Timing of smoking different meats

[db28472]

Hi All,
Brand new here, just unpacked my #2 last night and did the initial burn-in as directed.  I am planning on doing a Boston Butt starting tomorrow night for saturday.  I got a 10 lb. Butt which I am going to rub tonight, keep in fridge for starting tomorrow about 6 p.m.  I am going to use a combo of hickory and cherry (1 piece Hickory, 2 pieces cherry).  I will monitor int. temp with a Mav. 732 but figure on about 15-18 hours. 

I would like to do some ribs also, but the smoker directions says do not add wood.  How should I time this?  Another thread suggested doing the 3-2-1 with the 3 at the start with the Butt, taking ribs out overnight, refrigerate then finishing next day, but I never saw a reply to whether this actually works.  I want a nice bark on the butt, so foiling then adding the ribs with more wood the next day would work but I am worried about too much tenderizing and losing the bark. If I don't foil, then it will likely be too smoky for others (i.e., my wife).  I appreciate any comments or help.
DB

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[Smokster]

db, welcome to the smokin it club and congrats on the #2, you will not be disappointed.

For the pork butt, I smoke a 10lb butt and it took 22 hours, however every one is different, just like every stall is different. To prepare it, add a binding agent like mustard, the add the rub, wrap tightly then refrigerate.  When ready, put in smoker and set to 225.  For that size you would need 5-6 oz of wood, if you want less of the smoker flavour, then drop down to 4oz.  The meat will only absorb smoke up to a certain temp, therefore foiling when you hit a stall won't make a difference.  Most will foil to speed up the cook time y trying to avoid stalls.  I also put a small loaf pan at the bottom near the smoke box with apple juice or beer to add moisture to the chamber.  Once it hits an internal temp of 195-200, I remove, wrap with foil, cover with towels and let it rest in a cooler for a few hours.  You will have a nice bark, yet tender and juicy on the inside.  You also have the option to inject a marinade the night before you smoke it.

As for the ribs, as with the butt, add binding agent and rub, the refrigerate.  I have done the 3-2-1 method and found that if you leave it in the smoker without wrapping, I achieved much better results.  For the ribs, you can refer to my recent post for details.

http://smokinitforums.com/index.php?topic=966.0

If smoking both at the same time, simply pull out the ribs after about 5-6 hours.

Good luck and let us know how it turns out.

[es1025]

DB-
I would assume at least 1.5 hours to 2 hours per pound.  I have done a couple of 8 pounders and been pretty much around 12 hours and another 2 hours for resting.  With a 10 lb. butt your may want to add about 4-6 oz of wood. I have not added additional meats during my cooks. I smoke until 160-165 and then wrap w/o any liquid 201-202. Then rest in the cooler for 1-3 hours depending on the hunger of the family.

[DivotMaker]

Welcome, DB!  You've made a wise decision, and have many happy times ahead with your #2!  I'm a believer in the "walk, crawl, run" method.  With your first cook, focus on one of the meats until you get to know how your smoker performs.  I particularly like the Boston butt for a first smoke for a couple of reasons; first, it helps season the smoker even more because it's a long cook.  Secondly, it gives you an opportunity to see how well it holds temp and produces a great finished product over a long period of time.

Doing meats that require totally different cooking techniques, at the same time, is always challenging.  As you build your experience and knowledge about how your smoker performs, you'll have a better chance for success with this kind of smoke. 

As for the butt and ribs alike, I'm a big fan of not foiling at all.  I have tried all the foil methods, and have found the finished meat to be better without foiling.  On a butt, and ribs, the bark is much better.  If you use a water pan (highly recommended), these smokers are a tight enough environment to hold the moisture in.  A lot of the foil techniques were designed by stick burners as a means to combat the inherent tendency of those smokers to dry the meat out; we just don't have that problem with the Smokin-It units!  This really is an adventure in NOT babysitting!  If your prep is right (and your plan sounds great, btw), just put the meat in cold and let 'er rip!  Watch the internal temp, and pull it when ready.

Let us know how it goes!