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Experienced smoker but a BGE rookie with Pork Butt questions

SherrifJoe
SherrifJoe Posts: 32
in Pork
Hello everyone, I have a couple of questions before I begin my first Pork Butt cook the evening of 3 July for my 4th of July party...here is the scenario ...as I type this 3 men are busily working in my backyard on my outdoor kitchen to get it completed by July 3rd. When completed I will have NO time at all to get things tested and organized before firing up my Large BGE for the first time that evening around 10 for a 4th of July party for 30 people.  I am smoking 2 butts so I have a few questions before beginning this adventure. Note, I would normally do more than two 8 to 10 lb butts for 30 people but I am ALSO trying out my new outdoor pizza oven as well so there will be plenty of food for all and YES I am crazy and a glutton for punishment doing all of this for the 1st time at a huge backyard party but I will be armed with plenty of margarita's so here are my questions...


1. I know I need to fill my large BGE to the fire ring but how much hickory chunks do I need to add so as too not over smoke my cook? 


2. About how long will it take from the time I light my fire till its ready to add the Butts?  I am thinking about 30 min, would that be approximately correct? 


3. Should I start my fire at the top of the lump so it will burn down to the bottom or light the bottom for the opposite affect? I will be using those little firestarter squares you light similar to the ones BGE makes so I figured I would just lay it near the top with some small lump over it and light it to get things going, pls advise if this is a bad plan.


I think that's about it for now as I am an experienced smoker but a BGE rookie so mostly I need to know BGE fire specifics but I will add more questions if I can think of any.  I will post pics as soon as my outdoor kitchen is complete and feel free to add any inside info I could use that I may have not thought of.... 


Thanks in advance for everyone's input and everything I have read here so far.....

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Comments

  • theyolksonyou
    theyolksonyou Posts: 18,459
    1. Fill it well into the fire ring. If you can get the platesetter in you're good. Can't overfill. You're gonna use it next cook. 

    2.  Depends on what lump you use. Also, even with rockwood I let it ride stable at least an hour. Smoke wood is a personal thing. For a full load I use about 3 hickory and 3 fruitwood. 

    3. Start in one spot on top and catch on the way up. If you overshoot it takes a long time to come back b
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  • SherrifJoe
    SherrifJoe Posts: 32
    Thanks Jason....your # 3 answer confuses me though...Start on top I get but what does "catch on the way up" and what is "overshooting"?  Also I will be using half hickory and half peach for smoking....
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  • theyolksonyou
    theyolksonyou Posts: 18,459
    Start shutting down the vents about 50 degrees below target temp.  If you go over, the egg hold heat incredibly well. For a target of 250, you won't believe how little the openings are!
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  • SherrifJoe
    SherrifJoe Posts: 32

    Thanks Yolks....I did want to ask questions regarding the vents but totally forgot....so with my target of 250 when at 200 I need to begin shutting then down....got it.....any "guesstamate" on opening width for a target of 250?  Again I will have ZERO experience when doing this so ANY help is greatly appreciated! :)


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  • theyolksonyou
    theyolksonyou Posts: 18,459
    About an eighth inch on bottom and top with half a petal open on daisy. Just close, maybe a little less. If you're within 25 degrees roll with it. 
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  • Bentgrass
    Bentgrass Posts: 443
    The bottom vent might be open 1/16" at best and top about the same, maybe a hair more.  
    1. Bettendorf, Ia with lots of time in Chattanooga, Tn.  LBGE, plate setter, ar, Looft lighter, maverick et-735, Rutland gasket, Smokeware SS cap, Kickash basket, and lots of cast iron.
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  • SherrifJoe
    SherrifJoe Posts: 32
    awesome, thanks everyone....It will be SOOOO nice starting a cook at 10 PM and not having to get up twice in the middle of the night to tend the smoker!  LOL
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  • loveTheEgg
    loveTheEgg Posts: 573
    edited June 2015
    Being this is your first cook plus a overnighter yuu might be up all night!!  ;) Good luck and enjoy! 
    Brandon, MS
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  • badinfluence
    badinfluence Posts: 1,774
    Might want to just get a guru and stet it and just a sliver open on the daisy wheel and go to bed. This is a 5 night a week deal for me so a guru is a must.
    1 XXL BGE,  1 LG BGE, 2 MED. BGE, 1 MINI BGE, 1 Peoria custom cooker Meat Monster.


    Clinton, Iowa
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  • SherrifJoe
    SherrifJoe Posts: 32
    I have bought a Pitmaster IQ120 but figured I might not want to use it for this first cook with so little time to figure it out beforehand but I may go ahead and do it..
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  • QDude
    QDude Posts: 1,059
    Don't worry about a temp of even 300 degrees.  It will come out great.

    Northern Colorado Egghead since 2012.

    XL BGE and a KBQ.

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  • ferndchamp
    ferndchamp Posts: 152
    I am new here as well, what do you'll mean bottom and top vent? Is that the bottom vent and the daisy?
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  • TexanOfTheNorth
    TexanOfTheNorth Posts: 3,951
    ferndchamp said:
    I am new here as well, what do you'll mean bottom and top vent? Is that the bottom vent and the daisy?
    Yes.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Well, "spa-Peggy" is kind of like spaghetti. I'm not sure what Peggy does different, if anything. But it's the one dish she's kind of made her own.
    ____________________
    Aurora, Ontario, Canada
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  • TexanOfTheNorth
    TexanOfTheNorth Posts: 3,951
    Hey @SherrifJoe, welcome to the forum and the lifestyle! I love your no nonsense approach to keeping order down there in Maricopa County! Keep up the good work.

    As for not getting any experience with your egg before the 3rd... go to Home Depot and get an 18" (or larger) paver to put the egg on and start egging today! That's how I rolled until my table was finished.
    006.jpg 440.5K
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Well, "spa-Peggy" is kind of like spaghetti. I'm not sure what Peggy does different, if anything. But it's the one dish she's kind of made her own.
    ____________________
    Aurora, Ontario, Canada
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  • SherrifJoe
    SherrifJoe Posts: 32
    LOL Texan, I am obviously not the real Sheriff Joe but you are correct, he IS THE MAN!  I did think about doing some test runs prior to the 3rd but having my backyard as a construction zone and trying to manage this project in 105 degree temps everyday here in Nor Cal is wearing me out.  I actually don't have much concern as I have smoked meat for 30 years and am just mainly looking for specific settings on my BGE to make the process a little easier my first time out without having to trail and error it....today I will have 5 guys working in my yard.....a granite installer, a tile guy, a masonry guy working on my wood fired oven and not sure what the other 2 will be doing.....looks like we will get finished up by Tuesday so I can do some landscaping prior to my party as well....this outdoor kitchen and patio area has been in the planning for 5 years so I am excited to just about be done with it....pictures in a few days
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  • Skiddymarker
    Skiddymarker Posts: 8,523
    Whatever smoke wood you think you need if using a WSM, use about 1/4 to 1/3rd. Egg is very efficient. Light on the top and let the fire follow the air down, you can use smaller chunks of smoke wood and mix them in the lump. 
    Good luck and TOTN has a good idea, make a test run to get temps right and get that new car smell out of the egg. 
    When you drop in the setter and meat the temp will drop. If the egg was stable don't chase the temp, leave it alone. It will return on its own, may take 20-30 minutes, but it will come back.  
    Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!
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  • TexanOfTheNorth
    TexanOfTheNorth Posts: 3,951
    Sounds like it's going to be nice. Looking forward to seeing the pics!
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Well, "spa-Peggy" is kind of like spaghetti. I'm not sure what Peggy does different, if anything. But it's the one dish she's kind of made her own.
    ____________________
    Aurora, Ontario, Canada
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  • BIll-W221
    BIll-W221 Posts: 279
    Great thread, I am doing my first overnight cook today. It is only my second cook on the BGE. The butt goes on in an hour, been running steady at 252 for an hour now, wish me luck too ;)
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  • TexanOfTheNorth
    TexanOfTheNorth Posts: 3,951
    Good luck @BIll-W221!
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Well, "spa-Peggy" is kind of like spaghetti. I'm not sure what Peggy does different, if anything. But it's the one dish she's kind of made her own.
    ____________________
    Aurora, Ontario, Canada
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  • UncleFred
    UncleFred Posts: 458
    SherrifJoe said:
    3. Should I start my fire at the top of the lump so it will burn down to the bottom or light the bottom for the opposite affect? I will be using those little firestarter squares you light similar to the ones BGE makes so I figured I would just lay it near the top with some small lump over it and light it to get things going, pls advise if this is a bad plan.
    What comes around, goes around.... :lol: 

    I refer you to Forum discussion "Up or Down" for a very interesting discussion on the topic..
    http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1174027/up-or-down/p1

    San Diego, CA - Where I've mastered Curmudgeon..working on Recluse.
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  • SherrifJoe
    SherrifJoe Posts: 32

    Sorry I was gone for a few days guys but the backyard project has kept me crazy busy....everything will be done, hooked up and operational tomorrow so I will post pics then......


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  • TexanOfTheNorth
    TexanOfTheNorth Posts: 3,951
    Looking forward to seeing it!
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Well, "spa-Peggy" is kind of like spaghetti. I'm not sure what Peggy does different, if anything. But it's the one dish she's kind of made her own.
    ____________________
    Aurora, Ontario, Canada
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  • SherrifJoe
    SherrifJoe Posts: 32
    Posted pics of my finished backyard on a new thread" Backyard finally done" or something to that extent LOL   Thanks everyone for your advice....butts are rubbed, will be injected just before I put them on the BGE around 10......
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  • ChristinaSunshine
    ChristinaSunshine Posts: 87
    This is a wonderful "family", you've got here, @SherrifJoe, always willing to help and give advice!  Post pics of your cook!  Your backyard looks awesome.
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  • SherrifJoe
    SherrifJoe Posts: 32
    1st pics of my cook posted on my  "Backyard is finished" thread...and thanks!
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