butt and ribs same time?

[powercatim]

I'd like to smoke a butt and spareribs for a gathering but the two generally have different cooking temps. Just wondering if anyone had done this or any suggestions out there. Thanks! Tim

[jvreeland]

We do it all the time. What type of smoker you have? How many butts are you going to do?

There are alot of factors that will go into the amount of time.

EDIT: By the way, welcome to the Smoke Ring
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Jeff Vreeland
Alabama GrillBillies Team

[powercatim]

I have "The Good One" smoker and would be doing probably one butt and a couple slabs of spareribs. Space won't be a problem. I may be worrying too much but I just want to cook each meat at its correct temp. since I'm cooking for a crowd. Want it to be the best! Thanks. Tim

[SoEzzy]

Welcome to the ring powercatim!

Monst of us here will cook ribs one of two ways, hot and quick on a grill by direct heat or low and slow in a smoker by indirect heat.

When you choose to cook them low and slow they cook at the same temperature as anything else that is cooking low and slow, but they take more time than cooking hot and quick.

Depending on the size of the butt, you will probably want to start it ahead off the ribs by several hours.

A butt and rib cook for me will start with preparing all the meat and the butts going on the pit while the ribs sit it the fridge for 3 - 4 hours, I buy 7 - 8 lb bone in butts normally, and they cook in the 12 -14 hour range at 230 at the grate, the ribs I cook are mostly spares and they cook in about 7 hours at the same temperature, so if I am setting up to feed a crowd at 6:30 PM I need the butts to be on about 2:00 AM, (this includes some resting time for them) and the ribs to be on about 10:00 AM.

How well does your pit hold its temperature?

I would cook this as an overnight if I was in your shoes, as long as it will hold temperature for more than an hour you can catnap through the night and tend the fire, if it will hold temperature for 4 or 5 hours, you can sleep instead of catnapping. If you plan on feeding folks in an afternoon or evening, I would put the meat on the pit somewhere around midnight, and time it out from there.
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Here's a change Robert.

I still work here!

[jvreeland]

As Ezzy said you need to get the Butt on first. I usually can do Spares on the WSM in about 5-6 hours depending on what I ramp the temp up to. Most of the time its about 225-235.

If you are in a time crunch foiling the Butt and Ribs can speed up the cook. Just remember to cook the Butt to internal of about 190* (for pulling) and letting it rest for at least an hour in a cooler (wrapped in towels, and obviously no ice )

The Ribs can cook to around 170* internally and they are good.

Most people will recommend cooking to the internal temp and not by time - as each piece of meat cooks differently. The times are just a guide to help you plan ahead
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Jeff Vreeland
Alabama GrillBillies Team

[powercatim]

Thanks for the advice. If I smoke it overnight I have no reservations about the smoker. "The Good One" smoker has excellent temp control and will hold a temp steady all night. Thanks again. Tim