Anybody T-Rex some butts before?

Mark Backer

I hadn't either...until last night. [p]See, we had company but were late getting things lit due to yard and in-law pet duties, so I had to get the large ready for steaks, the small for pork chops and the brother-in-law's across the street ready for four butts I was doing for a friend. [p]I lit the B-I-L's egg and came home to light mine, shower, and prep. Went back after that and his egg was out. I had cleaned it out and found he had a ceramic grate, which seems to have quite different characteristics than my metal one, so I re-lit more widely and went home to work on ours. Came back 30 minutes later, fires good, so on goes the platesetter, grid, and butts. [p]Before you ask, no, I did not get the temp stabilized, but on mine I always get it lit, know what I'm looking for, fire on the meat, then (as ron popeil says) set it and forget it. [p]My plan was to put the meat on with the vents open for about 15 minutes while I attended to food at our house and company. [p]I had a few cocktails in me, so 15 turned into 30 minutes, and when I returned, the four butts were in a 550 degree blast furnace, flames shooting out of the chimney. [p]I closed all vents, waited about 2 hours for it to cool, took the grid and plate setter off, added lump, relit (because it had gone out) and waited about an hour to stabilize and re-added the butts around midnight. [p]Now, at a little after 11am, they hottest one is at 190ish and the coolest is at about 176ish. [p]They don't look particularly bad, but I know the bark is going to be heavily smoked (and probably not in a good way). I hope I can salvage half or better.[p]Anyone have any experience with this type of blunder?[p]p.s. today is salmon and bacon wrapped scallops and tomorrow is brisket cooking during the European Grand Prix, pork tenderloins (for sammiches, which are an Indy 500 tradition), then baby backs and pulled pork for the coke 600. [p]HOORAY!!