Butts and Picnics for the Pool Party

[Mark Schnell]

I'm in the process of smoking two picnics and a butt as I write this. I started the 9.75# butt and 8.5# picnic last night about 1am. When I woke up at 7am the grill was holding temp at 235 or so. The two pieces were at 165. But when I finally got my butt out of bed the grill had gone down to 188. When I checked the snake had burned all the way through. I not only had to add coals, I had to make a whole new snake as quickly as I could. I got back on track a while ago and I think I'm going to be okay. I have another five or six hours before I need that grill for the chicken legs I'm making for the pork party poppers. Gonna use the ribolator for that. It works great and makes a good show for the arriving guests. Here are some pics. I'll try and remember to take pics of the finished product.

My snake setup


Ready to go on


Let's do this!


After about seven hours in


About nine hours in with the new snake

[kendoll]

I like big butts and I cannot lie.

And yours look great!

Looking forward to seeing the end result.

Ken

[Mark Schnell]

Well, I do have a big butt, I cannot lie. But I'm glad you're talking about the pork and not me. 

[Bbqmiller]

Looking good!

[Chasing_smoke]

Looking great mark! Don't be afraid to extend that snake so it almost touches and makes a whole ring. I leave about 4 inches or so between the ends. That should extend your cook a bit further before a reload.


"my kettle is more powerful it will do almost anything."

[1buckie]

Good Show.....those will taste just grand & with all the other stuff....have a great pool party !!!!

Yeah, you can start almost all the way around.....a lot of times I'll get to squeak out a whole cookup without adding, just depends on weather & if it's starts out easy (not too hot & fast )

[Mark Schnell]

For future reference, buckie, do you think me starting with over 18 pounds of meat had anything to do with the snake running all the way through? I don't know all the science and physics and whatnot, but that was an awful lot of mass in a kettle.

BTW - The picnic is up to 200 already and the probe goes in like buttah. I think I'll foil that one soon and put it in the cooler. Or, you always say the meat can take it, will it be okay to keep it in without it drying out? How high can I go on temp before the quality starts to suffer? The butt is up to about 180 right now.

[1buckie]

 What it seems like to me, not quite scientific or anything, is that the coals seem to have to work harder for a larger mass & will end up burning a little faster...............

You can hold the thing at temp of 200 (int & pit a little higher) for a time, but it will start to dry out at the edges............
Better to either set another kettle to run real low (like 150~160) or just wrap & cooler.....I've hot held stuff above 140 for 6 hours before.....once it drops into the 40~140 range, you have about 4 hours before baddies can start growing......

So, leave on for a bit, wrap & hold for a good length of time, heat up a smidgen before serving, if need be.....

The butt, at 180 is past any stall & will be done to wrap in an hour or two........

Does that give you enough to go on? Or is it clearly stated enough?


PS: Don't pull / shread 'till it's real close to feed bag time.....less drying out problems that way......

[Johnpv]

Damn fine looking butts.

[Mark Schnell]

Thanks Buckie, yeah, your instructions are very clear. I'm sorry for bugging you so much about this so much but I sure do appreciate your Jedi master directions!

[1buckie]

  Not a problem at all.......glad to be able to assist when I can....at some point I'll go get a real job & won't be quite as available, but for now I'm just having crackers & artichoke / jalepeno dip & enjoying the show !!!!

[Duke]

Great work on those butts Greg. They look especially good cooked on that Lime.

[edhead35]

Nice feedbag going on there!

[Golly]

any pics of the performer in the pool and you in your banana hammocks 

[1911Ron]

any pics of the performer in the pool and you in your banana hammocks 

   

Good looking butts!  I agree with buckie extend your snake and you should be alright.