Expert: BBQ Woman - 7/24/2008

Question
We will be cooking about 50 lbs. of beef in a pig cooker with charcoal.  How many minutes per pound should it be for medium rare? How do you cook it so it doesn't burn and stays tender?

Answer
Hi MaryAnn,
For medium rare as a general rule its 18 minutes a pound slow cooked at 250 to 300 degrees F but this is not an exact science as it depends on how your steamship has been butchered as well as how well you were able to keep it at a steady temperature.
Use a meat thermometer to monitor its progress and once it reaches the 140 temperature remove it and allow it to sit for 30 minutes as it will continue to cook off the grill and reach medium rare at 145 degrees.
If you are using a pig cooker I am assuming you have a side heatbox so that you are able to cook the roast with indirect heat. If you do not please let me know and I will explain the second way of doing it.
With indirect heat you would make your fire in the fire box and use the flue on the side to control the temperature of the grill. Opening and closing it as you see fit to raise and lower the temperature.
Depending on how its butchered I would leave the fat on it trimmed to 1/4 inch to keep the roast moist. Place a metal pan of water in the section of the grill where you will be cooking your roast (not in the firebox) and then place your grates on and your roast directly over the top of the water pan. This will assist in keeping your meat from drying out.
Only open the cover to wet mop your roast. Dont be afraid to reposition the roast if you feel one side is getting done faster than the other. Keep an eye on the temperature of the grill itself and halfway thru the cooking process start to keep an eye on the thermometer in the meat.
Some roasts take longer than the guide for minutes per pound and some get done alot faster than the guide.
Its really easy to do and steamboat rounds make a great presentation!
Happy Grilling!
Regards,
Misty