First time smoker

[Bigredraider]

1. 
   I was just given a Masterbuilt chip smoker. Only used once, my buddy didn’t realize the dedication it takes. I’m breaking my smokin’ “cherry” but doing 2 7lb pork shoulders. I’ve read that they tend to “stall at around 160 degrees... I’ve had them on for 11 hours at 250. My internal temp is 170. Should I crank the heat up to 275 or let it be ?

 

[DCOOZ]

You can wrap with foil. Add some apple juice to the wrap. This will speed up the process.

 

[bdskelly]

Let.... it.... be. Relax and enjoy the cooking . My experience is that butts and shoulders will stall about 160 to 170. It can take up to 2 hours a pound for a butt or shoulder. As said above wrapping in foil will speed it up some. So you’ve got a few hours to go. Guns up! B

 

[smokerjim]

I would crank up the heat i'm not much on wrapping.( but that's me) who knows how long they'll take butt's are funny that way they're done when they're done. some cook quicker then others. put your feet up and relax.

 

[Jonok]

Have another beer.

Set the smoker at 260.

The butts will be way perfect at 12 hrs

(or 10 or14)

 

[2008RN]

congrats on the smoker

 

[JC in GB]

Agree with the other posters here. You can wrap the shoulders in foil or wax less butcher paper to help get them through the stall.

I have also noticed that the smoker type has a lot to do with time and need to wrap or not.

When I used my Dyna-glo, wrapping was a near necessity and I often times ran out of cook time so had to finish in the oven.

Now that I have my baby, I only wrap for competition and I have found that the heavy metal interior holds and radiates a lot of heat so my cook times came in significantly shorter than with my Dyna-glo even at the same temp at the rack. Anyway, I digress....

Good luck with your cook. If you have enough smoke on the meat, finish it in the oven.

 

[SmokinVOLfan]

Congrats on the new smoker. Nice of your buddy to give you the newer model MES. On a side note I would invest in a AMNPS pellet tray if you plan to keep smoking in the future. Get 11 hours of smoke without having to babysit and re-load wood chips in that garbage chip dumper. Good luck on the butts

 

[Bigredraider]

Let.... it.... be. Relax and enjoy the cooking . My experience is that butts and shoulders will stall about 160 to 170. It can take up to 2 hours a pound for a butt or shoulder. As said above wrapping in foil will speed it up some. So you’ve got a few hours to go. Guns up! B

Thanks, I didn't wrap just cracked a few more cold ones....smoked a total of 13 hours... rested for 1-1/2 and came off to great reviews. Thanks for the advise.

 

[tallbm]

Nice work!

Pork butts/shoulders and briskets don't really care on the temp you smoke them at. At a smoker temp of 275F smoking naked and not opening the smoker until you check for tenderness (it is done when it is tender). I check for tenderness on pork butts/shoulders around 203F for making pulled pork. For briskets I start checking at 198-200F.

So if you want to plan accordingly at 275F your pork butt would take 1hr a pound. I highly recommend you plan to finish 4 hours before eating time. This way if the meat takes longer you are good.
If it is ready 4 hours early then tightly wrap in 2 layers of foil and then wrap that well in 3 bath towels and set on the counter until 15 minutes before eating time.
Shred/pull the meat apart and serve :)

Here is proof if you need it on 17.5 pounds of pork butt I did a few weeks ago that finished 5 hours before eating:

DSC_9336[1]

• tallbm
• Jul 3, 2019

DSC_9342[1]

• tallbm
• Jul 3, 2019

DSC_9344[1]

• tallbm
• Jul 3, 2019

 

[smokerjim]

as mentioned check into the amnps with mailbox mod, great for long smokes, also I would invest in a thermometer, the mes thermometers are known to be off.