BBQ Exhaustion

[Texas Turtle]

Okay, so somebody suggested some que for Labor Day and I, naturally, jumped in with both feet. Yanked a butt out of the freezer that had been languishing since May, stopped by HEB and picked up a couple of chickens and three racks of St. Louis ribs. My oldest daughter called and said that she would come but it would help if we could keep the world's cutest grandbaby Saturday and Sunday night. One of the few things I like better than firing up the cookers is playing with my grandchild, so I said heck yeah. Then everybody decides they want the que for lunch instead of supper, so the time line gets accelerated by 6 hours. Put rugrat to bed at 8:30 Sunday night. Rubbed and injected butt and put in cooler with ice to hold. Set up WSM for butt, offset for ribs & chicken. Went to bed at 10:30, got up at 12:00 and started fire in WSM. Put butt on at 2:00, kept watch on IQUE110 for 30 minutes to confirm solid 250 at grate. Went back to bed and got up at 5:00. Started fire in offset, prepped ribs and put on at 6:30. Cleaned and spatchcocked chickens. Wrapped butt at 165, ribs at 8:30. Put chickens on at 9:00, glazed and rewrapped ribs. Unwrapped and reglazed ribs at 11:00, checked chickens and found them at perfect temp. Wrapped and coolered. IT gauge on butt said 205, unwrapped and pulled bone. Rewrapped and coolered. So I'm basically finished at 11:00 and lunch is at 1:00. Pulled and sauced butt at 12:00. Carved ribs & chicken at 12:30 and lunch was pretty much perfect, althoiugh we had a couple of no-shows and lots of leftovers. Typical BBQ experience, right? Problem is, I'm dead on my feet and hurt all over. I have a surgical consultation at M D Anderson tomorrow at 8:00 and I'm going to feel like heck. The ultimate question: Am I the only one who gets wore out like this when he cooks or is it just that at 61 years of age with stage 4 cancer I'm too damned old to spend three days keeping up with 40 pounds of boundless energy that expects Grandpa to spend all day playing with him and then stay up virtually all night staring at an array of thermometers on the back porch? (I know this is ridiculously long, sorry.)

[IamMadMan]

But all in all, it was worth the effort and time....

[landarc]

I am worn out from the brisket cook I did, and I am 52. Health problems bite into your energy. I figure there are two types of energy, that which we can easily replenish, with food, water and sleep; and the type that is more about core life energy. When we get sick, our bodies fight with that "deeper" energy and it saps us.

For me, I can no longer easily sustain that amount of energy expenditure. I am in loads of pain, and have been since early Sunday morning, due to the being up and moving from the brisket cook. You just have to measure what is important to you.

[mrbill]

I hear ya. I spent Saturday cooking for my coworkers to eat tomorrow. did a boston butt and two links of sausage. even though I know and trust my WSM to do it's duty(and it did), my paranoia/ocd kept me checking/tending to it frequently. Sunday, I was cooking for family. Doing 2 racks of ribs, a whole chicken and a link of sausage. I did this cook with my first bare pan cook(no foil, no water, no nada), and had some temp issues. at one point the dome thermo was darn near pegged, meaning my grate temp was prolly close to 400. did some vent knocking and managed to bring the temps back down. all in all, it was a good cook, ribs tasted great, but were a bit bark heavy. everything else was fine. btw-ribs were the only meat on when my temps ran away for a bit, which I think is the cause of the heavy black color.

[Bludawg]

That is why I started to cook H&F I get up at 630 - 7 I put on the coffee & fire the pit, meat on by 8 done by 2 at the latest. no stress no 3 days to recover, I get to enjoy the day. Start later, Cook hotter, Finish sooner. Praying for ya.

[Fwismoker]

I'm a big fan of low stress cooks. You'll learn tips and tricks along the way and things you can eliminate that you're doing now.

[jimstocks53]

God bless you - I'd have been running on fumes sucking wind less than half way through that schedule. Wow!

[16Adams]

I would say that is pretty damn amazing.
And a prayer was said. Good luck.

[aawa]

I just did 100lbs of meat for my 36 birthday/end of summer cookout. I was beat tired sunday and spent the whole day on the beach relaxing and came home and was in bed before 9pm. Today my feet were stilling hurting and I ended up taking 2 naps because I was still tired!

[Smokinwright]

I'm 33 and the last 4 weekends I've been completely worn out every Sunday. 2 all night cooks by myself, 1 competition by myself, and an all day cook starting at 3 am by myself.

Usually takes me till Friday to get back on a regular sleeping schedule so I can screw it back up Friday night and Saturday.

[jeffturnerjr]

28 and I do alright...sometimes. Depends on schedule.

At the end of the day, meat is just meat, but your grand kids are ALWAYS worth it. I def miss my grandfather so much.

[sbshaveice]

Guys, it's a hobby and aren't hobbies supposed to be fun?

[Callahan-que]

I'm praying for you too. I'm 55 and I'm a survivor. I'm still waiting for grandchildren.

[sliding_billy]

I'm beat from the weekend, but come next weekend I'll be wishing I had another 3 day one to get burnt out on again.

[cjs27410]

Originally Posted by Bludawg

That is why I started to cook H&F I get up at 630 - 7 I put on the coffee & fire the pit, meat on by 8 done by 2 at the latest. no stress no 3 days to recover, I get to enjoy the day. Start later, Cook hotter, Finish sooner. Praying for ya.

Tried my first H&F cook on Sunday. One 7.5 lb butt. Started charcoal basket at 9 - meat in UDS at 10:15. Temps ran 275 - 315 mostly around 290. Butt hit 205 at 3:45 - the bone pulled out with ease. Foiled and in cooler until 6.
Tasted great & got some yard work done also without having to deal with early/late time table.
I'm convinced this is the way to go.