Pork Picnic Timing Question

fence0407

I have 3 8# picnics going on the large egg some time this evening for a party tomorrow. Plan is to be serving between 4:30 and 5 PM. If I plan on running the dome temp at 250, how much time should I allow for them to cook? I can hold in FTC as well.

Pics to follow!

Eggdicted_Dawgfan

I would allow around 12hours at that temp. If you see it is not going to finish on time you can bump it up to 300-325 for the last couple hours and push it to the finish line. If it finishes early let it sit on a rack for 30 minutes and then wrap in foil, wrap in a towel and put it in a cooler till time to serve. If it finishes more than 2-3 hours ahead of serving time you may want to preheat the cooler with how water and heat the towels in the dryer for a few mins. Good luck!

fence0407

Eggdicted_Dawgfan said:

I would allow around 12hours at that temp. If you see it is not going to finish on time you can bump it up to 300-325 for the last couple hours and push it to the finish line. If it finishes early let it sit on a rack for 30 minutes and then wrap in foil, wrap in a towel and put it in a cooler till time to serve. If it finishes more than 2-3 hours ahead of serving time you may want to preheat the cooler with how water and heat the towels in the dryer for a few mins. Good luck!

Thanks! This is the most pork I've done at one time and normally just do smaller Boston butts. I had to remove the skin off these. I've read the picnic can take longer too, another reason for asking.

SmokingPiney

Pork picnics and butts are very temperature tolerant. I run 275 to 300 with them......much less cook time, same results. 

Rte1985

I basically just did this cook.  Had them on at 730 and pulled at 9 o clock in the morning.  My temp did drop overnight at some point.  I didn't foil at all in the cook also I was running about 275

bgebrent

1+ 12 hours.

fence0407

Thanks guys! Would 5 hours FTC be okay in the event they finish early? @bgebrent @Rte1985 @SmokingPiney @Eggdicted_Dawgfan

bgebrent

5 hours is no problem brother.  Let the roast rest 20-30 minutes before putting it in the cooler to allow for carryover.  Pre warm the cooler and use warmed towels and you are set.  You can go longer if you follow all of this.  Good luck brother.

fence0407

bgebrent said:

5 hours is no problem brother.  Let the roast rest 20-30 minutes before putting it in the cooler to allow for carryover.  Pre warm the cooler and use warmed towels and you are set.  You can go longer if you follow all of this.  Good luck brother.

Thanks Brent! Celebrating my dad's 70th tomorrow!

bgebrent

fence0407 said:

bgebrent said:

5 hours is no problem brother.  Let the roast rest 20-30 minutes before putting it in the cooler to allow for carryover.  Pre warm the cooler and use warmed towels and you are set.  You can go longer if you follow all of this.  Good luck brother.

Thanks Brent! Celebrating my dad's 70th tomorrow!

Sweet event my friend!  You must come by the house one day.  Happy birthday to your Dad.  Good stuff man.

fence0407

Getting set up with my new cart my lovely wife gave me for my bday!

SmartyPantz

You can probably trim some time off cooking at 275-300. You'll know if they're done by poking at them. Have a fun morning!

Rte1985

I've done 4 hours without any problems and confident it could have went for 5.  I like your set up.  make sure to get some pics!

westernbbq

Making boneless shoulda tonight for buddy's 50Th bday party tomorrow.  Wish they were bone in but time crunch forced me to Costco.  Wants pulled pork, no brisket.   But alas I think these are about 6.5 lbs each. And I'm thinking 12 hrs.  So tomorrow at 4 am I'll put em on

fence0407

Pork seasoned with Lane's Sweet Heat for 24+ hrs:

Getting the egg dialed in with the cyber q and new smokeware thermometer:


Butts are on! Hickory chunks are smelling good!

Rte1985

Nothing better than seeing an egg loaded up!

BikerBob

I put a seven pounder on at five Thursday and pulled it at six. Don't know the final temp for sure, but the thermometer slid in easily. I held in foil for an hour until supper. Temp was a little high at the beginning but dropped to 250 soon. Beautiful bark and for the most part moist and I think more tasty than butt. The area very near the bark may be less moist than on a butt, although it is still pretty good eating. Made a nice sandwich for lunch today and will probably get a third night of supper.
OH that was 0500 and pull at 1800.

fence0407

16.5 hours later these guys did not disappoint! 

tarheelmatt

Mark, are those only picnics or whole shoulders (butt plus picnic)? 

fence0407

tarheelmatt said:

Mark, are those only picnics or whole shoulders (butt plus picnic)? 

Yo Matt - these were only picnics I believe. I removed the skin prior to cooking. It was the first time I'd ever done picnics and wasn't sure how they'd turn out. But at .99 a pound it was a no-brainer!

tarheelmatt

fence0407 said:

tarheelmatt said:

Mark, are those only picnics or whole shoulders (butt plus picnic)? 

Yo Matt - these were only picnics I believe. I removed the skin prior to cooking. It was the first time I'd ever done picnics and wasn't sure how they'd turn out. But at .99 a pound it was a no-brainer!

Probably right for picnic.  They look large though.  

I like the picnic.  Meat is more lean.  However, I always leave the skin on, offers more protection, similarly to a whole pig.  If I can, I'd rather cook a whole shoulder instead of a butt or picnic.  

Looks great to me!  

Biggreenpharmacist

tarheelmatt said:

fence0407 said:

tarheelmatt said:

Mark, are those only picnics or whole shoulders (butt plus picnic)? 

Yo Matt - these were only picnics I believe. I removed the skin prior to cooking. It was the first time I'd ever done picnics and wasn't sure how they'd turn out. But at .99 a pound it was a no-brainer!

Probably right for picnic.  They look large though.  

I like the picnic.  Meat is more lean.  However, I always leave the skin on, offers more protection, similarly to a whole pig.  If I can, I'd rather cook a whole shoulder instead of a butt or picnic.  

Looks great to me!  

Ive never done a whole shoulder. 

tarheelmatt

Biggreenpharmacist said:

tarheelmatt said:

fence0407 said:

tarheelmatt said:

Mark, are those only picnics or whole shoulders (butt plus picnic)? 

Yo Matt - these were only picnics I believe. I removed the skin prior to cooking. It was the first time I'd ever done picnics and wasn't sure how they'd turn out. But at .99 a pound it was a no-brainer!

Probably right for picnic.  They look large though.  

I like the picnic.  Meat is more lean.  However, I always leave the skin on, offers more protection, similarly to a whole pig.  If I can, I'd rather cook a whole shoulder instead of a butt or picnic.  

Looks great to me!  

Ive never done a whole shoulder. 

In my opinion, it's the best way to go for pulled or chopped pork, other than whole hog.  

However, what I have found is that the whole shoulder, which has skin on, helps protect the met better.  When done, the meat has like a whole hog texture to it.  

Best of both worlds with a whole shoulder as you have the picnic and butt (usually the butts we buy is a half a butt).  

I cooked two of them at BB17 this year for both my dishes.  

westernbbq

I made 4 de boned costco shoulders (thats how they sell them) for a buddy's 50th birthday party sat nite.  Put em on sat at 2 am on the large, 2 in lower part of adj rig, 2 on rig extender grid, guru set to 210.   Empty foil drip pan, rendezvous dry rub  for three days uncovered in fridge.   12 hrs later meat probed at 160,  wrapped in foil, poured beer and vinegar mix into each foil pack and cranked heat up to 285.   Took em off at 5 pm.   They shredded perfectly and fed 50 people with food left over.   

The meat cost $55 and everyone who ate it loved it.   I didnt even think to take picts.  Too busy