Huge temp difference

[tromaron]

I'm smoking a couple of 10lb pork butts in my mes, and one of them has a 20 degree difference from one end to the other.  Anybody else get temp swings this far apart in the same butt?  Any suggestions on how long to let it go?  I was gonna take it out at 205, but that means half of it will only be 185.

 

[forluvofsmoke]

I'm smoking a couple of 10lb pork butts in my mes, and one of them has a 20 degree difference from one end to the other.  Anybody else get temp swings this far apart in the same butt?  Any suggestions on how long to let it go?  I was gonna take it out at 205, but that means half of it will only be 185.

You may have a cooler area in the smoke chamber causing the temp variance. If the heat source isn't centered in the bottom of the chamber, this may be more likely to occur. Rotate the grate 180*, and you may want to swap grate positions as well. Temps may get closer together towards the end, but I wouldn't sweat it much. When you think you're close on internal temp, poke around a bit with your temp probe to check for tenderness...if you find some spots that have more resistance, you may want to give it another 5* internal. 200* should get you there with most any shoulder cuts, and some will pull in the mid-190* range.

Eric

 

[pineywoods]

Ron are you hitting a fat deposit or bone in one end? If I had that much temp difference when the first end hit 200-205 I would unwrap the foil and wiggle the bone if it feels like it will slip right out then it's done if not then go until it does

 

[tjohnson]

I pull mine at about 165° and finish in the oven

Smoke is done by then

TJ

 

[tromaron]

Thanks for the tips!  I must have been hitting fat deposits.  Both butts had big temp differences.  I left them both in til the low end caught up to 205.  One still had a lot of tough spots, the other (the biggest temp dif) came out great and fell apart in my hands.  It ended up finishing at 217-205. But still came out moister than the other one.

 

[chef jimmyj]

Just had the exact same issue and result last week. Most fell apart but one baseball sized hunk pulled but fought all the way. I should have given it another 30 mins but I was gettin' the Stink Eye from a hungry Mrs'...JJ

 

[tromaron]

Just had the exact same issue and result last week. Most fell apart but one baseball sized hunk pulled but fought all the way. I should have given it another 30 mins but I was gettin' the Stink Eye from a hungry Mrs'...JJ

Nice to know it wasn't just me.  It's weird, first time I've ever had chunks of pork so tough they made noise while pulling them.  Still tasted good though.  Just had to shred it way finer than usual.

 

[jrod62]

I pull mine at about 165° and finish in the oven
Smoke is done by then

TJ

at one time i would say that i would never finish in the oven but now i do finish most of the time in the oven.
I have never check different sides to see what the temp. Is on them. ( might probe both sides and the middle next time just to see how much differents there is )