??'s for wsm pan/foil butt cook

Hi, all. I got a plan for a 5 butt cook on my wsm and was wondering if anyone could give me some help, (and if you got a better plan, I'm all ears.)

I've got to cook 5 butts (probably 8 lb. average), so I was thinking of putting two in pans on the bottom rack, and leaning three against a beer can chicken stand on the top rack to be wrapped in foil at 160-ish, about the same temp I'd like to cover the panned butts on the bottom.

I want to "pull the lid off" the butts (leaving open in foil) sometime after the plateau (When?) to let the bark mature some and plan on smoking the better part of the day at 275ish.

My queastions are:

About what temp should I open the packages to allow the bark to mature?

I'm thinking about 1.25 hr. a pound estimate for a 275 cook, wrapping at 160, but is that still a good estimate if I take the foil off?

Will cooking the butts in the pan on the bottom make those cook any faster than not? (They already cook a little faster on the bottom rack as it is.)

I'd really appreciate any help!
Dave

Captain P.J. said:

I have also seen where you can add a 3rd rack on top of the stock top rack by using soup cans and an extra grate...

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There's not much space between eight pound butts with only a soup can and a grate seperating them. Less grates just make it easier, and skewers or the beer can rack is supposed to be a good way to go from what I've read. I've got an extra grate with carriage bolts installed for cooking more chicken or an extra brisket, though, and thanks for the suggestion.:-D

nthole said:

If you can get an extra 18in rack in your area get 3 long bolts from the hardware store, bolt them to that rack with a washer double bolted onto the bottom. Then you can sit that rack onto the bottom rack and you end up with a 3 rack wsm.

I've done this and love it. 3 briskets or 6 butts easy.

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Yeah, like I told Captain PJ, I've already got the extra rack and would use it if cooking a bunch of chicken or an extra brisket. Thanks!

RobKC said:

At 275, I'd wrap around the 4 hr mark, or when the color is where I want it. I'd unwrap around 185, which should give you about an hour to go.

When I've cooked 3 butts on a rack, I cook the butts on end holding them in a triangle pattern by impaling them with chopsticks.

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I want 'em to get a little more time in the smoke than four hours, but I think 185 sounds like a good temp to unwrap at. Thanks!

Harbormaster said:

I just did this same cook.
3 on top leaning against each other and two on the bottom no pans.
No foiling, just let them cook. Temp on the dome thermo was 250-270 through the whole cook. Foiled them to hold when they were "buddah". Pulled a few hours later, perfectly cooked.

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My dome thermo (when it didn't stick) read 25 degrees higher than the grate for most of the cook and I'm a little gun shy on cooking that hot with no wrapping, but thanks for giving me the report. I usually just cook butts low-n-slow overnight and sleep through (most) of the cook, but was wanting a little softer texture and more juice.