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4 butts on a Large or 5 if possible

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RRP
RRP Posts: 25,893
in EggHead Forum
I committed to egging at least 4 or 5 butts each about 8 pounds for an annual neighborhood picnic next Sunday. I have never tackled multiple butts before but I have seen pictures of 4 or more shoehorned into a large. BTW I would like to take them all wrapped and in a cooler to be pulled fresh and hot "right then". Any pointers would be appreciated.
Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
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  • DMW
    DMW Posts: 13,832
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    Do you have an adjustable rig or some other 2nd tier setup?
    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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  • MJG
    MJG Posts: 598
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    @RRP are you limited to single level/grid?  I have shoe horned about 32 pounds onto a single grid with 4 8 pounders. You will need to jam them together pretty good but shouldn't be an issue. 
    Large Big Green Egg in a nest. North Shore of Boston.
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  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,893
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    No, but I'm quite adapt at using fire bricks and auxiliary grills to achieve the same separation. 
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
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  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,893
    edited September 2015
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    MJG said:
    @RRP are you limited to single level/grid?  I have shoe horned about 32 pounds onto a single grid with 4 8 pounders. You will need to jam them together pretty good but shouldn't be an issue. 
    I can use fire bricks to achieve 2 tiers or did you mean you just stacked 4 butts together all touching? If the latter did you restack them any time during the cook?
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
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  • DMW
    DMW Posts: 13,832
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    OK, with bricks and another grid, no problem at all. Load it up and let it roll.
    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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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
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    Do a couple of 'em in your oven if they won't all fit the egg. Then, mix 'em all together after they're pulled. I did one at Mom's a while back (she has no egg). Was actually pretty good, even without smoke. 

    Hey, wait a minute, don't you have more than one egg?

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,893
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    Carolina Q said:
    Do a couple of 'em in your oven if they won't all fit the egg. Then, mix 'em all together after they're pulled. I did one at Mom's a while back (she has no egg). Was actually pretty good, even without smoke. 

    Hey, wait a minute, don't you have more than one egg?
    Yes, 4 eggs, but the mini and the small are too small for an 8 pounder. Then my medium has never had meat in it as it is my baking egg so that really means my large will need to do the trick! 
    I too had thought about starting all 4 or 5 on my large, and since I'm going turbo I would transfer 2 to the oven after say 3 hours. That way the bark is fairly well set and the rest of the time is just cooking the meat internally to 200º.
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
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  • hondabbq
    hondabbq Posts: 1,980
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    I have done that several times. 2 on the top and t on the bottom. 
    You will have to do some maneuvering to get as much air around them as possible. 
    Also try to have as much of a gap as possible from the bottom of the top ones so they aren't touching the bottom tops. 

    I have aver adjusted as the cook went on to achieve proper airflow. 

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  • Darby_Crenshaw
    Darby_Crenshaw Posts: 2,657
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    they are ok to touch.  it won't affect cook time very much.  what affects cook time is all that cold mass at once. as they cook they will shrink and pull apart anyway, giving you more bark too.
    [social media disclaimer: irony and sarcasm may be used in some or all of user's posts; emoticon usage is intended to indicate moderately jocular social interaction; the comments toward users, their usernames, and the real people (living or dead) that they refer to are not intended to be adversarial in nature; those replying to this user are entering into a tacit agreement that they are real-life or social-media acquaintances and/or have agreed to or tacitly agreed to perpetrate occasional good-natured ribbing between and among themselves and others]

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  • DaveRichardson
    DaveRichardson Posts: 2,324
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    Maybe smoke 3 on the egg till 150, pull, foil, and finish in the oven. Then throw the others on turbo...

    first at batch will have absorbed all the smoke they'd need by then....

    LBGE #19 from North GA Eggfest, 2014

    Stockbridge, GA - just south of Atlanta where we are covered up in Zombies!  #TheWalkingDead films practically next door!

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  • minniemoh
    minniemoh Posts: 2,145
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    RRP said:
    Carolina Q said:

    Hey, wait a minute, don't you have more than one egg?
    Yes, 4 eggs, but the mini and the small are too small for an 8 pounder. 

    Hey RRP, you can easily do an 8 lb'r on the SBGE. I've done a 10 lb once.   It works like a champ!
    L x2, M, S, Mini and a Blackstone 36. She says I have enough now....
    eggAddict from MN!
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  • EGGjlmh
    EGGjlmh Posts: 816
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    RRP don't forget that you will need a sufficient drip pan for the extra meat.  That's something I learned the hard way....you will have 4 times the liquid fat to catch!

    1MBGE 2006, 1LBGE 2010, 1 Mini Max, Fathers Day 2015

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  • Lit
    Lit Posts: 9,053
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    RRP said:
    Carolina Q said:
    Do a couple of 'em in your oven if they won't all fit the egg. Then, mix 'em all together after they're pulled. I did one at Mom's a while back (she has no egg). Was actually pretty good, even without smoke. 

    Hey, wait a minute, don't you have more than one egg?
    Yes, 4 eggs, but the mini and the small are too small for an 8 pounder. Then my medium has never had meat in it as it is my baking egg so that really means my large will need to do the trick! 
    I too had thought about starting all 4 or 5 on my large, and since I'm going turbo I would transfer 2 to the oven after say 3 hours. That way the bark is fairly well set and the rest of the time is just cooking the meat internally to 200º.
    I did 2 7lbers in my small when I had it. 1 8 pounder is cake in the small. I have done a 6lb in the mini.
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  • Focker
    Focker Posts: 8,364
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    I wouldn't do more than 4 on the large with the AR.  2 on each level is tight.  I prefer a little space, no rubbing, or bald spots.  At the end of the day, it really doesn't matter when you mix them all up.  

    Firebricks with another grid will be even tighter.  Those firebricks angled on their side take up some real estate.  2 butts alone take up enough as is.   

    For 4 or more, the WSM gets called for duty.  Too bad you didn't live closer, I'd let you borrow it. 

    I'm with Q on this one.  Egg two, hot box(oven) two or three.  Make it easy on yourself.  

    If you're wanting to work harder, fire up your med and throw two on there, and one on the small.

    Watching you crank it out in Peoria, I don't see a problem with you pulling that off. 


    Brandon
    Quad Cities
    "If yer gonna denigrate, familiarity with the subject is helpful."

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  • luckyboy
    luckyboy Posts: 284
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    Think about this, wrap one but in foil and place it on the place setter and the other three on the the cooking grill. Just a thought
    good luck, your a pro you'll get.
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  • Jstroke
    Jstroke Posts: 2,600
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    Ron, your small will handle one butt and  the other four I would just stockpile in the large. Forget the oven and turbo the whole thing just let them warm up some ahead of time on the counter
    Columbus, Ohio--A Gasser filled with Matchlight and an Ugly Drum.
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  • SGH
    SGH Posts: 28,791
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    @RRP - Brother with your skills and ability this will be a slam dunk. 4 or 5 butts on the large is no problem at all. I have little to offer other than the obvious, but here it is. When loading up heavy, l like to rotate the butts every so often. This way the sides that are touching each other are not touching for a prolonged period. Kind of split the time touching in half. Two sides touching for a shorter time as opposed to one side touching for a long time. Also with a big heavy load of meat like this, I prefer to limit my turbo temp to 300-325 instead of my usual 375+. The egg is having to run so hard to hit and maintain a real high temp when loaded this heavy that you can get scorched spots. Thus I chose to run a little lower than when cooking only one. At the end of the day, no matter how you chose to cook them you will end up with a good product. Good luck and as always, standing by for the finale. 

    Location- Just "this side" of Biloxi, Ms.

    Status- Standing by.

    The greatest barrier against all wisdom, the stronghold against knowledge itself, is the single thought, in ones mind, that they already have it all figured out. 

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  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,893
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    OK, guys I did a trial fitting and now see the possible pitfalls of trying to shoehorn 4 butts in a Large. Having absolutely no fall back capability there is no room for failure to deliver.  I reached the mature decision to complete 2 butts Saturday and 2 Sunday. I will reheat the pulled butts Sunday here at home and then foil and wrap the two hot ones and pull them at the picnic. Thanks for the input guys!
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
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  • lkapigian
    lkapigian Posts: 10,765
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    I cheat with the oven!
    Visalia, Ca @lkapigian
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  • GRE1
    GRE1 Posts: 68
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    RRP........time for an XL ?!
    XL times 2
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  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,893
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    lkapigian said:
    I cheat with the oven!
    Ha! I actually thought about doing a 5th one inside and then merely it in with the 4 egged ones, but in redoing the math 4 large butts should be plenty as there will also be brats and hot dogs available. 
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
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  • LetsEat
    LetsEat Posts: 458
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    Ron, I believe the cleanest, easiest , no fail option is to just add a second large egg to your culinary arsenal
    IL 
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  • 4Runner
    4Runner Posts: 2,948
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    RRP said:
    OK, guys I did a trial fitting and now see the possible pitfalls of trying to shoehorn 4 butts in a Large. Having absolutely no fall back capability there is no room for failure to deliver.  I reached the mature decision to complete 2 butts Saturday and 2 Sunday. I will reheat the pulled butts Sunday here at home and then foil and wrap the two hot ones and pull them at the picnic. Thanks for the input guys!
    Wise decision.  I did 4 one night and 4 the next for my big group.  AR rig was loaded and mine did touch on each grid but it wasn't a problem.  The key was the drip pad.  It was full.   Good luck.  
    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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  • GalanteNate_OneEa
    GalanteNate_OneEa Posts: 967
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    RRP said:
    OK, guys I did a trial fitting and now see the possible pitfalls of trying to shoehorn 4 butts in a Large. Having absolutely no fall back capability there is no room for failure to deliver.  I reached the mature decision to complete 2 butts Saturday and 2 Sunday. I will reheat the pulled butts Sunday here at home and then foil and wrap the two hot ones and pull them at the picnic. Thanks for the input guys!
    Best practical solution, good luck buddy!!
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  • mahenryak
    mahenryak Posts: 1,324
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    I'm quite certain no matter how you cook them they will still be a crowd pleaser.
    LG BGE, KJ Jr, Smokin Bros. Premier 36 and Pizza Party Bollore



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  • shadowrider
    shadowrider Posts: 108
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    RRP said:
    OK, guys I did a trial fitting and now see the possible pitfalls of trying to shoehorn 4 butts in a Large. Having absolutely no fall back capability there is no room for failure to deliver.  I reached the mature decision to complete 2 butts Saturday and 2 Sunday. I will reheat the pulled butts Sunday here at home and then foil and wrap the two hot ones and pull them at the picnic. Thanks for the input guys!
    If it were me, I'd go with 2 to 150 internal, foil them and finish in the oven.  As soon as the 1st 2 came off the egg, the other 2 (or 3) would go on and I'd finish them the same way.  You might knock them out in a day that way.

    I've never reheated and then pulled so I don't know how that would work out, but I'd be tempted to try it to keep it from drying out.
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  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,893
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    Thanks all! As it turns out the head count has gone up and the "CAN NOT FAIL" point meter SOARED tonight! I'll tell more come Monday, but the cheat factor has come in to play and the best of all 5 butts will go in the oven tomorrow as needed filler and then 2 in the egg also on Saturday turbo style. And then 2 more butts on the egg also turbo to mix in hot et. al. on Sunday. I already picked up two water warmed electric food warmers from the private park where the picnic will be held just as it has been for nearly 30 years. Keep your fingers crossed for me and the BGE reputation with only a slight wink wink for the oven cooked butt! A guy has to do what a guy has to do!!! LOL
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
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