How long do you cook your meat?

I did sausage sticks this weekend(go to advanced users for details.

Also put 2 butts on friday nite,details below

two bone in boston butts-15lbs total,rubbed with OK Joes hog and yard bird rub(no mustard this time),14 hours @ 225,15 minutes to rest,pulled all,mixed with a variation of smokins mop, ate a little and put 11 generous
servings(in zip lock bags)into the frezer.
Layne

Since we just had the question asked about the first time turkey breast,here is a typical cook.A fresh 6lb. breast,brined overnight in a sweetened,spiced brine.4 hrs. smoked on center rack at 225�to 163�.Wrap in double foil and let stand 30mins.Smokin' says 161� down in his post,but brining gives a little more cushion ,if you go over just a little.

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Good Q 2 Ya,Tom.

This weekend I cooked a 4.5 lb boneless butt. Used cookshack rib rub and a mop of vinager, brown sugar, pineapple juice, and salt.

Cooked it for 10 hours at 225. Got a little impatient and bumped the temp to 250 for the last 2 hours. Cooked it to an internal temp of 205.

Ended up with a little over 2 LB finished product.

Very happy with the results. This was the best pulled pork that I've done so far.

This last weekend I made another Pork Butt this time without any marinade, and it was very, very good. 13 Hours at 225 until it got to an internal temperature of 200. It started out about 8lbs and I guess it ended up with about 4 lbs after removing the skin and bone. I would rate it at a 8.

But I gotta say, when I brined one the last time it was definitely different. It was most assuredly more moist and tender. Although not quite as "smokey" But it was great for slicing. I would rate it at a 9.

Gonna try the apple marinade next.....

[This message has been edited by Joe (edited March 19, 2001).]

Thanks for the replies, keep the specifics comming. Especially if you liked it and if you'd change anything.

• What: Baby Backs, covered in my modified Memphis Style rub.
  
• Start weight: 3.2,2.6,2.5 lbs each
  
• Temp: 225
  
• How long: 4.25,3.5,3.5 hours respectively
  
• Finish weight: 2.5,1.7,1.6 respectively
  
• Rating: 9,10,10 (family ratings, not mine)
  
  

Notes:
One reason you should know the starting weights can be seen with these ribs. If I tried to cook them to one set time, then something would have been cooked wrong. I pulled the smaller 2 at 3 1/2 hours and let the larger one cook 45 min longer.

It rated lower, because it was bigger and the raters stated "tougher". That's why I like them 3 and down (less than 3 pounds, preferrable 2.5 and down.

If you cook spares, they'll take longer, typically at least an hour more (in the range for 4 to 6 hours).

I have photos, I'm working on a new post for the beginners section showing the start to finish process. I have the before pics with me in KC, but the after photos are in the camera back home


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Smokin Okie
It's done when it's done
Cookshack BBQ Guide Page

[This message has been edited by SmokinOkie (edited March 19, 2001).]

COOL DUDE'S I did 3 chicks this weekend. I mean chickens! Sorry Donna. Anyway, they weighted 4.0. 3.8 4.2 so lets just say 12lbs.
I cooked them at 225 for 7 hours. they reached a plateau at 160 for an hour. At the 5 hr. point. I bumped the temp to the max 250 and came off the plateau and finished to a luscious 188 degrees. I gave two of them away to a friend and the family kept the third. rted by family who is VERY tough 11+

Oscar,

What: Spare Ribs covered with Cookshack Rib Rub.
Start weight: 3 slabs cut in half. 6.4 lbs total.
Temp: 225
How long: 6 1/2 hours.
Rating: 7.5 to 8
Wood: 1 1/2oz apple and 1 1/2 cherry.
Weather: Sunny and windy. Temp at 7AM was 15 with a wind chill of -14. This is the only way to BBQ.

Notes:
The ribs were very tender and moist. They were a little to smokey for me and the family. I would use 2oz total next time.

I opened the door twice to sauce. Next time I would leave the door shut and sauce at the table.

All in all for the first time doing ribs in the Smokette I would rate this a GREAT success.

The only Bummer was the family ate them all, so no left overs.


[This message has been edited by hangingh (edited March 25, 2001).]

I did a 6.3lb bone-in pork butt this weekend. I set the temp to 220, then up to 240 the last 4 hours. It took 19.5 hours to get to 201. The last two meats I've done seem long to cook but my thermo's are calibrated, the smoker is working at the set temp and the meat is great - a 9. I didn't open the door and I measured internal temp when set at 220 and it was varying between 197 and 234 which is about what I expect. Do not know the finished weight but it's a lot of meat for 2 people.

John

I took a few photos of the 19.5 hour butt and just checked them for the first time. I quickly noticed that I had put the meat on the bottom rack instead of middle! It was supposed to be an overnight cook and when I put it on at 10pm it was dark and rainy. That's my story and I'm stickin to it! Smokin Okie, I'll send you the photo.

John

I did a 4 1/2 lb. bone in pork butt yesterday. I seasoned it with the Cookshack Rib Rub and put it in the Smokette at 10 a.m. with 4 oz. of apple wood. I never opened the door. I started it at 225, then at about 5:30 I decided to bump it to 250 (according to the Polder the internal was 159 at the time). At 8 p.m. I took it out when the internal was 183. I wanted to leave until at least 190, but the both of us were too hungry. While it wasn't quite pullable, it was about the best we've both ever had. I then took the bone and other scraps and put them in the crockpot overnight. I think there is some pretty good bean soup in the near future from that stock.

I did two briskets this time, they both weighed about 9lbs. I put on the Cookshack Rub and put them in the Smokette on the top two shelves at 250 degrees with 4oz of Hickory and a couple of brickettes, I then plugged in my Polder thermometer and went to sleep.

I figured that it would take about 10 hours as always, well I was wrong, it took 12 hours to reach 195 degrees. So I went to take them out and realized that the thermometer hadn't quite gone in as far as I had thought. We I pushed it into the meat, it sort of slid the meat over and didn't go in very far. When I push it in further the temperature went to 210 degrees.

To my surprise the meat wasn't dry or burned. It was just super tender and still very moist. Everybody loved the flavor and tenderness.

I'll check it closer next time, personally I like it tender and sliceable.