One kettle or two?

[Chubbs]

Hi all.

I need help to decide whether I do all my Q on one kettle or two. Here's the situation.

I have a +9 pound pork butt which I am estimating 12-14 hours. And, I will be doing St. Louis ribs which I think I will need to allow 4-6 hours. I will also be needing the kettle for direct grilling sausages, chicken drums and steaks.

I want to start the direct grilling around 5:30pm. Working backwards, with one kettle I will need the ribs off by 5:30pm. Allowing for 6 hours that means they will go on at 11:30am.
To get my ribs on I need my butt off by 11:30am. If I allow 14 hours that means putting the butt on at 9:30pm the night before and doing my first over night cook. It also means the butt will be held in the cooler for at least 7.5 hours.

or...

I use two kettles. One kettle dedicated to the ribs, which I can put on mid day. And the other kettle can take care of the butt and the grilling. Knowing that I want the grill freed up by 5:30pm, and allowing 14 hours for the butt, I will be starting the butt at 3:30am. An early start and managing two fires, but only an hour or so of holding.

Sorry for the ramble, let me know your thoughts!

Thanks!

 

[Uncle JJ]

Use two - your guests will be impressed!

 

[Chubbs]

Haha I like the way you think. Actually I left out that I will also be grilling vege on a smokey joe. So that will be 3 fires going!

As for timing, do you think I have it right 12-14 hrs for the butt and 4-6 for the ribs?

 

[Big George's BBQ]

You can use one and use a cooler to keep the butt hot You should use two and just make it easier and you can enjoy your guest

 

[hachi-roku_fan]

I did that once, kind of fun. I would do the ribs and pork butt on one just to keep the opening and closing to a minimum. My situation had one kettle for ABTs, and the uds and CharGriller for ribs

 

[Chubbs]

Thanks for the feedback. Sometimes a bit of reassurance really helps. Guests are coming from about 5pm.

Also I am having to borrow the second kettle. I have a couple options, one well used and ready to go but might not be available. The other is brand new which hasn't had a burn in yet. If I end up using the new kettle, will it be enough of a burn in if I oil it down and max temp it, then bring it right back down and start the ribs right away or should I season it a day before?

 

[Chubbs]

I don't have any sort of hovergrill or smokenator, so it will all need to fit on the one grate which I can't see happening

 

[5string]

Haha I like the way you think. Actually I left out that I will also be grilling vege on a smokey joe. So that will be 3 fires going!

As for timing, do you think I have it right 12-14 hrs for the butt and 4-6 for the ribs?

Don't forget to allow resting time for the shoulder and ribs.

 

[Chubbs]

Don't forget to allow resting time for the shoulder and ribs.

Yea I have allowed that, with the butt coming off at 5:30, we will eat around 7.

I'm sort of running a rolling service, so rather than grilling all the steak and chicken etc then setting the table, on gonna serve those up as they come off the grill. So guests will be sampling BBQ as its ready throughout the night.
Starting with sausages, then chicken and ribs, then pulled pork and steaks