Easter Butt Hunt

Gandolf

I'm doing a 7 pound Boston Butt over the weekend. Will once again turn to Elder Ward's great advice. Figger about 18 hours or so. I've had a problem with maintaining a consistent burn throughout the lump. Have had a couple of suggestions; light in three places for even burn (how does that affect maintaining 225 or so?); rack and stack lump; dump and light, etc. What's worked best for you? I plan to smoke some ribs, then start over for the butt. Thanks

Chuck

<p />Gandolf, I have done about 10 butt cooks since I got my first BGE a little over a year ago. I have never had the fire go out or had trouble maintaining a 220* temp (lucky me). The key to my success, I believe, is using an adaptation of the "Char-Woody smoky fire method. I start with a small pile of lump and use a fire starter under the ash grate to light it. I get that red hot, you dome temp may rise to 300* or so but will go down to about 100-150 when you do the next steps. The I spread out the hot coals and dump a layer of fresh lump over it. Then I add my chips or chunks of smoking wood, usually hickory. Then I load it up with more lump, just dumping it, to about 1/2 way up the fire ring. I usually poke a piece of rod I have bent at a 90* angle, you can use a coat hanger, in the ash grate holes before I turn in for the night. This is important if you use the ceramic grate as it may get clogged with ash. I use the BGE metal grates and don't seem to have an ash build up with them. I hope this helps, it has worked very good for me. Good luck with your cook. [p]Chuck <><

Pug

Gandolf,
If you are planning on cooking the ribs first, just pour on more lump when you are finished since you will already have hot coals, get the temp where you want it and you should be good to go. Good Luck and Happy Easter![p]Steve