Originally Posted by
Jer
I think it's about a 10 pounder or so, give or take. I go low and slow (215-225deg max) versus hot and fast so for my I find that getting it on the night before alleviates people standing around with empty plates and growling stomachs for an hour or more while I try to rush it at the end. I also like it to be done before lunch time (not dinner in the evening) so that way we can pick on it throughout the day. If it's early I can simply drop the oven or smoker (depending on where I'm finishing it) to a warm temperature or wrap it in a bath tower and throw it in a large cooler for a few hours. Either way, having it done early always beats being late and what I've found about 'que, especially when you go low and slow, it's done when it's done. No good way to time or rush it w/o sacrificing some quality in the end.
As for the critters.. I feel for you there. That would certainly add a new caveat to the smoking game. I even spilled my render bucket onto the patio the last time I smoked. You can't ever clean that crap up fully since it seeps into pores of the concrete. When we had the dogs they'd sit and lick the patio forever even if I cleaned that spot up like crazy. Now, since we don't have dogs, I don't even really clean it as much as let the rain take care of it over the years. If we had a coyote or other wildlife problem that would be a bit more of a troubling mistake.
