Cooked my first butts!!

Unknown

I finally got up the nerve, followed all the posts and cooked my first Boston Butts (2- 7 pounders) 21 hours later at approx. 200 degrees and I had a 200 internal temp, wrapped them in foil for an hour in the cooler and the things feel apart!!!! Incredible!!! Thanks all!![p]One question - I tried to do the charcoal as Elder Ward spelled out but my coals had to be replenished twice - 9 hours in and 19 hours in. Any suggestions on amount of coal to go the distance?[p]Sorry no pics - I was too eager and started pulling those butts ASAP - Wow!

Mike in MN

Mark Simpson,[p]Are you using a large BGE? If so, you must not be putting enough in to start with, or it's time to try a different brand of lump. Reloading in the middle of a cook is unacceptable. Period. Twice? No good.[p]I just did a similar cook last weekend (and today) and I cooked another meal on mine, and there was still left over lump. [p]Mike in MN

Mike in MN

Mark Simpson,
Another note on loading...I don't spend that much time and energy arranging the coals by size. I just dump out of the bag and fill er up. If I have leftovers in the egg (usually) I stir that up to get rid of any ash or junk. [p]I'm using Maple Leaf. Great lump. This is the lump I compare everything else to.[p]I like cooking the Butts/Shoulders. Makes for a nice little home project. It does create some scheduling problems though. I was supposed to be going to a graduation today, and my Ham was heading towards completion. I pulled it a bit early and left it covered while we were gone. Turned out fine.[p]Mike in MN

BeerMike

Mark Simpson, I am 12 hours into cooking 2 - 7.5 pounders and hardly any lump has been used (I took a look after reading your post). Either you're not filling lump to the top of fire box or that lump is not butt worthy. I am glad the butts turned out well.[p]BYO Beer, BeerMike

Smokey

Mark Simpson,[p]Having to reload lump is not fun. I've done it in the past. I just pulled two butts off this morning. For me, the issue ias temp control. I start with a full fire box and let temp come up to 225. If your temp goes higher, you'll burn more lump. Before I go to sleep, I check temp again. That was the trick for me!

maddaug

Mark Simpson,
We just cooked our 1st butts yesterday. They were sooo good! Can't wait to cook another. Guests were impressed too. Only bad thing it was a rainy day so were weren't out much to enjoy the smells of the egg.

Sundown

Mark Simpson,
Are you starting your fire from the bottom?
Try lighting it from the top. Fire likes to burn "up". If you light from the top it has to struggle to spread and will take a lot longer
I've loaded my large Egg using Elder Wards method and the "just dump" method. All in all I seem to find Elder Wards method burns longer. Early on in my Egg life I read here on the forum to fill above the fire box even part way up the fire ring. Been doing it that way ever since. Even after a 20+ hour cook I have tons of lump left. [p]

Unknown

Mark Simpson,[p]I did a butt last weekend that was on for 22 hours, and there was enough lump left to do it again. I don't know how you could have burned up that much. My guess is that you just didn't fill it up to start with. I remember my egg salesman telling me not to fill the lump up past the holes in the firebox. He was wrong. For long cooks, go ahead and fill the firebox completely.