first time

I'd smoke the butts at 250* all the way (with a 4 am start) and throw the ribs in at 12:30 (they'll take 4 hrs give or take). I also smoke my beans for 4 hrs and mix them on the hour.

If the butts or the ribs finish early, FTC them (double heavy duty Foil, wrap in a couple beach Towels and Cooler (fill empty cooler space with paper or more towels). May want to preheat the cooler with hot water for 15 minutes (then dry before loading) if you're going to cooler for more than 2 hrs.

Sounds like a fun party. Enjoy.

Good recommendations, Pags. One other suggestion, throw some of the pork in with the beans.

Thanks a lot for the insight.. Will take ur advice.. Have a great day... Also, good call in putting some pork in the beans..

Well, we say NEVER practice a new thing for a party and look what you've done.

Keep in mind EVERY time you open the door to look, you're letting heat out and you WILL extend the cooking time.

It's better to start early and hold them than to not have them ready.

What weight are the baby backs? Size does matter, Pags should have asked that

smokinOkie-
i agree, trying a new thing for a group is a risk..but these peeps are good people and they are excited about the new smoker and wanted me to cook some grub... question, do i ever add more wood? or stick with the 4-6oz,for the 12 hours...
I may start the pork butts the night before...

That's what I'd do. Start the pork butts around 9 pm at 225 wake up and see where their at as far as temp goes. You can always finish at 250. Ribs will take around 4 hours and if you have room you could slip the beans in under the ribs around the 2 1/2 hour mark. Pork butts will hold a long time if you FTC and fill the cooler with an old blanket. FTC your ribs with the butts set back with a cold beer. You can tell them how easy it was but they won't believe you, so let them.

You bought a Cookshack my man, why would you want to wake up at 4am to start the butts? Start them the night before. When I cook butts for dinner time, I'll put them in before going to bed, 11pm or so at 180*. The next morning, when I wake up and grab some coffee, I'll crank it up to 235* and let it go. If they are done early, like everyone says FTC. They'll stay good and hot for several hours. Don't pull them til you're ready to eat.

As for wood, I'd throw in another chunk or two when you put the ribs in. The other chunks will probably be gone by then, or if they're still putting out smoke, then check when you put the beans on. And as Pags says, stir your beans a couple of times to get some good smoke flavor into them. And remember the toothpick test to see if the ribs are done.

I always start the butts the night before like Andy at 180-190*. Kick it up to 235* or so at 9 am after some coffee till finished.

Smokin is right...3 lb loin back ribs will take roughly 4 hrs. 2 lb baby backs less. I'm getting 3 lb racks at Sam's now. Love them. Larger baby backs will take longer.

Guys, appreciate all the info.. I will start the Butts the night befor.. Great idea. I'll put then going after the Michigan/Indiana bball game.. My peeps are excited bout the smoke fest on Sunday and I am grateful for all the input..
Best,
P-lamp

I'm a total newbie and have done 2 butts 6lbs at 225 took 15 hours to reach 190...Did a 2nd 9lbs took 19 hours. I peeked and sprayed with apple juice/cider vinegar 2 times. Everyone loved them. My observations that might help you were.

1. I started with a pretty small chunk of wood (the size of two golf balls), I don't know the weight but seemed smaller than the recommended 4-6 oz. I did this cuz several prior posters stated their first attempts were black and to smoking. Maybe that's a rookie mistake or a taste thing, some people like it super smokey others like a mild smoke flavor.

2. The "plateau" period...It can be a bit scary when you are monitoring it... it goes up in temp pretty steady up to about 160-165 then it just plain crawls up to 170-175. You can start to panic cuz it feels like something is wrong and its not going to finish in time for guests. So I would totally recommend starting the night before to guarantee it's done in time.

3. When its done and you open the door you might panic a bit with how dark the bark is...As a open flame BBQ griller it looks like you killed it (burnt)...But when you pull it and put it in a big platter and season with Smokin's finish vinegar base sauce...It tastes AWESOME!!!

Good luck and GO NINERS!!!!!!!

Just picked up 15lbs of pork butt and 3 pack of baby backs from SAMs this morning.. Got the rib-rub on em.. I am so glad I reached out fr input..trimmed up the Butts to about 6 1/2 each.. I'm leaving 17 1/2 hours of lead time..
Will put the ribs going around 11 am tomorrow so they r ready for 5:00..

I would put the beans on at the same time as the ribs. Don't cover the beans and put them on the rack below the ribs. As the ribs cook they will drip into the beans. Stir them once or twice while they are in the smoker. The beans can be finished or warmed in the oven (the smell of the smoked beans filling the kitchen and house is wonderful). Since you are new to the SM045, there are 2 things to know about and remember (They have both bitten me in the rear in the past). Open the door to the smoker, and look at the back wall. You will see what looks like a small metal tube sticking into the smoker. This is the thermometer for the smoker. Just remember to keep your product away from this tube. There is a an override for the first 20 minutes the smoker is on. It doesn't matter what temp. you set it for, for this 20 minutes, the smoker goes to High. If you turn it off, or loose power to the unit during the smoke, when you start it back up, it will go through this 20 minute start up cycle again.