SM 025 Arriving tomorrow...need help

WELL WHAT WORKS BEST FOR ME SMOKING PB IS 1 1/4 HOURS PER POUND AT 230 IVE DONE THIS FEW TIMES NOW ITS SEEM TO WORK WELL GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR NEW SMOKER

Read...read it will only help! Congrats on the new cs025, I have a 020, you will love the larger shelves.

If it was me doing it now with what experience I have gained from this forum. I would practice once on ribs, before cooking for a gathering.

I would allow extra time on the PB, you can FTC. It will stay hot for a few hours. I would cook ribs right before dinner. You should have an idea on time from the practice run.

I must remind you read, practice,have FUN,and keep good notes.

There will be a small learning curve, even for an experience cook, and like most smokers they get better with time.

I have a good local butcher that I always deal with...he only has boneless pork butts

Has anyone smoked boneless?
Should I try to find with the bone in?

Well, 2nd new guy in a week doing something for Easter.

quote:

How does my plan sound?

Not that it's not sound, it's a plan, but being a Project Manager, you plan is risky. Risky because you're using a new smoker and doing it for a holiday.

But go for it and we'll help.

Proceed with caution, times for you WILL vary.

For the PB, how many people? Given the times I see here in the forum, I'd plan on 2 hours a pd. If it gets done early, just Foil/Wrap and hold.

Start it the evening before. I do mine on 250, if you want to do yours at 225, start it but then check it in the morning and I'd bump it up when you check it if it's below 175.

For your rib practice, do the same ones you want to do sunday, including weight. Don't do spares for test and BB for Sunday, times won't match. Weight will affect your times.

12 people...I ordered an 8 lb butt w/bone in...so you are thinking 2 hours per pound? Wow!

Oh, how many oz of wood for thr pb?

2 hrs./lb should be the longest it takes to smoke. By planning on the longer time, you can be more assured your dinner will be on time. If it cooks more quickly than that, then double heavy duty foil, wrap in a good size towel, and into a cooler for holding. It'll stay hot to the touch for several hours that way.

Is 8 lbs. large enough for 12 people? When you get done trimming fat, pulling the bone, rendering fat, and taste testing( ) , you'll wind up with roughly 60% of your start weight. I usually plan for 1/2 lb/person. Might want to plan a second pork butt, and you can freeze leftovers for another night. Just a thought.

I have a SM025 and my PB's usually take at least 2 hours per pound at 225 and bumping up to 250 for the last few hours.

quote:

Originally posted by smokin church hill:
12 people...I ordered an 8 lb butt w/bone in...so you are thinking 2 hours per pound? Wow!

Oh, how many oz of wood for thr pb?

Based on the experience here and YOU not having used it before, you want to be done before you're scheduled to eat, not after

Pag's is a little generous on the amount after cooking. For planning, I use a 50% loss, so a 8lb'er will be 4 lbs of meat. Is that enough? You have to decide. That's 16 4oz portions, or 8 8oz portions. I'd cook two, it's no problem to put a 2nd one in and leftovers are a good thing.

For wood, less is more with this. If you haven't used it before, only go with 2, max of 3 oz. I'd go with two. You oversmoke it and you've got bad food.

How much wood should I use?

hill, you were posting right after I put a reply in for you... see last line of my reply for wood answer, 2 or 3 oz, and first time use I'd go with less.

I did two 8.5lb PBs bone-in in my cs020 this weekend at 235* and it was 19.5 hrs to 200*.They could have been off at 17hrs.They were put in at 33* on the meat, instead of normal 38* frig.

I would allow 2 hrs/lb for sure.

quote:

- How does my plan sound?

Rib wise, good. Babybacks are more forgiving than Spares/St Louis. Good luck! Holler back at us with results.

quote:

Originally posted by cal:
I did two 8.5lb PBs bone-in in my cs020 this weekend at 235* and it was 19.5 hrs to 200*.They could have been off at 17hrs.They were put in at 33* on the meat, instead of normal 38* frig.

I would allow 2 hrs/lb for sure.

Sorry Cal, I've read a few of your posts but never really took note of what type of smoker you're using. Reason I ask, I've smoked a lot of PB around 235 o and never had them take anywhere near that long. 12 - 13 hrs is my norm.

In my Elite, my pork butts normally average around 1.5+ hrs/lb, but my last one took 2.25 hrs./lb. Darn stubborn thing it was. Thought it would never finish.

MaxQue,

My smoker is a cs020, which will be the same as the cs025 but not the probe. My temps are verified with probes that are always checked in boiling water. The meat I use is Sams IPB's PBs. I never foil in the smoker and they always take around 2hrs/lb to reach 195*

I do start with the meat colder than frig temp(these were actually 33*) and never peek before 195*. These I took up to 200-197*.

Well, as Smokin says, "It's done when it's done.

Here is my plan:

8.75 lb pork butt - bone in (just picked it up at the butcher)

Season with CS Rib Rub...maybe tonite and let sit overnight...not sure yet

Put in smoker at 4pm Saturday...225 deg with 2-3 oz CS hickory

Check at 6am...14 hrs..if below 175 bump up to 250 as per Okie...and go back to bed as per me

Wake up at 8am...keep watching and hope its done by 10 am the latest...that is 18 hrs for 8.75 lbs

Then put the baby back ribs on and eat 3-4 hrs later

Sounds like a plan, liable to be some satisfied people after that cook.

I'm not sure if this is your first cook or not but if it is don't panic when the pork butt hits the plateau in the 160 degrees.....

Plan went to near perfection.

The 8.75 lb PB was at:
192 - 14 hrs
195 - 17 hrs
Turned up to 250
203 - 18 hrs
Removed & FTC

Put on the Baby Backs. Took 3 hrs.

Only issue was when I put the BB in the temp would not go higher than 180. After an hour I opened the door & cleaned off the temp probe and it started working properly.

The BB were the best that I have ever made. I used different ribs than my first smoke last Thursday. I am 1 or 2 small adjustments away from being about as good as I can get right now.

The PB was excellent. Smoking it was a piece of cake. Everybody loved it. I think I could have removed it earlier because it seemed a bit dry, did require BBQ sauce. I have made them in the past where you don't need to put any sauce on, very moist.

Thanks for all the help.

It was no question a big success.

Pork Butts will slice nicely at 180* and generally pull fairly well at 190*. Once you reach 190-192*, check the meat with a probe. If it slides in easily it's ready. I've rarely cooked a pork butt higher than roughly 195*. At the lower temp, it won't be as dry. Did have to take one to 203* however.

Glad it worked, and the 2hrs a pd seems to be spot on (just at 9lb x 2 = 18)

Yes, temp probe needs to be clean as well as food not real close (I've seen some almost impail a brisket on it) so thanks for posting that info.

I received my AQ about 2wks ago. Since then I have done primarily pulled pork. I have done three cooks with 4 Boston Butts, each weighing approx. 6lb. The first batch I let get to 200 before checking. I use the long bamboo skewers to check for tenderness. I didn't like the texture. A little too mushy, not enough tooth feel. I now pull them at 195. They have a great bark, nice and moist and a great smokey flavor that is not overpowering. My last batch was a total of 25lbs. I put them on Fri. night at 10pm. Set to cook at 235. I pulled them at 10:30 the next morning. They were done perfectly. The butts still have that blade type bone in them. Not sure of the technical name. Also since I tried Smokins Basting finishing sauce I have sworn off of regular BBQ sauce. It compliments the meat, doesn't hide the flavor.

Thanks guy for all of the greatr Info.

Gary I.