First time smoker- need suggestions

[Chipmunkcheek]

Hello! I have wanted a smoker for years. Finally got one yesterday and threw 2- 4lb pork butts on it. I just went online and saw a few pages that said smoke at 225 about 90 min per pound. Smoked it about 6 hours at 225 then took temp to 250 and did another 5 hours wrapped in foil. After 11 hours it reached internal of 195 so we took it off and it has the consistency of a ham. I am disappointed. Any easy user instructions that would help us out? We have Soo much to learn. I guess to start it's just the temp to cook everything at. Is there a good manual out there for beginners? Thanks everyone. Happy smoking!

 

[SecondHandSmoker]

Hello and welcome to SMF.

Sorry to here about your pork butts. At 195 IT, they were still under cooked. Next time shoot for an IT between 203 and 206. Better yet probe them for tenderness in several places with a bamboo or metal skewer. You should feel very little resistance when probing for tenderness.
Also, shoot for an IT of 155-165 before wrapping. And do not hesitate to crank up the heat. Pork butts handle high temps just fine.

 

[Sowsage]

Can you give us a little more info? What kind of smoker are you using? Are you sure your thermometer is working properly? The one on the smoker and the one you are using to check internal temps with. A few degrees off on both of them could make a huge difference. 11 hr to cook to that temp seems like a very long time to me for a small butt like that and using the foil method. As far as a book there are plenty to choose from but SMF is the place to be be. You came to the right place. There are many good people here that can help you out and answer questions for you.

 

[fivetricks]

Good rule of thumb:

In the vast majority of cases (basically everything except certain cases of cold smoking or sausage making) everything should be cooked to temp or tenderness, never time.

 

[Chipmunkcheek]

Can you give us a little more info? What kind of smoker are you using? Are you sure your thermometer is working properly? The one on the smoker and the one you are using to check internal temps with. A few degrees off on both of them could make a huge difference. 11 hr to cook to that temp seems like a very long time to me for a small butt like that and using the foil method. As far as a book there are plenty to choose from but SMF is the place to be be. You came to the right place. There are many good people here that can help you out and answer questions for you.

Just got pitboss pro series electric pellet smoker.

Can you give us a little more info? What kind of smoker are you using? Are you sure your thermometer is working properly? The one on the smoker and the one you are using to check internal temps with. A few degrees off on both of them could make a huge difference. 11 hr to cook to that temp seems like a very long time to me for a small butt like that and using the foil method. As far as a book there are plenty to choose from but SMF is the place to be be. You came to the right place. There are many good people here that can help you out and answer questions for you.

Yes thank you. It's a pit boss pro series electric pellet smoker. Standup. The thermometer is one that plugs into smoker- come with it.

 

[uncle eddie]

Pork Butts are done when they are done. There are a few meats you can put in your smoker and have a good idea of when they will be done like salmon, beer can burgers, ribs...but the bigger chunks are unpredictable.

I looked at my last Boston Butt (9.0 lbs) and it took 16.5 hours in the smoker at 225F and I wrapped it for the last hour (turned up to 275F after wrapping)

A 3.8 lbs butt took 8.5 hrs (225F to start, wrapped at 6.5 hrs and turned up to 275F)

Similarly, a 4.65 lbs butt took 10 hours (wrapped at 7 hours and turned of to 275F to finish)

Lastly, a butt for PP needs to rest. I usually let mine rest for 2 to 3 hours in a cooler wrapped in foil and blanketed with towels.

hope this helps...

 

[Bearcarver]

Hello! I have wanted a smoker for years. Finally got one yesterday and threw 2- 4lb pork butts on it. I just went online and saw a few pages that said smoke at 225 about 90 min per pound. Smoked it about 6 hours at 225 then took temp to 250 and did another 5 hours wrapped in foil. After 11 hours it reached internal of 195 so we took it off and it has the consistency of a ham. I am disappointed. Any easy user instructions that would help us out? We have Soo much to learn. I guess to start it's just the temp to cook everything at. Is there a good manual out there for beginners? Thanks everyone. Happy smoking!

Hi,
You already got some good info above.
However I'll ad my 2 cents in saying I prefer to take my Pork Butts to in between 203° and 208° IT, unless I want to slice it---Then it would be closer to 195° IT.

Here's a couple "Step by Steps" done using 2 different Smoker Temps:
Pulled Boston Pork Butt (230°--April 23, 2013)
Pulled Boston Pork Butt (265°--Oct 21, 2018)

Bear

 

[Chipmunkcheek]

Pork Butts are done when they are done. There are a few meats you can put in your smoker and have a good idea of when they will be done like salmon, beer can burgers, ribs...but the bigger chunks are unpredictable.

I looked at my last Boston Butt (9.0 lbs) and it took 16.5 hours in the smoker at 225F and I wrapped it for the last hour (turned up to 275F after wrapping)

A 3.8 lbs butt took 8.5 hrs (225F to start, wrapped at 6.5 hrs and turned up to 275F)

Similarly, a 4.65 lbs butt took 10 hours (wrapped at 7 hours and turned of to 275F to finish)

Lastly, a butt for PP needs to rest. I usually let mine rest for 2 to 3 hours in a cooler wrapped in foil and blanketed with towels.

hope this helps...

Thank you so much for this information. Much appreciated!!! I'm sure with time we will get it down. Doing venison sausage sticks today!

 

[Chipmunkcheek]

Hi,
You already got some good info above.
However I'll ad my 2 cents in saying I prefer to take my Pork Butts to in between 203° and 208° IT, unless I want to slice it---Then it would be closer to 195° IT.

Here's a couple "Step by Steps" done using 2 different Smoker Temps:
Pulled Boston Pork Butt (230°--April 23, 2013)
Pulled Boston Pork Butt (265°--Oct 21, 2018)

Bear

Thank you so much!!!

 

[Winterrider]

I did a 6.5# brisket flat for Christmas. Had on for 9 hrs with an internal temp of 208°. still was not probe tender but had to get it pulled out and some rest time ( my choice would have been to go longer to tenderness) but needed out to eat. Just goes to show some pieces don't always cooperate.

 

[Chipmunkcheek]

I did a 6.5# brisket flat for Christmas. Had on for 9 hrs with an internal temp of 208°. still was not probe tender but had to get it pulled out and some rest time ( my choice would have been to go longer to tenderness) but needed out to eat. Just goes to show some pieces don't always cooperate.

Wow! I know we will start to learn this.. I am so excited to get more familiar with our smoker and get some good eats out of it!! Currently have 29 sticks of venison sausage in it, smoking.

 

[jcam222]

Lots of good advice above. We all have some variations on what we prefer for process so I’ll add a few of mine. First pork butt is a nice fatty very forgiving piece of meat. Due to that you can run your smoker pretty hot and not diminish results. I’ve gone to doing all my butts at 275F. I put mine in a foil pan once it hit around 160F. I add some juice which can be apple juice, chicken broth etc. cover pan with foil. Once it’s covered you can continue at 275F but if pressed for time cruise on up to 300F. I don’t bother checking for doneness until around 200F , more often than not right around 205F is where I find mine done. As others said when it’s done it’s prove tender. A fork inserted will twist easily. The butt will literally shake like jello. I put mine still wrapped in a cooler for an hour and then pull.

 

[JCAP]

Everyone has got you covered here. Probe tender is the key.

Welcome to the addiction!

 

[smokingunny]

As stated, especially with pork butts, it's done when it's done and every one is different. I've had 12 pounders that were done in 9 hours and I've had 8 pounders that took 12 hours. My target cook temp is 250 and with a butt I let them get at least 200 IT. A few more degrees is OK but I've found that above 210 or so they tend to get a little mushy but nobody complains.