I have an electric smoker that I just purchased.

I have 40 people coming over this weekend. I bought 3 pork butts that average about 7 pounds each. I also bought, one beef brisket about 9 pounds.

For all OC Electric Smokers out there. I need your best recipes, (rub, sauce and methods ) I need cooking times and whatever Proven methods to smoking, pork butts and briskets in an Electric Smoker. Please give me your help. . Points you can give me to do this smoking in my new Masterbuilt electric smoker.

I am debating on whether to go with the Hickory Chips or the Cherry chips.

I’m making North Carolina type, apple vinegar sauce. This sauce is really not thick like you would think a true barbeque sauce is this is more of a liquid. Dipping sauce you can pour it into the pulled pork in it gives that Apple vinegar type bite to the pulled pork.

What ever time you estimate, estimate more. I'd also advise to rest the pork butt for two hours in a cooler wrapped in foil and towels (allows the juices to redistribute). Buy yourself a good wifi temperature probe, this is a must. Never cook to time, cook to temp.  Pork butts should cook until about 200-205 internal. Brisket I have not tried. I never sauce, only rub with mustard first and then various spices, can even just use a mccormick rub. Either wood should work.  A 7lb pork butt at 225-250 usually takes me around 9 hours in the smoker. I'm not sure how that will change with more meat in there. I don't actually have an electric one so I can't help you there, but the rest of these methods are for any kind.

This is the thermometer I use

https://www.thermoworks.com/Smoke

For pork butt I make a rub with, onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, paprika, kosher salt, fresh black pepper, cayenne pepper if you want heat, cumin, and brown sugar.

cook at 225-250 the closer to 225 the better and pull at 200-203 and wrap in foil and towels to rest.

Brisket sometimes i rub with kosher salt and fresh black pepper only.  Other times i have used montreal steak rub.  Other homemade rubs i use usually contain, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, ground mustard, cayenne, basil, parsley, kosher salt and fresh black pepper.  Sometimes i will add brown sugar as well to get good bark(it will burn off and not affect taste)

Cook at 225 until the thermometer goes in and out smoothly.  195-200  wrap and rest in towels

this website has lots of step by step for all recipes

https://www.the-greatest-barbecue-recipes.com/

Dont do cherry........Hickory is a classic taste that everyone will like.

Time.....go overnight for about 20 hours.

Geeblock rub is pretty common.......I always make one a little more spicy then the others......that cayenne and brown sugar gives it that nice sweet taste at first then heats up in a second.

I put my pork in alluminum pans and poor either orange juice or Dr.pepper in the bottom.  After I shred the pork I reconstitute the slurry and put my pork back in it to soak it up.

Here is my favorite sauce recipe. it's a pretty true replica of luling city market bbq which is my favorite joint.

8oz. can tomato sauce
5 tbl brown sugar
1/4 cup mustard
3 tbsp Louisiana hot sauce
1 tbsp white vinegar
1 tsp black pepper
Mix well, do not cook, stir up and serve

I also have a great recipe for cuban pork with mojo sauce that i'll make every new year. i'll have to go home to type it out here, but suffice to say it's the bomb if you like cuban sandwiches.

i also recommend you start smoking your steaks. the best steaks i've ever had were when i bought a whole beef tenderloin from costco, cut the steaks 1.75" - 2" thick, smoke them until they are 100 degrees internal, then heat up the cast iron as hot as i can get it, throw about 6 tbsp butter in there and put the steaks on top. then i just spoon the butter over the top for about 2 -3 minutes, flip and spoon butter another 2-3 minutes. EAT IT WITHOUT RESTING.

I've posted it before but there is a book about the science of smoking/cooking meat. it's a must read.

https://www.amazon.com/Meathead-Science-Great-Barbecue-Grilling/dp/054401846X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1533817711&sr=8-1&keywords=meathead

I only use a charcoal smoker, and when doing brisket, butts or ribs I go with hickory/and or mesquite, sometimes apple.  Definitely dry rub everything the night before; I wing it with varying combinations of a lot of herbs and spices. I will be firing it up this weekend; I tend to prefer the food the day after, once everything has rested a bit.