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BOOM!!!! 6 Butts on 1 XL (Picture Heavy)

BigGreenCraigdotcom
BigGreenCraigdotcom Posts: 246
in EggHead Forum
Every year my wife is in charge of the March of Dimes Fundraisers for her school. The last 2 years we have done a BBQ plate lunch. Word of mouth has gotten around and the turn out was crazy this year! I'm going to have to do 2 batches OR get a 2nd Egg for next year. 

I did 6 bone in pork butts for a total of 46 lbs on ONE XL Egg! It took a little engineering, but I was determined to do them in 1 cook. I removed the fire ring and lowered the plate setter directly on top of the fire box, legs up with the grill grate on top of the legs. Then, I put my make shift rack extender on top of that. I have the old model XL so I lack vertical space unlike the new ones. It was tight, but got it to fit! 
imageimageimageimageimageimageimageimage
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Comments

  • Chris_Wang
    Chris_Wang Posts: 1,254
    Awesome! I would give dimes to March for that pork.

    Ball Ground, GA

    ATL Sports Homer

     

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  • cortguitarman
    cortguitarman Posts: 2,061
    Nice looking cook. 6 is the most I've been able to do on my XL. I have a grid extender and mind is the new style dome, so the height isn't am issue.
    Mark Annville, PA
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  • yzzi
    yzzi Posts: 1,843
    Nice! You need a bigger extender. You got room for another up there! Wait, no, that might mean no second Xl next year.
    Dunedin, FL
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  • Lit
    Lit Posts: 9,053
    You need an AR. I have done 45 pounds on the bottom level before and am pretty sure you could get another 45 pounds up top.
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  • dagriller
    dagriller Posts: 74
    Nice cook!
    LBGE Johns Creek, GA
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  • BigGreenCraigdotcom
    BigGreenCraigdotcom Posts: 246
    Lit said:
    You need an AR. I have done 45 pounds on the bottom level before and am pretty sure you could get another 45 pounds up top.
    What is that?
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  • Lit
    Lit Posts: 9,053
    Adjustable rig.
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  • cazzy
    cazzy Posts: 9,136
    Great cook for a great cause!
    Just a hack that makes some $hitty BBQ....
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  • Dyal_SC
    Dyal_SC Posts: 6,050
    Nice!!! Looks amazing!
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  • Catmandiesel
    Catmandiesel Posts: 63
    Man that's impressive!! Still waiting to do a long cook.
    How do you know the difference between the old and new style. I just gotten mine the guy at the store was unaware of a change and said that my XL was from a order in Jan2014.
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  • BigGreenCraigdotcom
    BigGreenCraigdotcom Posts: 246
    New on Left / Old on Rightimage
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  • DMW
    DMW Posts: 13,832
    Looks great. Cooking for a cause is very rewarding. Glad it worked out for you.

    @Catmandiesel You have the new style for sure. Here's some detail on how to tell the difference:

    They/Them
    Morgantown, PA

    XL BGE - S BGE - KJ Jr - HB Legacy - BS Pizza Oven - 30" Firepit - King Kooker Fryer -  PR72T - WSJ - BS 17" Griddle - XXL BGE  - BS SS36" Griddle - 2 Burner Gasser - Pellet Smoker
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  • Catmandiesel
    Catmandiesel Posts: 63
    Thanks for the info.
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  • KiterTodd
    KiterTodd Posts: 2,466
    Craigdotcom,  what was your smoke technique?  You have a nice solid smoke ring there and the pork looks awesome!  Just curious if you add soaked chunks when you throw the meat on, and that's it, or you add along the way. 

    I get a solid flavor from the BGE lump charcoal, but haven't gotten true smoker results yet.  So I must be missing something obvious.   Thanks!
    LBGE/Maryland
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  • Griffin
    Griffin Posts: 8,200
    Good job, Craig and way xtra props for doing it for a good cause. =D>

    Rowlett, Texas

    Griffin's Grub or you can find me on Facebook

    The Supreme Potentate, Sovereign Commander and Sultan of Wings

     

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  • BigGreenCraigdotcom
    BigGreenCraigdotcom Posts: 246
    KiterTodd said:
    Craigdotcom,  what was your smoke technique?  You have a nice solid smoke ring there and the pork looks awesome!  Just curious if you add soaked chunks when you throw the meat on, and that's it, or you add along the way. 

    I get a solid flavor from the BGE lump charcoal, but haven't gotten true smoker results yet.  So I must be missing something obvious.   Thanks!
    I always use soaked wood chips or chunks. I used apple wood chips that I soaked for approx 36 hours. This is definitely the best smoke ring that I have gotten. 
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  • 4Runner
    4Runner Posts: 2,948
    Dang I wish I had an XL. Great looking butts! Thanks for posting.
    Joe - I'm a reformed gasser-holic aka 4Runner Columbia, SC Wonderful BGE Resource Site: http://www.nakedwhiz.com/ceramicfaq.htm and http://www.nibblemethis.com/  and http://playingwithfireandsmoke.blogspot.com/2006/02/recipes.html
    What am I drinking now?   Woodford....neat
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  • saluki2007
    saluki2007 Posts: 6,354
    Great job Craig.  Have yet to have to do multiple butts.  Was there much of a difference in your setup/timing vs doing a single butt?
    Large and Small BGE
    Central, IL

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  • BigGreenCraigdotcom
    BigGreenCraigdotcom Posts: 246
    saluki2007 said:
    Great job Craig.  Have yet to have to do multiple butts.  Was there much of a difference in your setup/timing vs doing a single butt?
    Honestly, I was expecting a longer cook, but the BGE chugged along nicely! Same time as if I were doing 1. I didn't notice any difference. 
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  • NPHuskerFL
    NPHuskerFL Posts: 17,629
    Nicely done! Sounds like a terrific turnout for a great cause. That would just be horrible to "have to" get a 2nd egg ;-)
    LBGE 2013 & MM 2014
    Die Hard HUSKER & BRONCO FAN
    Flying Low & Slow in "Da Burg" FL
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  • SmokeyPitt
    SmokeyPitt Posts: 10,490
    Looks great Craig.  Do you just go commando with the plate setter?  What cooking temp did you target? 

    Which came first the chicken or the egg?  I egged the chicken and then I ate his leg. 

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  • BigGreenCraigdotcom
    BigGreenCraigdotcom Posts: 246
    SmokeyPitt said:
    Looks great Craig.  Do you just go commando with the plate setter?  What cooking temp did you target? 
    I set it up just like a normal indirect cook (plate setter legs up w grate on top of the legs), except I removed the fire ring. It worked pretty damn well! 
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  • KiterTodd
    KiterTodd Posts: 2,466
    BigGreenCraigdotcom said:
    I always use soaked wood chips or chunks. I used apple wood chips that I soaked for approx 36 hours. This is definitely the best smoke ring that I have gotten. 
    Thanks, Craig.
    Where do you put them (edge of coals, mixed in with everything, on top of the center)?
    Do you find you have to add throughout the cook?   That's the part I'd struggle with as it seems to require a bit of disassembley with to get down there once you are already cooking.  It'd be a pain...


    LBGE/Maryland
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  • BigGreenCraigdotcom
    BigGreenCraigdotcom Posts: 246
    My Experience:   For long smokes, I always start with a fire bowl full of coal. I use an electric lighter and pull it out as soon as I see a couple red embers. Letting the coals actually flame up requires too many coals to be lit and hot. I sprinkle the chips/chunks over ALL of the coals. This ensures smoke during the entire cook. 

    There is a lot of myths as to what pattern used to add your smoking chips. That's just too complicated to me...
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  • caliking
    caliking Posts: 18,731
    edited April 2014
    Nice! 

    Did you lay the topmost grid directly on top of the 4 butts? And did you have to rotate them during the cook?

    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
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  • BigGreenCraigdotcom
    BigGreenCraigdotcom Posts: 246
    caliking said:
    Nice! 

    Did you lay the topmost grid directly on top of the 4 butts? And did you have to rotate them during the cook?
    No, I have some long bolts that run down and sit directly on the plate setter. There was a small gap in between all of the butts. I did rotate the top two about half way through the cook. 
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  • SteelheadJunky
    SteelheadJunky Posts: 18
    You need a set of meat claws. You can pull one pork butt in about 3 minutes
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  • BigGreenCraigdotcom
    BigGreenCraigdotcom Posts: 246
    I think I am going to get my neighbor to make me one of these: 


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  • KiterTodd
    KiterTodd Posts: 2,466
    BigGreenCraigdotcom said:
    My Experience:   For long smokes, I always start with a fire bowl full of coal. I use an electric lighter and pull it out as soon as I see a couple red embers. Letting the coals actually flame up requires too many coals to be lit and hot. I sprinkle the chips/chunks over ALL of the coals. This ensures smoke during the entire cook. 
    Thanks BGC, that helps.  I use the chimney lighter and have been using the old kingsford charcoal method from my old weber (dump it when you see flames licking out the top).  But, from what you said, I should be able to dump that thing as soon as I see some red coals at the bottom of it which happens pretty quickly. 

    I do feel like if I let the Chimney light as I would with normal charcoal, I dump it on to a pretty large bed of red lump charcoal and that may be my problem.  So much of the coal bed is hot that all my wood burns off too soon.
    LBGE/Maryland
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  • BigGreenCraigdotcom
    BigGreenCraigdotcom Posts: 246
    KiterTodd said:
    BigGreenCraigdotcom said:
    My Experience:   For long smokes, I always start with a fire bowl full of coal. I use an electric lighter and pull it out as soon as I see a couple red embers. Letting the coals actually flame up requires too many coals to be lit and hot. I sprinkle the chips/chunks over ALL of the coals. This ensures smoke during the entire cook. 
    Thanks BGC, that helps.  I use the chimney lighter and have been using the old kingsford charcoal method from my old weber (dump it when you see flames licking out the top).  But, from what you said, I should be able to dump that thing as soon as I see some red coals at the bottom of it which happens pretty quickly. 

    I do feel like if I let the Chimney light as I would with normal charcoal, I dump it on to a pretty large bed of red lump charcoal and that may be my problem.  So much of the coal bed is hot that all my wood burns off too soon.
    If that is how you are lighting your coals, try only lighting 6 or 7. Just enough to get it started. 250F is pretty easy to achieve with just a small amount of coals.
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