170 degrees in 5 hours?

[tommy c]

Hi everyone,
At 7a.m. this morning I put three 8 pound, bone in pork butts on the smoker. I know from experience, its going to be about 12 hours, so......I didn'y worry about putting my maverick probe in right away. I just inserted it and have a reading of 170 already! I'm not next to a bone, and I have moved the probe from one butt to another with the same results. Has anyone else encountered this before? There's NO WAY they could be at this point after 5 hours? Right?

 

[virgo53]

Maybe, How hot is your smoker. Or do you use a kettle as listed below in your post?? Some meats might not have a lot of internal "Fat" and cook faster, The plataue stage has enormous variations in time.

I'm sure others will assist with your question, My Take is, Somewhat abnormal time, but we don't know how hot it was as yet.

Mike

 

[brennan]

The best I can give you is that cooking times are just rough guidelines, the meat is done when it gets done. Like Virgo said, you may be running hot, make sure your smoker thermometer is calibrated right.

 

[tommy c]

I'm using my Klose wood burner and my smoker temp is 225. I buy my meat from a good quality butcher. I have never witnessed a plataeu before. Must just be the meat he has? Also the thermo's are calibrated, so I know they're correct.

 

[brennan]

I guess you just got some impatient meat

. I wouldn't worry about the speed of the temp rise, Just let em finish and wrap em in foil and some towels/blankets and let it rest in a cooler until ready to serve...the temp in the meat should stay fairly stable for several hours in that kind of insulation.

 

[tommy c]

The temps are holding at 170 so I guess it's a good thing. I usually foil at 170 but, I think I'll wait awhile. The bark is just not to my liking yet.
Thanks for the replies! I'm going to jump in the pool now! It's 94 degrees outside!!!!!

 

[watery eyes]

Do you think that had anything to do with fast cooking???

 

[tommy c]

I'm not sure

I usually foil at 170, but I let them go to 190 @8hrs and foiled them.
When I put them back.......the thermo said 172...

which puts me where I wanted to be anyway!
We'll see how long It takes to get to 200 and then I'll cooler them.

 

[smokyokie]

I've never done a butt over 8 hours other than to hold in a 150* oven. I've never monitored internal temp to any degree. I've never had a butt that didn't pull easily. I try to foil after 3 hours, then open up to recrisp the bark the last 1 1/2 hrs or so.

Tim

 

[deejaydebi]

Some plateu and some don't if you in a hurry it's almost guareenteed!

 

[tommy c]

For sure!

 

[shellbellc]

I did a Kobe brisket one time 8#'s, it was done in 6 hours. Normal briskett's can take up to 12 hours, it just the cut of meat...I think they're kind of like us women, not always predictable...keeps you on your toes that way.

 

[smokyokie]

Tsk tsk tsk Debi. One should never smoke meat when they're in a hurry.

Tim

 

[smokewatcher]

I had a 10 lb brisket hit 190 after only 5 hours a few weeks ago. I foiled it and let it rest in a cooler another 3 hours while the butt was still cooking. I turned out to be the best brisket I ever had. Guess it's true.....each cut is different and it'll be done when it's done.

 

[smokyokie]

I really don't know where all this 12 hour stuff comes from. It may take 12 hours from the time I take the meat out of the cryo, but briskets-usually 6 or 7 hours, and butts, even a big one, maybe 8 hrs.

Tim

 

[hawgheaven]

Hey Shell, I think you hit on the reason for the mysterious plateau... if it plateaus, the meat must be from a female...

 

[Dutch]

Tommy, having been a Butcher, all I can add is that the age of the hog at slaugher time will have a factor in the smoke time. The older the hog, the more dense the connictive tissue. The younger the hog, the less dense and/or less connective tissue. It's with the older hogs that you'll experience the plateau.

 

[tommy c]

Thanks Dutch,
I was hoping you'd chime in with a butchers explaination.
And again....thanks to all who added to the thread

I LOVE THIS PLACE!
Tonight I'll be servin' the pulled pork and Italian beef at a wedding rehearsal dinner.

 

[shellbellc]

There's a good recipe on here some where for some excellent Italian Beef Sammiches...some excellent pics of them!

 

[tommy c]

The recipe from GYPC? If this is the one your talkin' about.......I should shoot myself for not tryin' it

Thanks for the info anyway