Advice on smoking a couple of Butts

[dtoneill72]

Hello all,

I'm about to venture into smoking Pork Butts for the very first time this weekend .  I think I understand all the basics of what I need to do, but I have a very specific question.   Here's the story:   I'm smoking a 8 lb and a 6 lb pork butt on my WSM for a shindig this Sunday at 1pm.  I plan on smoking the butts at about 250 and anticipating it taking about 12 hours (sound right?)   My quandry is this....If I want them ready for Sunday at 1pm, when do I start smoking?   Seems like I have two choices:

1.  Smoke them during the day Saturday and have them done by early evening SATURDAY night

2.  Start smoking them Saturday night (start about 11pm) and let them go all night to be done just before 1pm Sunday.

So if I go with #1 and have the butts done on Saturday night, how do I keep them fresh all the way till Sunday at 1pm without refrigerating and then reheating?.  If I go with number #2, then I basically am not going to get any sleep Saturday night because I'll be worried about the temperature.

This is only my second smoke ever, so I'm not too sure on what the best approach is.  Any advice would be appreciated!

Darren 

 

[pc farmer]

Your first time doing butts, smoke them Saturday.

Reheat in crockpot with some juice.

 

[dtoneill72]

Thanks for the reply!  What type of juice would you recommend?  we made an apple juice based injection for the butts, would I use that in the crock pots?   would you recommend putting them directly in the crock pot after they've been smoked and rested?   I've heard others say to wrap them up and place them in a cooler, would that be an option for a while?

 

[pc farmer]

That injection should work.

Yes wrap then rest first.   Lets the butt juices even out in the meat.

 

[padronman]

I would use a "finishing sauce" to re-heat it.   Check the search bar and try Chef JJ's and SoFlaQuer's....both are used in my house.

Scott

 

[oldschoolbbq]

And practice "Patience...

For after all . . .

 

[addertooth]

If you are going to cook on two different racks, make sure the larger Butt is put on the shelf which runs hotter.  This will help in having them complete closer to the same time. 

 

[dtoneill72]

I have a 22" WSM...I was planning them both on the top rack, should I separate them.

 

[addertooth]

If you have measured your temperature difference on each rack, and one is hotter (they typically are), but the bigger hunk of meat on the hotter shelf.  If you have not characterized your unit yet, just put them both on the top rack, for ease of access.  If you use the same shelf, move them away from each other, as big hunks of meat tend to make a "cold zone" immediately adjacent to the surface of the meat.