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How many butts can the Large sustain?

Larry McSass
Larry McSass Posts: 56
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
I am having a large gathering on Saturday. Today I picked up 6 7-8lb butts at Sam's. Has anyone ever put this much on a large? How much can actually get on there and how creative do I need to be? I would love to see pictures.

Comments

  • Eggecutioner
    Eggecutioner Posts: 628
    Larry McSass,[p]This is how I did it once. There were 7 on the Large. # on the bottom grate and 4 on the home made top grate.[p]Here is the grate I made. The top level is the BGE brand raised grid. I didn't use the top grate in the pic to get 7 butts on the egg.
    P1010259.jpg[p]Here are 10 butts ready to be cooked.
    79831dd2.jpg[p]This is when they were complete. I had already removed one from the open space on the top grate.
    9c4f090d.jpg[p]This is part of the results. The center bag has 2.5 pounds of cooked and pulled meat.[p]1c2a4bf4.jpg[p]E

  • Smokin Bob
    Smokin Bob Posts: 239
    Larry McSass,[p]I'm sure the quantity pro's can assist. I have done four 8 lb butts but have not attempted 4. I'm guessing you would need to stand them up on their sides to get 6 in !??!?!?!?![p]Good Luck Chief!
  • Larry McSass,[p]I have cooked 45 pounds at one time with lousy results. It's not how much that will go on the cooker but how much that will go on the cooker and COOK WELL. I don't cook any load of butts now over about 34 pounds and all my cooks do come out well. I have a picture of a large load ready to go on the cooker in my Contraption. [p]24MVC-008E.jpg[p]This picture is for about 35 pounds of butts just ready to go on the cooker. My drip pan goes on the lower level and had not been added when the picture was taken. [p]Dave

  • Eggecutioner
    Eggecutioner Posts: 628
    Old Dave,[p]I have to agree. The 7 butts that I did were not even close to the best I have done. However, they were not the worst that I have ever done either. For the situation that I was in, this cook worked great.[p]All of those butts got through the plateau which I think really helps the texture. Once they cooked and shrank a little there was enough smoke circulation to impart a good smoke flavor too.[p]E
  • jwitheld
    jwitheld Posts: 284
    Eggecutioner,
    with that much deadanimal heat sink, how long does a full load of lump last? and is the double decker rack difficult to remove to reload?

  • Eggecutioner
    Eggecutioner Posts: 628
    jwitheld,[p]I had it loaded with lump 3/4 of the way up the fire ring. It burned for 20 hours without a refuel. After those were cooked I dumped in another load up to the middle of the fire ring. Then put 3 more butts on and cooked them for another 20 hours. I was originally trying to get 10 butts in the egg. But the lid wouldn't close. If I could have gotten it closed, I would have cooked all 10 butts.[p]I had sized up (measured) lots of chunks of meat at the store. I was really way off with the sizes when I ordered a case of butts. My original plan was to use the triple decker stacker: 4 on the bottom, 4 on the middle, and 2 on the top. No go. So I put 4 on the bottom and tried 6 on the top. No go. Pulled 2 off the top and then said might as well pull 3 off, because I was going to have a 40+ hour cook anyway. As for removing the loaded rack, I haven't done it. It would definately be a pain to do.[p]This is the pic with all 10 on the egg.[p]8a78c595.jpg

  • Wise One
    Wise One Posts: 2,645
    Larry McSass, I have cooked 5 8-pounders (3 on bottom, 2 lying on top of these) with good results. I did find that they seemed to finish randomly. One would be at 205 while another was still at 180. I took off the ones that were done and let the others stay until they reached 200 or so.

  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,674
    2005012055.jpg
    <p />Larry McSass,
    i think i would do 2 back to back cooks and reheat the first batch. ive only done one real large cook, it came out great however it was impossible maintaining temps as air flow continually changed as the meat shrunk. if time is a factor, maybe even finish the first batch in the oven to have time to finish the second batch on the grill. this was 2 briskets and 2 butts
    5a1453bd.jpg

    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it