cooking temps vs time??

jerseydrew

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Dec 7, 2012

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• Apr 10, 2013

• #1

i have been using 225 and calculating about 1' 45" per lb for pork butt and my smokes have been a success. to cut back slightly on time i was going to try and smoke at 250 this weekend how much time should i account for at that temp?

 

bruno994

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Dec 19, 2011

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• Apr 10, 2013

• #2

I would venture a guess from my experience, that if you run a "hard" 250 (250 and above, not below), you could reasonably take 25% of your cook time out.  I know that when I ramp up from my normal 250 to 300 for HNF briskets, it will take them from 9 hours to 6 hours.  So, the move to 250 from 225 is not as substantial as the 250 to 300, so I'm using my best educated guess at knocking off 25%.

 

pgsmoker64

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• Apr 10, 2013

• #3

Best thing to do is try it and see.  I smoked two seven pound butts this past weekend between 250 & 270.  One of them took 8 1/2 hours the other took 10 1/2.  Go figure!  At 225 I always plan on 2 hours per pound and that usually is right on the money for an IT of 200 - 205.

Like we always say here at SMF: The meat will be ready when it's ready and not before!!!!

Good luck Drew!

Bill

 

kathrynn

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• Apr 10, 2013

• #4

I just go by temp only....and of course the temp of the smoker....but IT of the meats of choice.  They will be done when they are done.

Kat

 

jerseydrew

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• Apr 10, 2013

• #5

yes the determining factor of when they get pulled off the smoker is IT. but there is usually a round about time it takes to get to that point.

 

pgsmoker64

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• Apr 10, 2013

• #6

jerseydrew said:

yes the determining factor of when they get pulled off the smoker is IT. but there is usually a round about time it takes to get to that point.

Click to expand...

Yep, and it can change from smoke to smoke....A few weeks ago I had a 2 pound brisket take 8 hours to reach temperature....I have had an 8 pound pork butt get done in 16 hours one time and 24 hours the next time - same smoker temperature and always rock steady temps!

What we are saying is that you can go by rule of thumb but the meat don't care about the rules...it'll be ready when it's ready.

Good luck Drew!  Just go for it and be sure to post plenty of q-view.

Bill

 

seenred

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• Apr 10, 2013

• #7

Like Bill already said, its hard to predict because each piece of meat seems to have a mind of its own.  I too have had 2 butts in the smoker at the same time, same ambient temps, and one will push through the stall pretty quickly, while the other lingers for hours.  Not much rhyme or reason to it, which leads to the mantra, "Its done when its done".

 

jerseydrew

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• Apr 11, 2013

• #8

well Restaurant depo had butts on sale today so i may have bought way more then needed. i will just guess 1 1/2 per lbs and if i have to pull early just put it in the warmer. i have a group of 15 people and have 18lbs of butt. there WILL be leftovers.

 

Last edited: Apr 11, 2013

jerseydrew

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• Apr 12, 2013

• #9

well i am putting it on tonight at 10pm running it at 250 and i am going to turn on the ramp mode on the guru in case it gets done before i wake in the morning.  hopefully they will be ready to yank at around noon then rest till dinner.

 

dirtsailor2003

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• Apr 12, 2013

• #10

Good luck Jersey! Post up some Q-view when you get them done!

My last two butts took 20hrs to hit an IT of 205* @ 265* !! I was quite surprised! The two before that took 14hrs. Go figure! I know some of it had to do with the weather, it was cold and windy. The wind will get you every time!

 

jerseydrew

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• Apr 12, 2013

• #11

thanks guys! i hope the guru holding it at 250 steady should hopefully do well. it's always a gamble, but i can always crank up the heat a few degrees in the morning, and serve a little later if i have to. 

 

jerseydrew

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• Apr 13, 2013

• #12

so far so good i'm 10 hours into this smoke and one butt is at 171 and the other is at 173. looks like dinner will be on time tonight! around 12:30-1 i will throw the baby back ribs on and have them finish up for dinner.

all is well on the overnight smoke in jersey! as a side note i LOVE my bbq guru. man is it nice to get some sleep and not babysit a smoker. i have now confirmed the therm on the lid of the WSM is worthless. it's easily 25 degrees off. i have verified with my calibrated guru, another calibrated therm i have and the laser therm (craftsman) all three read the same 250 and the lid says somewhere between 220 and 225. so it is way off. 

 

jerseydrew

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• Apr 13, 2013

• #13

@ 1:15 the first butt was finished at IT of 195 fell apart in my hands taking it out. the other one is still at 187* so she will stay a bit longer. the baby backs went on at about 1:20 so they should be good at about 5:30-6pm. looking forward to this food. got the first butt in the over with the over swinging on and off 130 to 150 to keep it warm..

 

dewetha

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Aug 21, 2011

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Chicago - south Burbs

• Apr 13, 2013

• #14

Avoid the stall! is my motto, at least if the results are good :)

next try running at 275. i find no stall and about 1 hr per hour on avg.

I have made a bunch like these. but I also trim all the fat off and inject it so maybe that has some affect as well.

but i love being done in 8 hrs instead of theses stories of 12-16 hrs. yikes. but anyway, the pork comes out excellent. my injection needs work but so close to being wow! type cook.