Pulled pork guidance needed from the experts

[Nate]

I was volunteered to do pulled pork for a friends sons 1year old birthday party this coming weekend. I'll be cooking 2  8# pieces. I'll need to do the cook at my house then drive it to their house, which is a couple hours away. We'll be leaving our house around 7a.

So here's my question. Should I do both pieces on one kettle or use 2 kettles? This will be an overnight cook. Would their be a longer cook time if I did both on one kettle? And how much time should I allow? I'm thinking ~11 hours if I cooked them separately. I know I can't rush a good cook, but I'm trying to time it so I can just pull them off and FTW just as we are leaving. They will probably be held this was for 4 hours.

I will push the cook if I don't see it coming up to temp as quick as I'd like by doing a beer braise.

Thanks for your help.

[MrHoss]

Use the 2 kettles I say.  If you are going with a grate temp...not dome temp...of say 275f then maybe your 8lb pieces will be done in 11 hours.  Maybe.  I'd add on 4 hours of cook time to be sure though.  Can you hold it 8 hours total if it does finish in 11 hours?  Probably not....but you should save as much juice as possible then if and when you have to reheat all of your pulled pork what you do is mix up some of that juice with some cider vingar and a little bbq sauce and add it to the pork.  Then put it in a covered container in the oven at say 275f to reheat.

[1buckie]

Use the 2 kettles I say.  If you are going with a grate temp...not dome temp...of say 275f then maybe your 8lb pieces will be done in 11 hours.  Maybe.  I'd add on 4 hours of cook time to be sure though.  Can you hold it 8 hours total if it does finish in 11 hours?  Probably not....but you should save as much juice as possible then if and when you have to reheat all of your pulled pork what you do is mix up some of that juice with some cider vingar and a little bbq sauce and add it to the pork.  Then put it in a covered container in the oven at say 275f to reheat.

This is all just about right.....11~12 hours cooking time SHOULD get you in the ballpark, but if they're not quite there, maybe finish in the oven on site.....go ahead & FoilwrapTowelCooler anyway to hold your place....
I like a minimum of 1-1/2 to 2 hours just holding after the cook & have gone as long as 7 hours.....not recommended, but just to show how much flexibility you have.............

to be ready @ 7 AM, I'd start @ 6 ~7 PM, then there's some leeway for futzing around, if needed.....
The startup & loading to transport always seems like a time-warp to me & sometimes it's not in favor of the schedule !!!!

Two on one works fine....takes a little longer to get up to rolling temp because of the extra cold meat & you have less indirect cooking space.....if you're comfortable with two, go that way.....

See Here :

(Common for me is to do 2 on 2 kettles)

http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/grilling-bbqing/look-ma-no-therms/msg114445/#msg114445


Those ones just ran where they wanted to....all on their own & ended at right about 9 hours....


.

[1911Ron]

Something to consider also is no two pieces of meat will cook the same, due to connective tissue differences, even if both are the same weight.  So one could be done before the other, or done sooner or........ i would say maybe start a little sooner if possible to counteract if they decide to go longer, you can always wrap and cooler them for awhile.

[landgraftj]

I cook mine at 275-300 and get great results on my WSMs...usually avg about an hour per pound, like clockwork. Cooked anywhere from 1-4 at a time and the only thing you need to be concerns with is charcoal consumption. It burns a bit faster with that much meat but otherwise cook times are the same for me.

[Nate]

Thanks for all the input. I figure I'll put them on around 6p Friday night and monitor meat temp closely and adjust cook temp as needed. I'd do the cook/braise method since I know I can do that in exactly 8 hours but not sure how that will FTW for 4 hours. I may end up doing that depending on how my Friday afternoon goes at work.

[Bman]

If it were me, and I didn't have my WSM's, I'd use 2 kettles.  Big ol snake method on each one with the butt smack dab in the middle.
I typically cook 8-12 pounders and 12 hours is my general rule of thumb.  I prefer 275 degrees, but aim for a bit lower while sleeping.
As for the braise (if running low on time)  --- I'd just double wrap with HD foil and add a bit of apple cider  into the foil.  The remaining fat & cider will braise the butt and when you're ready to go, just wrap in towels and place in a cooler.  Like Buckie said, I've gone close to 7 hours like this and didn't get ill. 

[Idahawk]

You can stay at temp in a cooler for 2-4 hours , makes it easy , I prefer it that way personally

[mike.stavlund]

You should have absolutely no problem keeping them warm for the trip.  In fact, they will improve in flavor after a couple hours in a cooler.  Double-wrap them in foil, then wrap the butts in towels, then tuck them in a cooler to keep warm. 

[Ted B]

Mike is right do what he says and they will be too hot to touch.

[Troy]

I've held butts 8 hours. They were still too hot to pull by hand.

This was 12 butts in a big cooler though

[Ted B]

Mmmm 12 butts.

[1buckie]

Mmmm 12 butts.

Yup !!!!!


Just to be clear, what BMan says " Like Buckie said, I've gone close to 7 hours like this and didn't get ill.  "..............what you have in the way of food safety is when the temperature of the piece drops BELOW 140f (at any place in the food) the 4 hour clock starts.....before problems occur......

That gives you "X" amount of time (F,T & coolered staves this off a bunch) before IT drops to potential problems.......it is always a good idea to NOT force the issue & like several have said, most likely you'll be burning the fingers at least a little.......

[Jocool]

Buckie, I'm by no means an expert, but I have foiled and wrapped a butt in a cooler at 190, and taken it out 6 hours later at 184.

[1buckie]

Buckie, I'm by no means an expert, but I have foiled and wrapped a butt in a cooler at 190, and taken it out 6 hours later at 184.

Easily believable, if they're left alone.....mine don't usually do that well as stuff is being pulled out of the hot holder to be served & all the opening & closing adds up.....