How much wood and timing for 2 different pieces of meat??

[Golfer1659]

I am going to do a 15lb brisket and a 9lb pork butt.


I already prepped the meat, but I have a few questions.


I am thinking I put in the pork butt 6 hours after the brisket, so they finish at the same time.

Do I just use 6oz of hickory from the start of the brisket or throw a chunk in again when I put in the pork butt. 

I also assume, brisket on top rack and pork butt below.

Also I smake my second meat probe through once I am about to put in the pork butt?


I'm guessing 18 hours brisket and 12 hours pork butt and do it all at 225 degrees.

 

[NDKoze]

I don't like adding meat and wood mid smoke. So, I would start both at the same time, because no matter how you plan they are still pieces of meat that will get done when they get done and most likely not at the same time.

Then pull the brisket and rest (double-foil wrapped) until the pork butt is done.

Or even better, smoke the pork butt separate/first and reheat in a crockpot with 1/4-1/2 cup of apple juice or vacuum-pack and simmer the sealed bag in a pot of simmering water. My reheated pulled pork often tastes better than when it was freshly pulled.

These are my thoughts anyway. We'll see what the others think.

 

[es1025]

I did a pork butt and ribs. I smoked the butt for 6 hours then wrapped and added the ribs. I did add a chunk of wood. I agree not my preferred method but it was my first time cooking two meats. 5oz for the butt and 2oz for the ribs. Both came out great but i think separate might be better.

 

[Golfer1659]

After doing further research on other smoking forums and weighing each piece of meat after trimming I came up with a plan.

I will cook both at the sometime.

I will cook the pork butt above the brisket.  The Brisket will be fat cap down and the juices will moisten the brisket.

I am going to put it on at 5am and looking to serve around 9pm friday night.  Both are weighing in at around 9lbs.

 

[Golfer1659]

Btw here is what I did:

Brisket, trimmed, injected with beef broth covered in mustard and then a salt and pepper mix

Pork butt, trimmed, injected with apple juice and rub mixture, covered in mustard and then rubbed in Daves famous rub....

 

[NDKoze]

If your going to do both at the same time, I think I would put the butt below the brisket as the meat on the lower rack will cook faster than the upper rack and could increase the time discrepancy between the two meats.

 

[Golfer1659]

If your going to do both at the same time, I think I would put the butt below the brisket as the meat on the lower rack will cook faster than the upper rack and could increase the time discrepancy between the two meats.

the brisket would take longer I'm thinking......regardless i want the juices on the brisket and not vice versus to keep the brisket flat as moist as possible

 

[Golfer1659]

Going with 6 Ounces of Hickory for the full smoke.....

 

[SconnieQ]

After doing further research on other smoking forums and weighing each piece of meat after trimming I came up with a plan.

I will cook both at the sometime.

I will cook the pork butt above the brisket.  The Brisket will be fat cap down and the juices will moisten the brisket.

I am going to put it on at 5am and looking to serve around 9pm friday night.  Both are weighing in at around 9lbs.

That's a lot of trimming if your brisket went from 15 lbs to 9 lbs. I normally end up trimming about 2 lbs off of a whole packer brisket that size. If both your brisket and butt are weighing in at the same 9 lbs, then I would think the brisket would be done first, usually taking 1 to 1.25 hours per pound to reach 195 IT in the flat. Where the butt will probably take 1.5 to 2 hours per pound to reach 190-195 IT. Either way, I would start them both at the same time, butt below the brisket. Remove whichever is done first, double wrap in foil and put in a cooler. It will only get better as it rests. Allow enough time to get a good rest on the second one when that's done. 6 ounces of hickory sounds good.

 

[NDKoze]

After doing further research on other smoking forums and weighing each piece of meat after trimming I came up with a plan.

I will cook both at the sometime.

I will cook the pork butt above the brisket.  The Brisket will be fat cap down and the juices will moisten the brisket.

I am going to put it on at 5am and looking to serve around 9pm friday night.  Both are weighing in at around 9lbs.

That's a lot of trimming if your brisket went from 15 lbs to 9 lbs. I normally end up trimming about 2 lbs off of a whole packer brisket that size. If both your brisket and butt are weighing in at the same 9 lbs, then I would think the brisket would be done first, usually taking 1 to 1.25 hours per pound to reach 195 IT in the flat. Where the butt will probably take 1.5 to 2 hours per pound to reach 190-195 IT. Either way, I would start them both at the same time, butt below the brisket. Remove whichever is done first, double wrap in foil and put in a cooler. It will only get better as it rests. Allow enough time to get a good rest on the second one when that's done. 6 ounces of hickory sounds good.

+1 This is why I suggested putting the brisket above the butt. With that trimmed down of a brisket, it is going to finish before the butt no matter whether it is above or below the butt. So, placing it above the butt should at least bring them a little closer to finishing at the same time.

Actually, I think even with the brisket not trimmed as much, it should typically finish before a butt.

The other advantage to placing the brisket on the top rack is that it will get more stable temps (further from the element) and be shielded by the butt which I think will prevent the brisket flat from becoming too dry. I think these pros outweigh the basting affect of the pork fat drippings dripping on the brisket.

Also, don't forget to add a water pan (mini tin loaf pan or something similar) on the floor of the smoker resting right up against the smoke box.

Just my 2 cents on this. Good luck with your smoke and remember to take some pics.

 

[SconnieQ]

+1 This is why I suggested putting the brisket above the butt. With that trimmed down of a brisket, it is going to finish before the butt no matter whether it is above or below the butt. So, placing it above the butt should at least bring them a little closer to finishing at the same time.

Actually, I think even with the brisket not trimmed as much, it should typically finish before a butt.

The other advantage to placing the brisket on the top rack is that it will get more stable temps (further from the element) and be shielded by the butt which I think will prevent the brisket flat from becoming too dry. I think these pros outweigh the basting affect of the pork fat drippings dripping on the brisket.

Also, don't forget to add a water pan (mini tin loaf pan or something similar) on the floor of the smoker resting right up against the smoke box.

Just my 2 cents on this. Good luck with your smoke and remember to take some pics.

Gregg is spot on. Good additional information.

 

[Golfer1659]

So let me clarify a few things and report back for people that ever do this themselves.

I looked again at the weight and the Brisket weight was 11.5 lbs and it trimmed down to around 10 lbs.

Put on at 5am.

Went and looked at around 11am.

3 things I noticed.  The temps were too high, Brisket was 188 and the Pork butt was like 180.
I knew this was in accurate.  What I came to find was the pan below the smoker was filled to the brim with liquid from what is the injection.

It seemed the probe locations weren't the best.  I think I was too close to a opening since this pork butt was a pulled bone butt and i pushed it through too far.

The probe in the brisket I pushed too far through and seemed to close to the top of the skin and the skinnier part of the flat.

What I did:

Emptied the drip pan to start lol.

I moved the brisket above the pork butt, like someone suggested.  I "reprobbed" both the pork butt and the brisket.  The temps dropped dramatically.  Pork Butt went to 174 and the brisket went down to 178.

Seems to be that they are in a stall right now, I will report back later and let you know exactly.


This is a learning process but I handled the situation and adjusted.

 

[NDKoze]

Yep, it sounds like you handled it well and are on track for some good eats.

 

[Golfer1659]

Brisket stalled at 181......

 

[SconnieQ]

Brisket stalled at 181......

That's a good thing. Don't panic or rush it unless you absolutely have to for some reason. The temp could sit there for hours. If you put the 10 lb brisket on at 5 am, you might be eating a little later than you planned. 1 to 1.25 hours per pound, plus a 2 hour rest (could go 1 hour rest if you have to) would put you somewhere between 12 and 14.5 hours, so eating somewhere between 5:00 and 7:30. And since you had to open the door to adjust the probes, you maybe lost an hour between adjusting the probes, and getting back up to temp. So maybe more like eating between 6:00 and 8:30. The butt might take even longer. Still not probably not midnight or anything. I've certainly done that. Remember, you can easily rest a brisket and butt for 4 to 5 hours, no problem, so I always start 3-4 hours earlier than I think I have to. Pretty much everyone here underestimates time on their first brisket, and times it too close. And I often hear "it could have been more done, but we were hungry".  ;D Don't worry if that happens. There's always another smoke!

 

[Golfer1659]

The plan originally was for all the guys to come by and eat at 9.

The pork butt is at 183.  The brisket is at 184.  I am going to start testing the tenderness of the brisket once it reaches 190.

The pork butt I am pulling at 195 because the one that came out at 195 the other day was perfect.

Going to let each rest for at least hour, if not more.  I am going to make burnet ends out of some of the brisket.

I have, coleslaw, potato salad and mac and cheese to go with everything.......so fat.......lol

 

[Golfer1659]

SO i probed the brisket once it registered 190.  Everything was butter smooth except one section of the flat, I put it back in for a little more smoking.........

 

[DivotMaker]

So, how'd it all come out, Kyle? 

 

[Golfer1659]

Pulled pork was perfect......

The brisket point was perfect.......

The flat was dry, no real juice at all........

I don't think I will inject again.  The drip pan was FULL to the brim by 4-5 hours in.

Had a temp issue with the machine which I will get into later.  Something was off, cause I put it on at 5am and by 11am it read 181 degrees.  I don't think I will inject next time and just cook the brisket with a rub.

 

[DivotMaker]

Kyle, sometimes you have to just work through different techniques & methods, and find what works for you.  It's a process, and (fortunately), it involves having to smoke more meat to "get it right!" 8)