Bone in Pork Butt

meatnbeer

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Aug 25, 2009

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Cross Plains, WI

• Aug 27, 2009

• #1

I'm stuck and not sure what to do. I have 3 butts in the smoker right now and the temp on them does not seem right. They have been in the smoker for 13.5 hours and the temp is only 165 and has not changed for a couple of hours.

They are all around 10 lbs each. My digital probe says that the smoker temp is 260 and the therm on the door says 220. I am averaging the 2 and assuming 240. I don't know if I should trust my digital therm any more. Could the heat from the smoker have killed it or maybe low batteries?

Do I pull them and hope they are done?

I am pretty much a noob at smoking. I have run my smoker(Propane Smoke Hollow) twice. Once with home made venison snack sticks and once with baby backs and brisket. However this is the first time I have done a butt. I know they can take a ling time, but does this seem right?

 

richoso1

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• Aug 27, 2009

• #2

Change batteries, then check the calibration. A temp stall (plateau) can go into a deep sleep longer than we care to think. Have you given the bone a tug? Good luck my friend.

 

irishteabear

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• Aug 27, 2009

• #3

Those are big butts! You can count on at least 1 1/2 hrs per lb for smoking time. That does not include time in the cooler or stall time.

 

flatbroke

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• Aug 27, 2009

• #4

If you are out of time, you can pull them now, double rap in foil and let them cool and place in the fridge. then continue the smoke in a day or two when you have the time to commit

 

meatnbeer

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Aug 25, 2009

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Cross Plains, WI

• Aug 27, 2009

• #5

I'm on vacation, so I'm not out of time.

Unfortunately, I live in a small town and nothing is open to buy new batteries. I should have thought ahead, I was using the them to monitor the emp on my beer fridge. I tested the temp with a old school analog meat probe and it came out about the same. (The digital is very unstable and I'm not probing the bone, fat maybe?) When I checked the temp with the analog, I wiggled the bone and it didn't move an inch.

Think I should trust the temp on the front of the smoker and turn the heat up until I have 240 on it?

 

forluvofsmoke

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Aug 27, 2008

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• Aug 27, 2009

• #6

165* does seem high for a stall, but stranger things have happened I guess. If the smoke chamber temp has been relatively steady in the 220-240* range, I would think the butts should stall in the low 150's ~.

Definately run checks on your therms...boiling water should read 208-212* depending on barometric pressure (don't submerge any probe wires or thermo dials).

Tough to say for sure on this one...I've had a 9.4# picnic take all of 17 hours including foiling, then I've had 8# butts take 11-12 hours total......

If you do stop the smoke, I'd just foil and finish in the "O" @ 225*, or just cool, bone out and slice later?...someting just seems off to me...check tenderness with a skewer or temp probe as well, it should about fall right in if about ready to pull.

Please, stop by Roll Call and introduce yourself there as well, so we can hook you up with good info in the future. If you want to pick up on the basics, click on the free 5-day ecourse here: http://www.smoking-meat.com/smoking-basics-ecourse.html

Good luck and keep your chin up!

Eric

 

forluvofsmoke

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• Aug 27, 2009

• #7

I walked on you with my first post...I'd try your dial therm in a water boil if you can, but the bone tug really says alot too. Most factory smoker therms are not accurate, so, it's hard to say where you may be at there.

Eric

 

meatnbeer

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Aug 25, 2009

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Cross Plains, WI

• Aug 27, 2009

• #8

I dug around in the drawer and found some batteries. Hit the reset button on the back of the therm and placed it in boiling water. It was reading a steady 212. Took it back outside and stuck the meat. Temp was about the same, but i'm not really surprised since I have opened the door more times than I would like during this issue. Gave it some wood chips and closed the door. Now to find a good movie to watch and brew a pot of coffee. I would prefer a beer, but falling a sleep right now would probably not be a good idea....although it would help me stop thinking about it and it would definately be done when I woke up.

 

mikey

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Aug 10, 2008

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• Aug 27, 2009

• #9

He's already done that http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/for...70&postcount=1
Welcome to smf, meatnbeer.

 

meatnbeer

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Aug 25, 2009

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Cross Plains, WI

• Aug 27, 2009

• #10

Just thought I would add these. Don't knolw how they are going to look on the site given my newb status. I guess I can always try again when the final product comes out.

Butts were at 182* last time I checked and the bone was gettin loose. Tasted a small piece from the edge and it was fantastic.

17 hours and counting? By the time I take them out I should be able to wrap them, throw them in a cooler, and take a nap until my wife wakes me to take over watch over the 2 month old when she leaves for work.

 

pops6927

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• Aug 27, 2009

• #11

Lookin' right tasty! you're on the right track, it was just a long stall. But, wonderful things were happening during it that will give you a great final product!
So let's compute. You're doing 30lbs. of butts for you, your wife and 2 mo. old son. When he's 10, you'll have to increase that to 120lbs. at least! Start him in right, add a bit of juice to his formula. None of this rice cereal or fruits... he can gum a pulled pork sammie for sure! lol!

Have fun and enjoy! Oh, buy some batteries next time you go shopping! And some more butts!

 

meatnbeer

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Aug 25, 2009

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Cross Plains, WI

• Aug 27, 2009

• #12

OK. So here's how it went down.

After I had checked the temp the last time, I fell a sleep. I ended up waking at 4:30 in the morning, confused as to why I was on the couch. The sudden swear when I realized why and I ran outside to check the meat. The temp was 192*, and that was at 20 hours in the smoker. I decided that was close enough to the target and pulled them out, wrapped them in foil then a towel and threw the in a chest cooler. I then decided that I should ry to sleep a little more before I have to play dad.

I woke up for the second time at 7:30. Once I was all organized and the bow was satisified I started pulling. I couldn't believe how hot they were still......and how tender. Finally done.

I am going to make Rivets finishing sauce and put it on some of it. How much poundage of pork does the recipe go for? It looks like the final voule of sauce would be around 4 cups.

Thanks for the help everyone.....now why don't I have any buns. I'm just not prepared........

 

forluvofsmoke

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Aug 27, 2008

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• Aug 27, 2009

• #13

Aaaaaaaaaaah man, that's an awful lot of good lookin' PP...sure you can handle all of it??? I'm sure I can make freezer space if you need some help with storage.

Even with the nap, man it's tough to pull all nighters, especially when they aren't planned that way...

Nice smoke!

Eric

 

beer-b-q

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• Aug 27, 2009

• #14

Nice Looking PP