Pork butt overnight on Pit Boss 820 XL - only 153 deg after 10 hours at 200 F. Should I be concerned that it was <140F for hours?

[schlotz]

Yeah, looks like they got ya covered. Really should be using a reporting therm unit with a min of two probes (meat and grate). NEVER trust a built-in therm. They are notorious for being inaccurate. Butts are one of the most forgiving meats. You can smoke them at about any temp and get good eats. Personally I'd save some time and eliminate the need to do an overnighter. Run the smoker for 1-2 hours on low (200º ish) then bump it to 250-275º.

 

[801driver]

I do mine a little different, have a Smoke-it electric that has little temp swings like an oven that don't bother me, but I set it to average about 225 real rack temp and I set it and forget it until close to being done. Yes I worked with PID controls many years, we are not melting plastic to flow through a pipe here that + or - 2' is going to ruin the process, so little swings don't bother me. I usually buy bout a 10 lb PB and put in at about 10PM with dual temp probes with a wireless Inkbird monitor. By morning around 8-9AM It will usually still be in the stall at about 165-170 but about ready to come out. Usually about 9-10 or so it will start moving up again and be about 195-197 area at about 2-4PM to start checking by poking. Never quiet the same, but that is pretty average. Had one that was 198 and very tender with a poke about noon. Had one that was not quite tender until about 207 at about 5 in the afternoon. I don't wrap or foil or even look at it during cooking. I used to pull them out and foil to "rest" in a cooler with towels for 2-3 hours. Found it easier to foil and just put it back in the smoker at about 150 for 2-3 hours, then open the foil on the counter a few minutes to cool and pull it. You just have to keep practicing to find what works best for you and your equipment. Good luck and thanks for posting.