Pulled Pork Timing

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bigt21

Newbie
Original poster
Dec 8, 2012
4
10
Sault Ste. Marie, MI
I'm on my second smoke with my master forge, this time a 4lb boston butt bone in. Everything i've read typically says 1.5-2 hrs per pound at 225. I started at 8 am so its now been on for 9.5hrs and the IT is still only 147 It's been stalled at around 145 for almost 4hrs now.My smoker temp has maintained 225-240 the entire time and i'm using a maverick et-732 so i'm pretty sure my temps are accurate. Any ideas on why it's taking so long? My first smoke was a 2.5lb boston butt and took about 7hrs. Is the 2hrs/lb time estimate for foiling at the stall? 

The butt looks and smells delicous, it just might have to be lunch tomorrow now. 

Also, any tips to keep a propane tank warm when its cold out, the high today was around 28.

-Tony
 
Every piece of meat has it's own personality. Smoke chamber temp variations can impact the stall to some degree. Foiling will speed it up towards the finish, but destroys the texture of your bark.

I've had no-foil butt smokes (this is the only way I smoke butts nowadays) in the 8-9lb range take over 25 hours, so closer to 3-hrs/lb.

Your propane tank will provide sufficient supply pressure to the regulator down to about -20*F. It will stop flashing-off vapors from the liquid @ approx -40*F. If it's that cold, you may not find me firing up for a smoke, but I have run LPG rigs @ -20*F and below. If you're having regulator malfunctions in sub-zero temps, you may have a defective regulator, or water in your line causing a partial ice blockage. Be sure you keep your regulator connections covered if disconnected. If water in the LPG tank is the problem, I'd be going elsewhere for my propane.

Hang in there...stalls suck, but are part of the smoke with nearly every larger cut of meat.

Eric
 
Thanks Eric. I didn't know variations could go quit so far off. I'll make sure i give myself more time in the future. Just over 12 hrs in and at 156 IT now. 
 
Thanks Eric. I didn't know variations could go quit so far off. I'll make sure i give myself more time in the future. Just over 12 hrs in and at 156 IT now. 
You're welcome. I only mentioned a few factors...smoke chamber humidity, type and model/manufacturer of smoker...oh, there's a bunch of things that can effect overall cooking time. But don't sweat all of that...you'll have time to learn that later, if you choose to. Get a feel for your smoker and how each cut and weight of the cut likes to smoke in your rig. There's a learning curve with smoking, grilling...well, all forms of cooking. The curve gets flatter with more time spent doing it...it gets easier every time out to the smoker. Every smoke builds your skills, confidence and expands your experience level. Eventually, your knowledge from every previous smoke and any helpful tips you get here on the forums will all become your instant database of sorts, guiding you through the next smoke with ease and comfort.

Hang in there...it does get easier. Oh, and your current temps and time: try to catch a nap when you can...you may be younger and more resilient than I am ay my age, but all-nighters will wear you down if you let them. And the walking zombie-status the day after kinda sux...OK, it really SUX!!! LOL!!!

I've been there myself, even in the last year...planned a smoke for a certain finish time, with extra resting time in case the smoke ran late...didn't even come close, so I had to rely on a back-up plan for dinner that night...it happens to the best of us, that I'm sure of. But it does happen less often with more experience.

Eric
 
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