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large smoke of pork butts

FM Former Member
well, here goes,my first smoke turned out great, not because i know what im doing but because smoke shack makes a great product. so now i am going to attempt to smoke butts for my employees about 50lbs hoping to smoke all at once. so i can use all your help.please walk me through from rubbing them with what, to smoking them, for how long do you estimate to a bbq sauce to put on them in slow cooker once done....you see i am a brave sole and because the chicken turned out so good, i now believe i can do this....lol we may all be eating micky ds for lunch that day, but i want to attempt this anyway....so lay it on me all you pros and lets see if i can make this happen
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A astronorickMember
I would definitely recommend you read through some of the forum to get a feel for things, and look at Smokin Okies 101. Just off the hip, here's some thoughts for you, and I'm sure other can lend to it as well.

A simple rub is:
BROWN SUGAR 0.5 cup
PAPRIKA 0.25 1/4 cup
BLACK PEPPER 1/2 teaspoon (less for milder, more for warmer)
SALT 1 Tablespoon
CHILI POWDER 1 Tablespoon
GARLIC POWDER 1 Tablespoon
ONION POWDER 1 Tablespoon
CAYENNE 1 teaspoon
SAVORY (OPTIONAL) 1 teaspoon

You'll need to multiply this x 4 or 5 to have enough rub for your butts.

Next figure your yields. If you want 50# actual product, you'll need to figure on roughly 10 8# butts, which should yield around 50# when done.

Rub butts the night before if you have time. Lather up butt with Worcester sauce then apply rub, or a little yellow mustard then rub.

If smoking 10 butts, I'll assume your smoker is large enough, or you can do two seperate cooks.

For so many butts, I would pre-warm smoker. Don't put butts in straight from fridge - let them get closer to room temp so smoker doesn't struggle catching up.

If you have a temp probe, you could stick it in one of the lower shelf butts, as they'll likely be getting slightly more heat.

If smoking at 225 degrees, plan on some getting done arond 10 to 12 hours mark. When they hit around 195 degrees, pull em' off and let rest for half hour then pull, or hold by whatever plan you have. Some may take 12 to 14 hours to hit the temperature sweet spot.

For BBQ sauces, search the forum and find one you like. I think Smokin' Okie has a list of them somewhere also.

Here's something else I really like to do when I get time, which is to make a simple 'wet sauce' to add to the pulled pork when you pull it, which helps keep things moist if on a steam table or however your heating.
1 Tbsp. Vegetable Oil
½ Onion – minced fine (I usually use food processor)
2 cloves garlic – minced fine
½ Cup Cider Vinegar (or use red wine vinegar) Use a good brand.
½ Cup Worcester sauce
1 Tbsp. Dry Mustard (or yellow mustard)
2 Tbsp. Brown Sugar
1 Tbsp. Paprika
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. Cayenne (or less to taste)
1 Cup Ketchup

Add oil to pan, then lightly sauté onions until clear, then add garlic and saute’ until clear. Add the Worcester, then remaining ingredients.
After simmerin a while, it’s good to go. I use about 1 cup maximum per pork butt, so this recipe easily covers 2 butts. This is just to help bring our some of the flavor in the butt. Don’t be wierded out how vinegary the sauce tastes, it disappears into the pork butt.

Have fun and good luck !
Rick
A astronorickMember
Kevin -
One last thought for you on your big load. You'll likely need to also use your lowest shelf, which is typically a warmer rack. Keep you meats fat side down on that lower shelf.

quote:
Originally posted by astronorick:
I would definitely recommend you read through some of the forum to get a feel for things, and look at Smokin Okies 101. Just off the hip, here's some thoughts for you, and I'm sure other can lend to it as well.

A simple rub is:
BROWN SUGAR 0.5 cup
PAPRIKA 0.25 1/4 cup
BLACK PEPPER 1/2 teaspoon (less for milder, more for warmer)
SALT 1 Tablespoon
CHILI POWDER 1 Tablespoon
GARLIC POWDER 1 Tablespoon
ONION POWDER 1 Tablespoon
CAYENNE 1 teaspoon
SAVORY (OPTIONAL) 1 teaspoon

You'll need to multiply this x 4 or 5 to have enough rub for your butts.

Next figure your yields. If you want 50# actual product, you'll need to figure on roughly 10 8# butts, which should yield around 50# when done.

Rub butts the night before if you have time. Lather up butt with Worcester sauce then apply rub, or a little yellow mustard then rub.

If smoking 10 butts, I'll assume your smoker is large enough, or you can do two seperate cooks.

For so many butts, I would pre-warm smoker. Don't put butts in straight from fridge - let them get closer to room temp so smoker doesn't struggle catching up.

If you have a temp probe, you could stick it in one of the lower shelf butts, as they'll likely be getting slightly more heat.

If smoking at 225 degrees, plan on some getting done arond 10 to 12 hours mark. When they hit around 195 degrees, pull em' off and let rest for half hour then pull, or hold by whatever plan you have. Some may take 12 to 14 hours to hit the temperature sweet spot.

For BBQ sauces, search the forum and find one you like. I think Smokin' Okie has a list of them somewhere also.

Here's something else I really like to do when I get time, which is to make a simple 'wet sauce' to add to the pulled pork when you pull it, which helps keep things moist if on a steam table or however your heating.
1 Tbsp. Vegetable Oil
½ Onion – minced fine (I usually use food processor)
2 cloves garlic – minced fine
½ Cup Cider Vinegar (or use red wine vinegar) Use a good brand.
½ Cup Worcester sauce
1 Tbsp. Dry Mustard (or yellow mustard)
2 Tbsp. Brown Sugar
1 Tbsp. Paprika
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. Cayenne (or less to taste)
1 Cup Ketchup

Add oil to pan, then lightly sauté onions until clear, then add garlic and saute’ until clear. Add the Worcester, then remaining ingredients.
After simmerin a while, it’s good to go. I use about 1 cup maximum per pork butt, so this recipe easily covers 2 butts. This is just to help bring our some of the flavor in the butt. Don’t be wierded out how vinegary the sauce tastes, it disappears into the pork butt.

Have fun and good luck !
Rick
A astronorickMember
LOL - Awesome point! Many moons ago, my first smoker was a stainless upright propane smoker. The temp. probe was door mounted, and actually fairly accurate, so I trusted it. Well, I had a load of baby backs hanging in it, on hooks. When I closed the door, the door mounted probe pierce into one of the racks. During the first hour, I'm wondering why the smoker wasn't coming up to temperature but slowly. I figured that the propane line had some moisture in it, and was slow flowing or something. I kept inching the control till it was on 'high'. I gave my Father, who was in his later years, the diligent job o watching the temperature. I told him to let me know when it gets up towards 250 degrees. About another half an hour later, at about the 2 hour mark, I poke my head out the door and ask him 'how's the temperature', and he replied 'I think you have a fire'. I look at the smoker and flames are coming out the top vent. I pull the door open to see my babybacks being incinerated. It was then that I realized my temp probe had been poked into the meat. Uhm, yea - we're a litle more careful with time and temp these days.
quote:
Originally posted by S & H:
Be careful to not cover the smoker temp probe with any meat. When packing your smoker full it's easy to do. Believe me I know... Lol
T tomMember
Rick,it would help the guys to answer your questions, if you list what you are cooking on in your profile.I found the Amerique by searching your recent posts.

I'm no expert,but I have cooked with a few
.Good advice given above,and I'd like to tag onto a couple things.

I assume you have worked out the number of eaters to assure you have enough meats.Nothing worse than running short.You can always give out a few "doggy" bags,or pork freezes well.

The Amerique is rated at 50 lb max load on four shelves.Yes,the bottom could be the hottest because of direct heat.The top shelf could be next,since heat rises.The shape of the meats might determine placement and you need to be sure not to block air flow.

With this thought,if you are cooking bone in butts/shoulders,you might want to just figure 50% yield from the uncooked meat.A medium case of butts might run about 65 lbs.If you are needing more,it might be as cheap to buy a couple light cases at case price and freeze any extra.Just a thought.

I agree with preheating the cooker for awhile,and on,maybe cook at 235º up to 250º.To be safe on having them ready,you might allow a couple hrs per lb on a large butt.

Some of us will put the temp probe in the smallest butt,since it might be done first.
Around daylight,or when the smallest butt is around 190º,you might open up and take out any butts that are ready and wrap them. Move the remaining butts to hotter spots in the cooker.

I'd think about getting them done several hrs in advance of when you need them.Wrapped and coolered,they will hold several hrs.

The rub given is simple and will work.I agree Smokin'Okie's Vinegar sauce/baste under sauces,or in his Pork 101 is a favorite.

If you want sauce to serve on the side,pick up a gallon,or two from your local box store.

Have fun and remember everything takes longer than expected.
FM Former Member
hey guys, so all is aware. it is an amerique that i am using, reading on other posts i had found to figure about 1/3 lb per person if having other side dishes, i also read that you should figure about 60% yeild from original wts. should be around 70 people to feed, so i jumped the number to 90 to have some left. so based on other posts. if i buy 50 lbs of butts at 60% yeild that should give me 30 lbs of meat once pulled. Is this correct in figuring it this way or should i figure less yeild
cal 2cal 2Member
quote:
Originally posted by klt:
hey guys, so all is aware. it is an amerique that i am using, reading on other posts i had found to figure about 1/3 lb per person if having other side dishes, i also read that you should figure about 60% yeild from original wts. should be around 70 people to feed, so i jumped the number to 90 to have some left. so based on other posts. if i buy 50 lbs of butts at 60% yeild that should give me 30 lbs of meat once pulled. Is this correct in figuring it this way or should i figure less yeild


Yield will depend on how far you render the product and how well trimmed the butt was to start with.

I use IBP pork butts from Sam's, they are trimmed real close already and cooking them to the 193-195* finished temp. I would guess I get close to 50% yield. Always best to have a little too much as opposed to being short though.

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