Chuck needs Help!

[torchrider]

Ok, so my Chuckie has been on the SFB pit for 6 hours and has stalled at 137 degrees. I expected it to be at 160 by now. Should I let it sit unfoiled until I get to 160? Or should I foil it now? It still looks moist. I am mopping it every hour with apple juice.

The sun is at a weird angle so photography is tough. The dark spots in the photo are just shade, not burnt. Here is a photo.

 

[rbranstner]

What temp are you smoking at and how big is the chuckie? I am doing my first ones tomorrow so I am trying to get an idea on how long they will take.

 

[torchrider]

Smoking at between 220 and 240, as I try to get the hang of this pit. The digital thermometer sure lets you know how fast things fluctuate when you open the lid or firebox. I want to say the meat is about 7 lbs.

 

[sumosmoke]

Not sure if I would foil it at this point. Few questions that popped to the top of my head:

1. When is the last time you calibrated the therm? Is it possible that it's not reading the right temp?

2. Have you placed the therm. probe in other parts of the meat to see if they read the same temp?

 

[torchrider]

Checked the thrmo yesterday and it registered fine. meat is now at 145. Have not checked other parts of the meat. Unless I hear different, I think I will let her ride to 160 then foil to 200 or 205?

 

[fourthwind]

It depends on how much bark you want. The longer the meat goes over 165 the better the bark. If you dont care about bark then foiling now till 200 to 205 will get you there faster.

 

[gunner69]

I would reposition the probe Chuck have some pretty good fat veins running in them... Check a couple more spots.. after 6 hours or so you should have come out of the plateau by now...

 

[ellymae]

Just seeing this - I would let it go, but that's just me. What did you end up doing?
I had a small chuckie take 11 hours once - they can have a wicked stall, just wait it out.

 

[coacher72]

TorchRider,
I had the same problem with my first chuck last week. I ended up foiling and left it in the smoker another 2hrs. After that I let it rest and then tried pulling it. It pulled ok. Parts pulled easily other parts not so easily. Like it was said earlier, I'm going to allow more time so I'm not rush. That way I can wait the stall out.
I'm a newbie and I just purchased a new Maverick ET#73 probe. I noticed in your pics that you put aluminum foil around your cables. Is that something that you should do everytime or do you do it just to keep them clean.
Just wondering.

 

[patntamsbeef]

One of the best things I ever did was purchase multiple probes. When you get "Staller" and several probes are telling you the same thing, it seems to help the nerves IMO.. Good on you waitng it out. That is a veteran move. Of course, while everyone is asking, 'When's Dinner?", you get to say, "When it's done".. I Love doing that, LOL

 

[mballi3011]

It sounds to me that you are into a stall right now and I would just wait it out and then foil at 165° and then take it to 200-205° and you be fine. Just remember that every piece of meat cooks differant.