I got drafted to cook butts and briskets, help!

[Ruben]

I was asked to cook for a fundraiser for the Rockbridge Area Free Clinic, the proceeds go to help people who can not afford health care. I thought I was cooking butts which I have plenty of experience with but they want me to ccok briskets also. They have the idea of a meal being two bbq sandwiches one pork and one beef for each person at the event. they are figuring a head count of 100-150 people. So at 150 people each getting one pulled pork sandwich and one brisket sandwich that would be 75 sandwiches of each. So how many whole packer briskets should I tell them to get for this amount to serve. Also I know they say briskets are hard to determine cooking times because of the varibles but how many hours before the event should I put the briskets on to ensure they get done and have 1-2 hours of rest wrapped in a cooler? The butts are a breeze for me but my lack of experience with briskets makes me nervous when there are 150 people waiting to eat. I tried to get out of the brisket end and just do butts but they really want the brisket. Also my cook chamber is 4 1/2 foot long, two shelves with tuning plates, I was thinking of putting the butts on the fire box side the the brisket on the cooler smoke stack side, is this the right thinking or not? Thanks for your help.

[HFD26]

You can do it Ruben, show em what ya got and make em brag on ya. Good luck bro.

[Big_g]

Are you serving on sliced bread or buns??? Are you feeding men, women, kids or teenagers??? Its the old know your audience bit...
If you start with 12# briskets and figure 25% shrinkage and then a pound or so of scrap...you may have 7 odd pounds of brisket to serve, then figure about 5 oz. per sandwich you'll get about 22 sandwichs per brisket give or take. Safe side would be 4 to 5 briskets and about 16 hours to smoke them...depending on your cooker.
Good luck....and have fun.

[Zeeman]

http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=zpa6ik5.cpuiky2x&x=0&h=1&y=-mf02mg

Did the same thing this weekend. Loaded both sides of the ZZ Gator as in picture. I cooked for 150 civil war reinactors. Served them Saturday and half of them again Sunday.

8 butts, 5 briskets, 4 pans Bill's taters. Plenty.

Allow the same time for both meat, 1.5 hours a pound (average weight). As they get done put in ice chest. Some will be done before others. Ice chest can hold them for several hours without any problem
I've held a ice chest full of meat for 8 hours before serving.

Tune your pit right and it's no problem.

I figure an average of 17 good sammies from butt/brisket. Some butts are bigger then others when in twin pack. Briskets I try and get around 12 pounders.

I serve how I like to eat. Don't get caught up in that ounces per persom mess. Feede'm good and they will remember you for sure.
z

[JamesB]

They have the idea of a meal being two bbq sandwiches one pork and one beef for each person at the event. they are figuring a head count of 100-150 people. So at 150 people each getting one pulled pork sandwich and one brisket sandwich that would be 75 sandwiches of each.

Wouldn't 1 pork and 1 beef sandwich per person = 1 of each or 2 X 100 or 150, so you would be looking at a total of 200 to 300 sandwiches?

James.

[texasbill]

James figure the brisket sandwiches at 20 per brisket. Cooking times are just a bit shorter than butts in general terms. But I would suggest doing chopped beef sandwiches as the slicing of that many briskets will take a toll on the time to prepare and you won't have as much waste by chopping and serving.

Bill

[Ruben]

Yea James your right 150 of each sandwich.

[DaHorns]

Reuben, I would figure 5oz of meat per sammich.....

5 x 150 = 750 oz (about 3 sammiches a pound of cooked meat)
16 / 750 = 47 Lbs (cooked weight)
Figure for 60% yeild (shrinkage)

I'd say you will need about 66 Lbs (might bump it to 70 Lbs) of brisket to make 150 5oz brisket sammiches.

Also, figure about 1-1.5 hours per pound on the briskets at 225-250*

Now I was horrible at math in school, and school was a long time ago, so my numbers might be slightly flawed. Can anyone help out on this equation? :crazy:

[PitBull]

What Zee and Bill said. Chop that brisket and the point together and that's some hmmm good eating. :)

[TexLaw]

Chopping also gives you a lot more leeway o cooking them. No will notice or care if they aren't done just right.


TL

[Zeeman]

Chopping also gives you a lot more leeway o cooking them. No will notice or care if they aren't done just right.


TL

Chop & mix, always gets all the flavors flowing together ya know. Before you chop brisket flip it over and remove any fat that may still be on it. It will have plenty left inside.

TexLaw, what the heck is Leeway? It that butt & brisket mixed together or sumtin?
z

[TexLaw]

TexLaw, what the heck is Leeway? It that butt & brisket mixed together or sumtin?
z

If you can tolerate it that way. :wink: Is Baton Rouge that landlocked?:D


TL

[Buckeye]

If you can tolerate it that way. :wink: Is Baton Rouge that landlocked?:D


TL

TL....I baleeve tha proper term iz "tightened up".:sarcastic: :sarcastic:

Bill? Whut size brisket is it that's gunna put out 20 sammiches?...10#er? 12#er?
Iz that 20 give or take 2- 3?

[Ruben]

So I'll plan on chopping the brisket. So would 8 butts (7lbs) and 5 brisket(12lbs) be about right? One of the two briskets that I have cooking in my life the temp got to 212 on the brisket and it fell apart like pulled pork and was great, at what temp would you pull the brisket from the pit to chop or pull it? I pull my butts at 195 and then pull them with ease. Also, if I order some texasbbqrub how much should I order to do this much brisket and butts? I will probably be donating the rub out of my pocket but I want the meat to be great, this will also be the first time I have tried the texasbbqrub I have heard nothing but great reviews and look forward to trying it!

[Zeeman]

So I'll plan on chopping the brisket. So would 8 butts (7lbs) and 5 brisket(12lbs) be about right? One of the two briskets that I have cooking in my life the temp got to 212 on the brisket and it fell apart like pulled pork and was great, at what temp would you pull the brisket from the pit to chop or pull it? I pull my butts at 195 and then pull them with ease. Also, if I order some texasbbqrub how much should I order to do this much brisket and butts? I will probably be donating the rub out of my pocket but I want the meat to be great, this will also be the first time I have tried the texasbbqrub I have heard nothing but great reviews and look forward to trying it!

Yes, plenty. Pull at 205 - 215, depends on meat. Just pull when probe goes into meat like it's going into butter.
Order 2 specials of #1 and 2 specials of Brisket Blend. Will be plenty of rub with some left for your next cook. Specials are more cost effective for what ya going to need.
z

[david brace]

...I serve how I like to eat. Don't get caught up in that ounces per persom mess...

:shock: :shock:

DB

[TexLaw]

TL....I baleeve tha proper term iz "tightened up".:sarcastic: :sarcastic:

:lol: Well, you'd know better than the rest of us! :sarcastic:

And, it sounds like you need more than five briskets. Even if you can get 20 sandwiches out of a brisket, that's only 100 sandwiches. It sounds like you need eight.


TL

[Buckeye]

:lol: Well, you'd know better than the rest of us! :sarcastic:

And, it sounds like you need more than five briskets. Even if you can get 20 sandwiches out of a brisket, that's only 100 sandwiches. It sounds like you need eight.


TL

That's heersay Counsler!!:!: :D

Yeah.....I wuz jus tryin' ta git an approx. # per brisket. Never counted how many servings......usualalee 2 briskets got in a pan an then refill when needed.

[Ruben]

Silly question maybe but what is the length and width of a 12 lbs brisket? I'm trying to determine if I can fit 8 butts and 8 briskets on my smoker. I have had 12 butts (8 lbs) on the bottom rack, my top rack is a shade smaller and less head room.

[Zeeman]

11.30 pound brisket measures 19 X 8 X 3 1/2. Measured the one I'm cooking this weekend.
z

[Ruben]

Tanks Zee, that should allow me to get 8 of each butts and briskets on and she wiil be about full at that. I have one rack that measures 52x21 inches and the other is 52x19 1/2 inches.

[Davef]

Glad to be here!!!

[Davef]

Ruben,

I literally just signed in to the forum. were you the one doing the coo for the 150 people with 2 sandwiches ea.?

[Davef]

thats "cook"

[Davef]

Ruben
I can give you some guidelines on brisket

[Davef]

Ruben,

sorry to impose. did not mean to intervene, I've just worked with brisket for 35 years and it sounded like you were looking for some input.

[Ruben]

Lay it on me Dave I'll take all the help I can get!

[nvr2old]

I'm interested too, I may end up cooking for my sons 200 person wedding. we're looking at 7 people under 5 yrs of age, 14 under 12 yrs of age and the rest between 13 and 80. Considering brisket, chicken, sausage.

[Albin]

So, what happened?, food riots, everyone died of food poisoning, you're now king of the hill, what?

[SoEzzy]

Did the same thing this weekend. Loaded both sides of the ZZ Gator as in picture. I cooked for 150 civil war reinactors. Served them Saturday and half of them again Sunday.


What happened to the other 75, did they get killed in the re-inaction?

Tough break when your "friends" decide you're the one to lay dead on a battle field, while they chow down on BBQ!:wink:

[Bayou Black Iron]

11.30 pound brisket measures 19 X 8 X 3 1/2. Measured the one I'm cooking this weekend.
z

Aren't you a little old to be measuring your meat??? :shock: :rolleyes:

[david brace]

Aren't you a little old to be measuring your meat??? :shock: :rolleyes:

...he's just hopin' for the best...:sarcastic:

DB

[TexLaw]

Maybe he's been taking those pills I get emails about darn near every day.


TL

[Ruben]

Everything with cooking at the fundraiser went great. I ended up getting 10 butts and six briskets on there and turns out thats a full pit for me. We fed 167 people plus about 20 volunteers and there was nothing left. Thanks for the help. Now I'm off to compete in the Va State Championship next weekend, it will be my first competition.

[HFD26]

Good luck Ruben, and watch out for that Double P up there in Virginnie. I hear he thinks he's awsome.

[david brace]

Good luck Ruben, and watch out for that Double P up there in Virginnie. I hear he thinks he's awsome.

I doubt he knows what you're talking about...:rolleyes: ...but maybe the "legend" has it's own ways of getting the word out.

DB

[HFD26]

He's got his own beer lable out now don't ya know. :) :)