs in the smoker. Quickly and carefully (its hot!) slide the smoke box out enough to add a chunk or so of wood for the ribs. Just keep in mind, the worst thing is not being done early enough for a good rest. (Ribs can rest wrapped in foil for a few hours too.) I don't know how many times I hear "I pulled it early because we were hungry".