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Mini butt without ceramic stone or PS

I thought I'd try cooking a small butt (4 lbs 3 oz) on the Mini without using a ceramic stone and just using foil and my drip pan instead. Space is pretty limited between the Woo cross bars and the cooking grid and in the past I would put a foil wrapped 8.5" ceramic pizza stone and a makeshift shallow drip pan made of foil under the cooking grid. The risk with that setup is the drippings from a pork butt could exceed the capacity of my makeshift "pan" and spill over onto the lump leading to smokier than desired cook (at least for my tastes).

I loaded up the Mini with mostly fresh lump, got it heated up, and added some cherry and peach chunks: Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos
I wrapped some foil around the cross bars on the Woo and added some additional folded HD foil on top: Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos
Then I covered my stainless drip pan with a layer of HD foil leaving a small air gap between the pan and the foil: Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos
Then the cooking grid and butt on top: Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos
After 4 hrs and 45 minutes of cooking: Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos
I foiled this butt and let it go another two hours and then placed it in a cooler to rest. Here's how the drippings and drip pan looked after almost 7 hrs of cooking: Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos
There was still plenty of lump left so I stirred it a little and threw in a chunk of red oak: Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos
And a little later a tri tip to roast indirect until IT hit almost 115: Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos
Then a quick sear: Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos
The Mini did quite well and still had a considerable amount of lump left after running at temps from 225-300 throughout the day: Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos Shortly after this we had dinner guests arrive and I was busy cooking some veggies on the XL. In the dinner rush I didn't get any pics of the finished butt or sliced tri tip last night. :(
Tonight I made some pulled pork and tri tip sliders on some King's Hawaiian rolls using the leftovers: Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos

It was a fun day cooking.

Thanks for looking!
XL, Large, Small, Mini Eggs, M&M BBQ Texas Smoke King, Shirley Fabrication 24x36 Patio, Humphrey's Weekender, Karubecue C-60, MAK 1-Star General, Hasty Bake Gourmet, Santa Maria Grill, Webers: 14" WSM, 22.5" OTG, 22.5" Kettle Premium, WGA Charcoal

Bay Area, CA

Comments

  • NPHuskerFL
    NPHuskerFL Posts: 17,629
    Dude!!! :-bd
    Oh, it's already been brought'n!*: http://youtu.be/tq08yOneY_0
    LBGE 2013 & MM 2014
    Die Hard HUSKER & BRONCO FAN
    Flying Low & Slow in "Da Burg" FL
  • fence0407
    fence0407 Posts: 2,244
    Excellent looking cook!
    Large - Mini - Blackstone 17", 28", 36"
    Cumming, GA  

  • SmokeyPitt
    SmokeyPitt Posts: 10,490
    Nice setup and the end results look awesome.  I have done similar setups on my small.  I don't have a plate setter for the small.  I sometimes use a 1/2 pizza stone (one that broke) but the coverage isn't great, so I have gone with an all foil indirect setup and it works fine.  It actually makes me wonder what the real benefit of having the ceramic heat deflector is.  I suppose it blocks and diffuses the heat a little better, and if you open the dome it helps to maintain temp.  However, I haven't been able to tell a difference when I just use a foil barrier.  


    Which came first the chicken or the egg?  I egged the chicken and then I ate his leg. 

  • R2Egg2Q
    R2Egg2Q Posts: 2,137
    @SmokeyPitt‌ - I think for higher heat cooks the ceramic deflectors have an edge over pans alone and this is more apparent on larger pans as they're not as rigid and resistant to warping under high temps. I've had a paella pan and drip pan warp during higher heat direct cooks on my XL. I haven't had that issue on my Mini or Small so I can see how you can get by without one on your Small.
    XL, Large, Small, Mini Eggs, M&M BBQ Texas Smoke King, Shirley Fabrication 24x36 Patio, Humphrey's Weekender, Karubecue C-60, MAK 1-Star General, Hasty Bake Gourmet, Santa Maria Grill, Webers: 14" WSM, 22.5" OTG, 22.5" Kettle Premium, WGA Charcoal

    Bay Area, CA