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8 Butts in the cooker?

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Mrfish

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I have a Birthday party that someone asked me to cook for. About 100 people give or take, with turkey sandwiches too. (Someone else is making those)

I got a case at Sam's for .99 cents a lb. 8 Butts are 68 lbs. I was going to cook on the Jambo, but my wood pile is soggy with sideway rain the last four days, so I think I can squeeze them on the Treager.

I have never cooked this much meat at once. Is there anything to be careful of or different than my regular weekend gigs of two butts and a few birds? Will that much meat take any longer to smoke?

I figured maybe 50% yield should cover it? Does that sound about right?

Thanks,

Ron
 
Cooking 8 pounds is the same as cooking 80 pounds not much difference. I cook 400 pounds at once one a regular basis. I have noticed if the smoker is over crowded they can take a little bit longer but not a lot. You should get better than a 50% yield. Typically you loose maybe 30 %. If you cook boneless ones will be little better yield. Just make sure you have space in between the butts. Good luck and happy smoking!
 
Mrfish said:
I have a Birthday party that someone asked me to cook for. About 100 people give or take, with turkey sandwiches too. (Someone else is making those)



I figured maybe 50% yield should cover it? Does that sound about right?

Thanks,

Ron
Click to expand...

38 - 40 lb yield figure 1/3 lb per person and you will have over 100 sandwiches. With turkey sandwiches in the mix you will have some left over.

Good Luck..................
 
Wet wood really isn't a big deal, unless it's been submerged under water or something. Just get a good bed of coals going and preheat your wood before you add it to the fire.
 
We have cooked 8 butts on our Treager Texas more than once. Put them end to end with about 1" between them, and make two rows, front and back They should fit with no problem, but you might have to rotate them to make sure they cook evenly.
 
419butts1_zpsc92ad26c.jpg


Got them on there... barely.
 
Looking good. In the past I have noticed that it may take longer to get your smoker up to temp once you put all that cold meat in there, but once it is heated it takes the same amount of time as if you were just cooking one.
 
With that much meat on the grill watch for flare up. I know your on a pellet cooker but that is a lot of fat rendering and if it drips into the flame of the pellets it can catch the other dripped fat on fire and possibly back up into the pellet box. also raise your temp too high and create other havoc.

Yes this is speaking from experience.
 
It did take a long time to come up to temp, about an hour with all the meat in it.

I would have preferred the Jambo too, but the other issues due to gravel/lime driveway and distance from house.

I did worry about flare ups, and I am glad I checked. The right front butt charred within an hour because it was hanging over the deflector plate. So, I had to do a butt dance moving things around.

Looking back, I should have not been lazy and gotten the Jambo out, butt they are doing fine.
 
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