Question regarding first cook for a large group

[grossie]

So, after pricing the catering options for my daughter's graduation party, I decided "I can do it at least that good. And a heck of a lot cheaper." 

I've done quite a few pork butts now, but never more than two at a time. This time I'm doing 40 lbs in my 30" Cajun Injector smoker (electric). My question is whether I should plan on more time for cook, since there is more pork, or should it take (about) the same time?

The graduation is Saturday morning and the party starts at 2 PM Saturday. I was planning on taking off on Friday and starting the cook around 8:00, hoping to be done around midnight, then foil, towel, cooler.

What is your experience?

Thanks,
Grossie

[sliding_billy]

It just depends on how many lbs per butt (compared to previous cooks) and cooking temp you will maintain in the smoker.  Are you doing pulled pork or sliced?

P.S. Am I reading it right that you are planning on holding the butts for 12 hours after taking them off?

[TentHunteR]

Ironically my daughter just graduated this past Friday evening as well . Her party will be this coming Saturday, we're catering it ourselves and we've already got it pretty well handled.


I do a few large cookouts for 50 - 150 folks every year (Church cookouts & I've done the annual H.S. Marching band bbq/cookout the past three years running).

PLANNING IS KEY!

- Plan your menu and have EVERYTHING written out, so you don't forget to buy anything. Write down each and every menu item and what you will need (ingredients, foil pan, etc.). This way you don't forget to buy anything.

- Plan as many side dishes as possible that require easy or no cooking.  Large pans of roasted potatoes are easy and cheap and so are large pans of Mac & cheese.

- Plan meats that don't require a lot of babysitting or ones that you can keep coming hot & fresh off the grill and are easy to cook.  For very large crowds Sausages work really well. You can cook some up put them in a pan to keep warm and keep cooking & adding to the pan as folks go through the line. Your pulled pork idea works well too because it can all be cooked ahead of time (same with pulled beef).

- Plan your time-line for cooking and write it out on a large sheet of paper or poster board, especially if you have others helping. This way everyone knows what's happening and when. Trust me, DO NOT TRY TO WING IT!  And do NOT be afraid to delegate specific tasks to individuals.


Planning cuts w-a-a-a-a-y down on stress, and allows you to enjoy the experience!

[muebe]

The more meat in your smoker the more time it will add. That electric heating element can only put out so much energy and there will be more meat absorbing that energy.

I would pre-prepare the butts a day or two before the party and pull them. Then refrigerate in large ziplock bags so you can reheat in a 200F oven in aluminum serving trays right before the party.

Butts can be unpredictable and sometimes take a long time to finish. The last thing you want is people standing around waiting to eat.

[TentHunteR]

The last thing you want is people standing around waiting to eat.

Words well spoken! Especially if it's a larger crowd.

[Hub]

I'm seconding meube's post above.  Regardless of heat source, the more mass placed in the cooker, the longer it will take to bring it to "done" temperature IT.  Give yourself plenty of time and be ready to store your finished product in pans and re-heat as necessary.  FTC will usually work well for up to four or five hours, but don't bet on it after that.  You made a good choice -- pulled or chopped pork re-heats beautifully with no loss of flavor or major change in texture. 

TentHunteR also provides sage advice:  Make up a "cook plan".  I do this for  big cooks at our church all the time and we check off things as we go.  I do mine on a spreadsheet by start time, back-timed so that all the stuff is ready when serving starts.  It takes a little time to think through and detail, but  you'll sleep better at night if you've got everything planned.  I even do cook plans for big family meals where it is just my wife and I cooking.  That way we don't trip over each other and each of us knows precisely what we're going to do and when.

Have fun!

Hub

[grossie]

Thanks for all the advice. I'm now going to start earlier than I planned on, just in case. I'll put the pork in vacuum bags after I pull it.
I didn't actually sign up for anything other than the pulled pork. My wife and friend are responsible for everything else.

As far as warming it up on Saturday, we'll have the oven and a couple of big electric roasters that I could use.

I may have to throw some ribs or chicken in TBE while I'm cooking all the pork. All that cooking is bound to work up an appetite!

[deestafford]

grossie,  I think you have a handle on it particularly if you follow the advice above. My Daddy did a lot of BBQing for large groups and not once did he not do a list of ingredients and things to do.  That was excellent advice given above.

Sometimes, but not always,  the meat will dry out some if it is to be reheated.  I have a recipe for a finishing sauce that can be added to your Que if you want it just in case.  It's even good if the meat does not dry out.

Also, if you're going to make your own bbq sauce do it a couple of days ahead to allow the flavors to get a chance to know each other. 

Good luck and let us know how it comes out.

Dee

[grossie]

Thanks for all the advice.

Dee, if you can send me that recipe, I would greatly appreciate it. It may be too late for this party, but I'd like to have it for future reference.

I prepped last night before midnight. Got all six cuts in the smoker about 2 AM. I had to crank the smoker temp up to 265 degrees. It seems to be holding steady about 212-213 as an internal temp. I hooked the iGrill up about three hours ago and was already in the stall. So, I'm at least three hours into the stall.



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[deestafford]

Grossie,  Here it is.  Just squirt it over warm pulled pork and mix.

1 cup apple cider vinegar
2 T brown sugar
1 tsp Tony C's Creole Seasoning (The ''C'' stands for Chachere but I didn't know how to spell it)
1 tsp coarse black pepper
1 tsp red pepper flakes

Warm vinegar so that the sugar dissolves and then add the remaining ingredients.  I put mine in a plastic squirt bottle.

[grossie]

Thanks Dee!

Twenty-six and a half hours after starting, it's all pulled and bagged. I think that qualifies as low and slow. :-)
The last one finished smoking 25 hours after I first put it on.

[Hub]

That was one MARATHON cook 

Hub