Pork Butt & Beef Brisket

[leafsfan]

Hello,

This weekend I am having a BBQ and cooking up a pork butt and beef brisket on my smoke vault.

From reading a number of posts on the SMF it seems that the general consensus is that the pork butt should be cooked at about 225F and the brisket is should be 240-250F

From what I have read (and i understand you cook to temperature not time) but the estimated time for the brisket at that temperature is 1-1.5 hours/lb.  My brisket is a packer at 12.78 lbs so it will take approximately 15 hours plus a few hours to rest.  To ensure it is ready at a reasonable time I plan on starting it friday night at 7PM and smoking it overnight.

For the pork there seems to be varying opinion on how long it will take.  I plan to cook a 7 lb pork butt, from the posts I have read some say 1-1.5 hours/lb others have said a 7lb pork butt can take 19-20 hours.

I guess my questions are:  Is 230-240F a good temperature to accommodate cooking both butt and brisket at the same time?  And how long should i target for the pork butt, should i put it in shortly after the brisket friday night or early in the morning saturday?

Any advise or tips is appreciated!

Thanks,
Dan

 

[dirtsailor2003]

Yes you can cook both at the same temp. Honestly I run my smoker around 285° for both of those now. I would still figure 1.5 hours per pound, and add a couple hours wiggle room. Foiled wrapped and stuffed in a cooler both will keep for several hours.

I'd put both on at the same time, assuming that the pork butt will finish first. You can wrap it for 45 minutes, then pull it into a foil pan add finishing sauce if you are going to. Cover and into the cooler.

 

[sserbel]

Both pork butt and brisket to me seem to be a bit unpredictable time wise. I just had a 4lb butt go 10hrs at 250° and still didnt get threw the stall. Anymore i smoke to the stall then foil it to me is just a little more predictable. As of putting them on at the same time i def would start both at same time even if the pork butt is done first a few hour rest wont hurt but prob help. And if not reheated pork butttl is sometimes better.

 

[oldschoolbbq]

Case is reliable ,his heat is higher than mine , but heat is subjective to you . I go 225* average and my times are still 1.5\hr.\lb. average .

Time is your friend here , plan extra to avert trouble . Remember ,you CAN hold them easy Plus you have time to do sides , or " Honey Do's" .

Hope you have a grand time and the meal is a sucess !

As always . . ,

 

[leafsfan]

Thanks for the tips everyone.  I will put them both on at the same time and make sure i give myself a few extra hours just to be sure they are ready in time.  

If they are ready a few hours early, how long can i keep them wrapped in a cooler before I will be forced to reheat?

Has anyone pulled the pork and put it in a crock pot on warm to keep the temperature?  Does it dry it out?

Thanks again.

 

[vwaldoguy]

They will keep for hours wrapped in foil, then wrapped in towels, then placed in a cooler.  Keeping above 140 is the magic temperature, and as long as they are wrapped up, they should be fine.  Yes, you can put the meat in a crockpot if you want, or even put in an oven to warm up if necessary.  If the meat dries out, you can add a little apple cider to the pork, or make some au jus beef broth for the brisket.

 

[leafsfan]

Thanks, I will give that a try.