Overnight butts for the hunting club

bacchus99 · 09-03-2013, 01:11 PM

I have been tasked with pulled pork for the opening of Dove season which is saturday for us. I plan on getting 2 8 or 9lb butts for like 15 to 20 people. Here's the problem but I think I can pull it off.

1. I need to leave my house around 11:30AM Saturday morning to be there in time for the hunt. I'd like to have the butts done right around that time.

2. I plan on 1.5 hours per lb at 250F so about 13 hours. Going to fire the smoker up at 9:30PM Friday night and let it settle in. Put the meat on about 10:30PM and go to bed...hopefully they'll rock on until about 11 or 11:30 saturday morning.

3. I'll wrap in HD foil and put them into a preheated small cooler with towels.

4. We won't eat until 7 or 7:30 Saturday night...i have never held butts this long but a quick search claims it will work fine for 8 hour hold. Some folks report they are still to hot to pull by hand then.

Any advice? Does this plan sound feasible?

Bludawg · 09-03-2013, 01:38 PM

If it was me I would cook them on Fri evening before bed run your pit at 300 wrap after 6 hrs move to a 180 deg oven & go to bed. When you get up turn off the oven and let 'em soak until your ready to leave put them in a Cooler packed with newspapers and go Murder some doves. Good hunting!

MeatCandy · 09-03-2013, 01:48 PM

Your plan sounds risky with no contingency if something happens...you have 20 hungry guys to feed, who have guns...

For me I would cook one more butt...Cook them early and pull...get them just right, then pack and chill them...keeping them cool is easier then trying to control the rest/hold process...youll have peace of mind to focus on the dove...

Then reheat prior to dinner...this will also free up your time to talk stories about your hunt...My .02

RobKC · 09-03-2013, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MeatCandy

Your plan sounds risky with no contingency if something happens...you have 20 hungry guys to feed, who have guns...

For me I would cook one more butt...Cook them early and pull...get them just right, then pack and chill them...keeping them cool is easier then trying to control the rest/hold process...youll have peace of mind to focus on the dove...

Then reheat prior to dinner...this will also free up your time to talk stories about your hunt...My .02

This is what I do, too. I will reheat in a roaster oven with a little peach juice and sauce mixed in to keep things moist.

cowgirl · 09-03-2013, 02:02 PM

Dove season started this last weekend for me. I put a butt in the drum at 10 in the morning... it was ready at 7 pm. I closed down the drum and let it rest until finished with cleaning the dove. Came out great.
Hope you have good luck with the hunt!

CtTradArcher · 09-03-2013, 02:54 PM

I see in your signature that you have a couple of WSM's. Assuming you're using one of them, is it possible to leave a little earlier and take a WSM with you? Smoke the butts there at a little higher temp so they are done for 6:30 or 7:00.
Your hunting buddies might enjoy witnessing the whole process...

bacchus99 · 09-03-2013, 04:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CtTradArcher

I see in your signature that you have a couple of WSM's. Assuming you're using one of them, is it possible to leave a little earlier and take a WSM with you? Smoke the butts there at a little higher temp so they are done for 6:30 or 7:00.
Your hunting buddies might enjoy witnessing the whole process...

Yeah it would definitely be nice to do the same day at the hunting camp. The problem is 2 fold. 1. I want to hunt and the hunt will start around the time the butts will be getting done. I don't want to worry about them. 2. Its an hour and a half drive to the hunting camp. I'd have to get up really early to make all this happen. I have smoked butts overnight plenty with the WSM and it works great. The 8 hour hold time is really the only thing i'm concerned with. We have a pizza place 15 minutes away....

TroyA65 · 09-03-2013, 04:43 PM

I just did 2 butts this weekend at 325 for 8 hours, panned & foiled and put in a cooler with towels on the top & bottom. When I arrived at our cottage 5 hours later and started to pull them they were still plenty hot. Your plan is solid, add another butt if you can (hate to run out)

bacchus99 · 09-03-2013, 04:48 PM

I can but i'm figuring 50% yield is 8 lb's of meat. That's 24 people if they all eat a third of a pound....we are doing sandwhiches and sides. I'll get a more solid head count when the weekend gets closer.

bacchus99 · 09-04-2013, 08:45 AM

Anymore thoughts/suggestions?

Fishin4bass723 · 09-04-2013, 09:15 AM

A few weeks ago I cooked a couple of butts on Saturday. Pulled them around 11pm wrapped them in foil and towels, then into a cooler. Took them to my dads at noon on Sunday still whole in the cooler, when I pulled them out they were still warm. Then I shredded it up in a Nesco and put it on low with some sauce and some apple juice. They turned out awesome people couldn't stop talking about it.

el_matt · 09-04-2013, 02:40 PM

I've held butts in a cooler, with towels, for well over 6 hours. They were plenty HOT when it came time to pull.

Matt

sliding_billy · 09-04-2013, 02:46 PM

I have held butts for about 6 hours with no issues, but I do prefer to pull and reheat if going too long. Only other thought is... possibly pulling from the smoker a little earlier than normal to support that long of a hold without getting mushy.

bacchus99 · 09-08-2013, 09:40 AM

Update: fired up the smoker about 9:30 Friday night and put the butts on at 10:45. Went to sleep and the wsm was solid until they came off at 11 Saturday morning. Into a preheated ice chest and to the camp I went. Pulled them at about 7pm Saturday night. They were still plenty warm. Everyone loved it. Dove count was 110 between all the people we had. Great day!

09-03-2013, 01:11 PM	#1
bacchus99 Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 07-12-12 Location: Baton Rouge, LA	Overnight butts for the hunting club I have been tasked with pulled pork for the opening of Dove season which is saturday for us. I plan on getting 2 8 or 9lb butts for like 15 to 20 people. Here's the problem but I think I can pull it off. 1. I need to leave my house around 11:30AM Saturday morning to be there in time for the hunt. I'd like to have the butts done right around that time. 2. I plan on 1.5 hours per lb at 250F so about 13 hours. Going to fire the smoker up at 9:30PM Friday night and let it settle in. Put the meat on about 10:30PM and go to bed...hopefully they'll rock on until about 11 or 11:30 saturday morning. 3. I'll wrap in HD foil and put them into a preheated small cooler with towels. 4. We won't eat until 7 or 7:30 Saturday night...i have never held butts this long but a quick search claims it will work fine for 8 hour hold. Some folks report they are still to hot to pull by hand then. Any advice? Does this plan sound feasible? __________________ 22.5 Weber Kettle - 18.5 WSM - Maverick ET-732

09-03-2013, 01:38 PM	#2
Bludawg somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 07-04-09 Location: Jonesboro,Tx	If it was me I would cook them on Fri evening before bed run your pit at 300 wrap after 6 hrs move to a 180 deg oven & go to bed. When you get up turn off the oven and let 'em soak until your ready to leave put them in a Cooler packed with newspapers and go Murder some doves. Good hunting! __________________ I'm a Proxy Vegetarian> Cows eat grass & I eat cows.

09-03-2013, 02:02 PM	#5
cowgirl somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 07-18-07 Location: Oklahoma Name/Nickname : jeanie	Dove season started this last weekend for me. I put a butt in the drum at 10 in the morning... it was ready at 7 pm. I closed down the drum and let it rest until finished with cleaning the dove. Came out great. Hope you have good luck with the hunt! __________________ jeanie Lifetime member of the Society for the Preservation of Authentic Royal Magical Rare Kaskaskian Peppers (Thanks Ash :)) RIP Ash, you are missed http://cowgirlscountry.blogspot.com/

09-03-2013, 02:54 PM	#6
CtTradArcher On the road to being a farker Join Date: 05-20-13 Location: West Cornwall, Ct	I see in your signature that you have a couple of WSM's. Assuming you're using one of them, is it possible to leave a little earlier and take a WSM with you? Smoke the butts there at a little higher temp so they are done for 6:30 or 7:00. Your hunting buddies might enjoy witnessing the whole process... __________________ All that you bring into the lives of others will come back to you in your own. Good or Bad. Large UDS, Small UDS, CG Akorn, NB Bandera, NB Black Diamond, Home Built Offset, Vision Classic Kamado, Green Mountain Daniel Boone, Weber Gasser, Smokey Mountain Cabinet, and several Weber kettles of various sizes.

09-03-2013, 04:43 PM	#8
TroyA65 is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 04-20-13 Location: Pleasant Prairie, WI	I just did 2 butts this weekend at 325 for 8 hours, panned & foiled and put in a cooler with towels on the top & bottom. When I arrived at our cottage 5 hours later and started to pull them they were still plenty hot. Your plan is solid, add another butt if you can (hate to run out) __________________ Weber Summit S-670, 2-Weber 22.5 WSM's, Weber 22.5 kettle/cajun bandit conversion, Weber Smokey Joe Tamale pot conversion

09-03-2013, 01:48 PM	#3
MeatCandy Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 07-09-13 Location: Dog Patch, Ca	Your plan sounds risky with no contingency if something happens...you have 20 hungry guys to feed, who have guns... For me I would cook one more butt...Cook them early and pull...get them just right, then pack and chill them...keeping them cool is easier then trying to control the rest/hold process...youll have peace of mind to focus on the dove... Then reheat prior to dinner...this will also free up your time to talk stories about your hunt...My .02

09-03-2013, 04:48 PM	#9
bacchus99 Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 07-12-12 Location: Baton Rouge, LA	I can but i'm figuring 50% yield is 8 lb's of meat. That's 24 people if they all eat a third of a pound....we are doing sandwhiches and sides. I'll get a more solid head count when the weekend gets closer. __________________ 22.5 Weber Kettle - 18.5 WSM - Maverick ET-732

09-04-2013, 08:45 AM	#10
bacchus99 Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 07-12-12 Location: Baton Rouge, LA	Anymore thoughts/suggestions? __________________ 22.5 Weber Kettle - 18.5 WSM - Maverick ET-732

09-04-2013, 09:15 AM	#11
Fishin4bass723 Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 03-12-13 Location: Ravenna, NE Name/Nickname : Joe	A few weeks ago I cooked a couple of butts on Saturday. Pulled them around 11pm wrapped them in foil and towels, then into a cooler. Took them to my dads at noon on Sunday still whole in the cooler, when I pulled them out they were still warm. Then I shredded it up in a Nesco and put it on low with some sauce and some apple juice. They turned out awesome people couldn't stop talking about it. __________________ Joe/"Big Ugly" UDS

09-04-2013, 02:40 PM	#12
el_matt Babbling Farker Join Date: 12-08-09 Location: Turlock, California	I've held butts in a cooler, with towels, for well over 6 hours. They were plenty HOT when it came time to pull. Matt __________________ "Grandpa, you make the best meat, EVER!!"

09-04-2013, 02:46 PM	#13
sliding_billy somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 08-27-13 Location: Princeton, TX Name/Nickname : )	I have held butts for about 6 hours with no issues, but I do prefer to pull and reheat if going too long. Only other thought is... possibly pulling from the smoker a little earlier than normal to support that long of a hold without getting mushy.

09-08-2013, 09:40 AM	#14
bacchus99 Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 07-12-12 Location: Baton Rouge, LA	Update: fired up the smoker about 9:30 Friday night and put the butts on at 10:45. Went to sleep and the wsm was solid until they came off at 11 Saturday morning. Into a preheated ice chest and to the camp I went. Pulled them at about 7pm Saturday night. They were still plenty warm. Everyone loved it. Dove count was 110 between all the people we had. Great day! __________________ 22.5 Weber Kettle - 18.5 WSM - Maverick ET-732