Another No Foil Pork Butt-UPDATED WITH FINISHED PHOTO!
- Thread starter smokinhusker
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rubbin butts
Smoking Fanatic
Hey Keith, me too. She says elevation, but I thought 225 degrees was 225 degrees no mater what your elevation. Oh well, shows what us flat landers from Florida know.
First of all let me apologize for not finishing this post...simply put and no other excuse I forgot! Stuff happens even to the best of us. I did edit an above post with the # of hours smoking and IT. I typed the wrong numbers from my notes. Instead of 20 hrs and IT 142*, it was 17 hrs IT 182*. I pulled it at 18.5 hrs and IT 190*.
I've already edited my errors on a previous post and apologized. Here's the info from the USDA and the link so you gentlemen can read it for yourselves. I've lived at various elevations in this great country from 940 ft in Hawaii to 8750 ft here and yes the altitude plays a significant role in cooking. It's not the cooking temp at altitude that changes, 225* here is the same there. The boiling point for you might be 212* but for me it's approximately 197* and you have to know that so you know how to calibrate thermometers in boiling water, calibrating in ice makes no difference.
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/factsheets/High_Altitude_Cooking_and_Food_Safety/index.asp
High Altitude Cooking and Food Safety What is considered a high altitude? Most cookbooks consider 3,000 feet above sea level to be high altitude, although at 2,000 feet above sea level, the boiling temperature of water is 208 °F instead of 212 °F. Most of the western United States (Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming) are wholly or partly at high altitude, however many other states contain mountainous areas that are also well above sea level. How is the air different at high altitudes? Above 2,500 feet, the atmosphere becomes much drier. The air has less oxygen and atmospheric pressure, so cooking takes longer. Moisture quickly evaporates from everything. How do high altitudes affect cooking? At altitudes above 3,000 feet, preparation of food may require changes in time, temperature or recipe. The reason is the lower atmospheric pressure due to a thinner blanket of air above. At sea level, the air presses on a square inch of surface with 14.7 pounds pressure; at 5,000 feet with 12.3 pounds pressure; and at 10,000 feet with only 10.2 pounds pressure — a decrease of about 1/2 pound per 1,000 feet. This decreased pressure affects food preparation in two ways:
High altitude areas are also prone to low humidity, which can cause the moisture in foods to evaporate more quickly during cooking. Covering foods during cooking will help retain moisture. Why must cooking time be increased? As altitude increases and atmospheric pressure decreases, the boiling point of water decreases. To compensate for the lower boiling point of water, the cooking time must be increased. Turning up the heat will not help cook food faster. No matter how high the cooking temperature, water cannot exceed its own boiling point — unless if using a pressure cooker. Even if the heat is turned up, the water will simply boil away faster and whatever you are cooking will dry out faster. How do high altitudes affect the cooking of meat and poultry? Meat and poultry products are composed of muscle, connective tissue, fat, and bone. The muscle is approximately 75% water (although different cuts of meat may have more or less water) and 20% protein, with the remaining 5% representing a combination of fat, carbohydrates and minerals. The leaner the meat, the higher the water content (less fat means more protein, thus more water). With such high water content, meat and poultry are susceptible to drying out while being cooked if special precautions are not taken. Cooking meat and poultry at high altitudes may require adjustments in both time and moisture. This is especially true for meat cooked by simmering or braising. Depending on the density and size of the pieces, meats and poultry cooked by moist heat may take up to one-fourth more cooking time when cooked at 5,000 feet. Use the sea-level time and temperature guidelines when oven-roasting meat and poultry, as oven temperatures are not affected by altitude changes. |
Last edited:
i is a moose
Smoking Fanatic
Thanks for the updates.
Considering the significantly lower boiling point of water at high altitude, I think what you're doing is about best. The margin between dry and moist is much finer the further up in the clouds you live.
We consider pork butt done at 200-205 degrees, which is well below the boiling point, even the previously mentioned 208 boiling point 2000 feet is higher than that. We have a huge margin for error compared to a 197 boiling point. It's safer to take it slow than to put the spurs to it, overshoot and dry out a butt.
Considering the significantly lower boiling point of water at high altitude, I think what you're doing is about best. The margin between dry and moist is much finer the further up in the clouds you live.
We consider pork butt done at 200-205 degrees, which is well below the boiling point, even the previously mentioned 208 boiling point 2000 feet is higher than that. We have a huge margin for error compared to a 197 boiling point. It's safer to take it slow than to put the spurs to it, overshoot and dry out a butt.
- May 12, 2011
- 22,172
- 7,150
Glad everything went well. Nice lookin butt :biggrin: the only that comes to mind to help with the altitude is to cut them larger cuts in half to reduce cook time.
rubbin butts
Smoking Fanatic
Lots of good info. I told you us flat landers from florida don't know a thing about altitude. Anything above 10 ft is out of range for us.
With her corrected time of 18.5 hrs, its not that far out of normal.
With her corrected time of 18.5 hrs, its not that far out of normal.
newflame
Meat Mopper
I've lived at an elevation of less than 1000 ft, so I'm somewhat of a displaced flatlander. I have learned lots of things living at a high altitude including but not limited to the changes needed in cooking. Given the fact I live in a high altitude area, I could say that 18.5 hrs is my normal and the times it takes lower elevations to reach the desired IT is out
of the normal!
Originally Posted by Rubbin Butts
Lots of good info. I told you us flat landers from florida don't know a thing about altitude. Anything above 10 ft is out of range for us.
With her corrected time of 18.5 hrs, its not that far out of normal.
My wife would still kill me at 18 1/2 hours.Lots of good info. I told you us flat landers from florida don't know a thing about altitude. Anything above 10 ft is out of range for us.
With her corrected time of 18.5 hrs, its not that far out of normal.
Glad you are OK.
Since the BF works out of town Mon-Thurs, and I'm the only one here, I have lots of time and patience and luckily he has lots of patience as well except for stupidity! Anyway, I try and do long smokes while he's gone or do something that will be ready when he gets home.My wife would still kill me at 18 1/2 hours.
Glad you are OK.
gersus
Smoking Fanatic
Interesting thread, lol.
My butts usually take 12-14 hours.
Nice job though Alesia, a good bark is pretty awesome!
My butts usually take 12-14 hours.
Nice job though Alesia, a good bark is pretty awesome!
Really there is no issue with doing long smokes other than the cost of fuel consumption and irate spouses or dinner guests that are hungry.
rubbin butts
Smoking Fanatic
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