Four-Butt Setup

Spring Chicken

For the first time ever I'm cooking four butts totaling about 32 pounds to deliver to my family and friends. I'm cooking on a large Egg and will be using my guru.[p]I've seen 4-butt setups but I can't recall how they were done. Any help would be deeply depreciated.[p]Spring "Soon To Be Haul'n Butt" Chicken
Spring Texas USA

YB

Spring Chicken,
Platesetter legs up,drip pan and grid.Put two butts on grid lay extra grid on butts and put two more butts on top.This is simple and works.[p]Larry

Spring Chicken

YB,
The butts appear to be taller than the space between the first and second grid. I have the BGE Raised Grid. I guess if bottom contact with a grid is okay, top contact should be okay too.[p]I'll probably pour some old gone-flat cokes or apple juice in the drip pan, or is it even necessary?[p]Plan on cooking at 240 to 250 overnight to 190° internal then letting them rest a few hours before pulling. I figure the temperature will rise some above the 190°.[p]My Eggs are totally clean and ready for new lump. Now to calibrate my thermometer to see how close it is to my Guru temperature. Oh yea, where should I measure the grid temperature with this setup?[p]Spring "Armed And Loaded With Questions" Chicken

YB

Spring Chicken,
Just lay the second grid on top of the two butts and lay the other two butts on that grid and you should have plenty of room Leroy.The grid alone will give you enought room in between the butts.
Larry

YB

Spring Chicken,
After a few hours I don't think it matters where you measure the temp,first or second grid the heat will even out.
Larry

fishlessman

Spring Chicken,
i dont own a guru, but have cooked 2 butts over 2 stacked briskets. you cant get a good temp reading in there for a few hours from the start of the cook. i thinkk the guru might chase false readings for a while. maybe start the guru after 3 or 4 hours knowing the egg is holding temps and that the gages are reading falsly. just something to think about, but with all that cold meat, you might have a 700 degree roaring fire under the plate setter and only be reading 200 at the dome with that guru chasing the false reading. ive done this the old fashioned way, and chased it before actually looking at the fire to see what was going on. then i went old school and trusted that things were right until the egg came back up to temps in a few hours. when i started the cook, at hour two i had both vents wide open and a roaring fire and a dome temp reading of about 200, thats how i knew something was up.

SouthOfI10

Spring Chicken,
I have only done brisket and two butts, but the concept should work the same.
[p]If you've got a grid extender or round grate, just "squash" the top two on the bottom two and cook like normal. Note that the grate for the butts isn't even touching the bottom grate due to that big ol' chunk of cow!. 15lb brisket and two 8lb butts. Everything cooked fine. I think that we fed 25-30 people with very little left over.[p]Let us know how they turned out![p]
Mmmm. I'm off to start my beef ribs...[p]ss

AZRP

leroy,
The last time I did 4 butts, I started them like south of I-10 did with the grid extender, after they shrunk enough, I stood all four on thier narrow sides on the main grid. I set the Guru for 250 and clipped the probe on to the stem of the dome thermometer. -RP

Woody54

Spring Chicken,[p]Watch out that the dome therm. isn't stickin' da butts on top. False reading city.

The Naked Whiz

<p />Spring Chicken,
Here's how I did mine, grid extender.

Spring Chicken

Spring Chicken,
Thanks for the help guys. I followed your advice and here's what it looks like.[p][p]I would'a never thought I'd be cooking four butts at one time but with my Food Saver I can Pull, Package and Freeze plenty for many rainy days. Taking some to my Mom too. She requested it. [p]Thanks again. Now the Guru and Big Green Egg will work in harmony to make a perfect butt.[p]Spring "Think I'll Take A Nap While My Egg Cooks Away" Chicken