First pork shoulder butt

[camox413]

Hey everybody I'm smoking my first pork shoulder butt right now. I put the shoulder on at 4A.M.this morning here in Colorado. I forgot to take before pictures but I'll make sure to get the after at least.

The butt has been on for 40 minutes now and I'm just now getting to 200 degrees in my cooking chamber. Smoker is taking a while to get back up to 225

 

[camox413]

It's now been about 2 hours since I put the butt on the smoker and I'm only at 207 degrees.

This is my first run with a big piece of meat but usually I can hold 225 pretty well.

I have both top vents open.
Both bottom vents wide open.
Water pan full and boiling.

Also my therm is about an inch away from the meat.... could I be getting a false reading of cooking chamber temp because it's so close?

 

[SmokinAl]

I think your right. The therm is picking up some of the cool temp of the meat. If the water is boiling then it has to be hotter than 207 in there. I would move the probe away from the meat a little if you can.

Al

 

[camox413]

Al I went out and moved the therm so that it's hanging just below the meat and abover the water pan.

My temp was at 250 so I closed both bottom vents down halfway and I'm currently down to 246

 

[camox413]

Now that I've got the correct temperature, I'm noticing that it's all over the place.

I'll get up close to 260 so I close down my bottom vents some and it doesn't do much.

Close the lowers down almost all the way and eventually gets too low.

I'm at 244 right now and I feel like I've been chasing the perfect temp all day

 

[b-one]

Just get it around 250 you'll be fine. Otherwise you can chase it all day till your more familiar with your cooker and the possible weather factors.

 

[cliffcarter]

Get rid of the water pan, IMHO you will have an easier time.

 

[camox413]

Get rid of the water pan, IMHO you will have an easier time.

I am using a vertical smoker and I read somewhere that if I get rid of the water pan I'd be cooking over direct heat?

 

[camox413]

Just get it around 250 you'll be fine. Otherwise you can chase it all day till your more familiar with your cooker and the possible weather factors.

I'm pretty much keeping it between 215 and 250.

I think it's just a POS smoker

 

[camox413]

I'm somewhat concerned now.... I just went to spray the shoulder and it's oozing green! Is this normal?

 

[camox413]

Okay so maybe it might have been the light I was looking at it from the first time because now I don't see green

 

[cliffcarter]

I am using a vertical smoker and I read somewhere that if I get rid of the water pan I'd be cooking over direct heat?

Sorry, I actually should have said "get rid of the water in the pan" not the pan itself.