Pulled Pork: Splitting the cook?

[kylersk]

I'm having a party on Saturday and planned on cooking up 3 pork butts and have them ready around 3pm. Seeing as it's my birthday Friday, I'm not sure it's a great idea to try and start the cook late friday night ;). I thought maybe I'd start smoking them on Friday morning, till they hit 150 or so, then cool them off and then finish them the next morning.

Anyways, Looking for thoughts and any other ideas.

Thanks in advance.

[kylersk]

Another idea was to start the pork butts early friday evening, like 7pm. Should be done Saturday morning around 7am. Just not sure what's the best way to keep everything hot and fresh till 3pm.

[Big Jim BBQ]

Another idea was to start the pork butts early friday evening, like 7pm. Should be done Saturday morning around 7am. Just not sure what's the best way to keep everything hot and fresh till 3pm.
Wrap 'em in foil and put them in a cooler. Maybe put some towels around them as well. They should stay warm. I cooked about 100 lbs of CT butts for a wedding reception, took 'em off around 8:00 PM, wrapped and put them in the cooler. When I went to pull 'em at around 7:AM the next morning, they were still too hot to handle.

[Wampus]

Wrap 'em in foil and put them in a cooler. Maybe put some towels around them as well. They should stay warm. I cooked about 100 lbs of CT butts for a wedding reception, took 'em off around 8:00 PM, wrapped and put them in the cooler. When I went to pull 'em at around 7:AM the next morning, they were still too hot to handle.

I agree with Big Jim. I've never stopped a cook 1/2 way through (that may work??) but I have to think that the second 1/2 will take a LONG time to get back to 150 and start the cooking process again.

Coolering with double wrapped foil and towels will hold for a LONG time. Try and use a cooler that's JUST big enough to fit the butts. It will work better that way.

GOOD LUCK, and HAPPY EARLY BIRTHDAY!!

[kylersk]

Thanks guys! Pull them, wrap them and put in cooler at 195?

[McGurk]

Whaddup, Kylersk? What time should I show up? :becky: Wish I had some better input for you; the 3PM serving time is the killer. Are you using the UDS or Egg? This may be a great time take a stab at Hot n' Fast Butts, which can be cooler-ready in around 6 hours of smoke-time. Smoke at around 325 deg until it "weeps" (around 165 deg int. temp), foil wrap it, and keep going until around 205 int. temp. Cooler for a couple hours, and pull away. You may have less bark, but you can add more rub to account for it if you'd like.

Working backwards from a 3PM serve, subtract 1 hour for serving prep, another 2 hours for "cooler-ing", around 6 hours for smoke, and 1 more hour for UDS prep/warmup. That puts you at starting the UDS around 5AM and getting the butts on around 6AM. You might not get quite the fat rendering that you would from a true low-n-slow smoke, but for me sleeping during a smoke isn't really quality sleep anyway, and the splitting idea doesn't sound real great, either.

Good post on what to do (or not do) here:
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=89011&highlight=hot+fast+butt

Good Luck!

[kylersk]

McGurk, I'm using the UDS. I've got a temp controller on that, so it makes sleeping alot easier. ;)

[DennD]

Thanks guys! Pull them, wrap them and put in cooler at 195?

Yep.... what Wampus and Big Jim said should work out fine for you. No point in splitting your cook when there's a possibility of bringing the times as close together as your 2nd option.

[chambersuac]

Sounds like you have good advice from Big Jim and Wampus. Happy early birthday.

[Hugh Jorgan]

Splitting the cook is a bad idea. Sounds like you've got it worked out though, good luck.

[KnucklHed BBQ]

Wrap 'em in foil and put them in a cooler. Maybe put some towels around them as well. They should stay warm. I cooked about 100 lbs of CT butts for a wedding reception, took 'em off around 8:00 PM, wrapped and put them in the cooler. When I went to pull 'em at around 7:AM the next morning, they were still too hot to handle.

Yup... they will stay hot for many hours if wrapped well in foil, towels... etc. Often I will boil some water and preheat the cooler so I'm not putting it in a cold cooler

[Phrasty]

^^^^^ Ditto