Smoking for an event - Advice needed

[jackfalstaff]

Ok, i admit it, I need some advice. I know this has probably been asked a million times, but here we go.

The set up (Lang 48 Patio): In a couple weeks, I am going to be smoking a 19# Brisket and 2-3 10ish lb pork shoulders for the fall Harvest Party at my church.

Question 1: Any advice on how long I should expect a brisket that size to take at around 250 - 275 cook temp?

Question 2: How much impact should i factor in for having multiple 4-5 big hunks of meat on at the same time?

Or maybe to make simpler, I am targeting a 3pm finish time, so that the meat can rest in a cooler for 2 hours before serving time at around 5. When would you all expect to begin your cook to hit close to that target?

I've had a hard time figuring out how to time my cooks for larger items, as they seem to finish much earlier on my reverse flow Lang than my Primo kamado style cooker given the same temp.

If I were just cooking for the family, i wouldn't sweat it, but obviously, the stakes are much higher here...

Thanks for any advice.

 

[phatbac]

question 1: 19# brisket could take 12-14 hours at that temp i know Langs cook them much faster. i have cooked a 19#er in 6 hours but i was at 375 the whole time (bad therm)

question 2: i would say over all cook i would expect 8-10 hours for the pork and 12-14 for the beef. if you maintain a good fire and keep your temps steady you should be fine.

i would say light you fire about 11pm the night before and smoke all night putting a stick on about every hour-hour and half depending on split size.

You said it was a church event...i would also suggest pray for your food to come out good. I usually like all the help as i can get!

Happy Smoking,
phatbac (Aaron)

 

[jackfalstaff]

question 1: 19# brisket could take 12-14 hours at that temp i know Langs cook them much faster. i have cooked a 19#er in 6 hours but i was at 375 the whole time (bad therm)

question 2: i would say over all cook i would expect 8-10 hours for the pork and 12-14 for the beef. if you maintain a good fire and keep your temps steady you should be fine.

i would say light you fire about 11pm the night before and smoke all night putting a stick on about every hour-hour and half depending on split size.

You said it was a church event...i would also suggest pray for your food to come out good. I usually like all the help as i can get!

Happy Smoking,
phatbac (Aaron)

Thanks for the advice... and Supplications have already begun. lol. I did an event last year at this time, with my Primo, and it was highly praised. But with the new rig, I've lost all my data and experience. and it's not like you can do a Large "Practice Cook" ... But, this is what I upgraded for... to be able to do things like this. :-)

 

[jimmyinsd]

that big a hunk of beef I would be starting about 5 on friday. if you foil when its done and throw it in a cooler with towels it will hold for many many hours without worrying about making anybody sick if it finishes early. ( or hold in your oven set at 160 degrees or what ever low temp you can hold at) I personally think that brisket gets better with a good long hold/rest.

those butts I would throw on at 3AM.

I know this will likely get done early, but IMO its easier to hold finished meat and still have it good than it is to rush a stubborn piece and have a bunch of hungry people pestering you about when its going to be done.

I dont know about how your lang cooks, but I use UDS and they often cook quicker than I expect, but once in a while you get a stubborn ass ol steer and they just wont be rushed. good luck.

 

[jokensmoken]

I AGREE with Jimmy. I'd start the brisket late afternoon to early evening the day before and the 12-14 hours before serving time.
I've seen brisket that size take ALL of 24 hours at 230°-240° C.F. temp.
You should be a little faster at the higher temps...
As far as multiple pieces of meat goes...once your equipment is up to temp, the number of "pieces" of meat doesn't effect anything...they cook according to individual weight not combined weight...

Walt