2nd attempt at butts

[noire]

The first time I did butts, I learned about the plateau and the fact that a 9-12 hour smoke could go 14-16 when you are having a hard time keeping a temp above 205.

This time, my 2 butts weighing a total of ~17 lbs went on at 6AM, and 4 1/2 hours later, one is up to 185. My temps have been unstable, running from about 220-260, but that still seems too fast to get up to that temp.

Any thoughts?  I'm hoping that it's a late plateau.

 

[flash]

All butts are different. I had a 5 lber take me 9 hours and an 8 1/2 lber take me 7. When it gets done just keep it wrapped in foil and place it in a cooler. It will stay hot for quite sometime.

 Do make sure you do not have a probe touching a bone if you have a bone-in Butt.

 

[pineywoods]

Try placing the thermometer into another spot in the butt or check the accuracy of the thermometer or both

 

[noire]

Thanks for the tips. It looks like it's legitimately cooking through.

It's a boneless, so I'm okay on that front. I had tested the thermometer about a month back and it checked out. Switched spots in the meat and the temp registered the same. I flipped it, so that slowed cooking a bit. Plus, it's going a little slower on it's own accord. At 196 now. Foil and towels ready :)

 

[bayouchilehead]

No one else mentioned it but I will.....We need our Qview fix, Please share the wealth of the TBS and dripping goodness and smells generated by the......Ok time to take my Medicine!! I to have had times like you are having, not knowing what to do or what you might be doing wrong. It gets better the more you learn your smoker and how it cooks. Just keep at it and you will be smoking these things blind folded in no time.

 

[cromag]

I cooked two 9 lb butts bone in and a 13 lb brisket to feed my entire wedding party the night before my wedding. I started at 3 am going by the 1 1/2 hr a lb rule and all my meat was done at noon unexpectly. All I did was wrap more foil around them, then wrapped it all in an old fleece blanket and stuck them in the cooler. At 6pm when it was time to eat the meat was all steaming hot moist and perfect so it doesn't matter when each piece gets done because you can keep it hot for hours wrapped.

 

[noire]

haha, okay, okay. Here's your QView

Trout and ABTs are going on soon!

 

[pineywoods]

If your thermo is calibrated and you have probed another spot to make sure you got a good reading then go with it. Meat is weird and while we usually find them to stall and take longer than we thought every once in a while you will get one that just seems to go way to quick but if the temps are right its all good. Thats why we use thermometers

 

[noire]

Some shots of the extras

 

[noire]

 

[pineywoods]

Looks outstanding!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[noire]

Thanks, Piney!

It's a little drier than I wanted, but I think that'll be remedied once the sauce goes on.

The ABTs turned out amazing though. Best batch I've made since the first time I made them.

I have to wait another 2 hours for a friend to get over here. He's bringing a shoulder that he smoked, so I think we're going to have 20-25lbs of pork here.