Smoke Hollow 30" electric issues

[mikein]

So I have smoked 4 or 5 things now, 3 butts and some chicken halves. I get a very good smoke flavor but the time is killing me. I had a 3 or 4 lb bone in butt in there over 13 hours and I still only got the internal temp up to 180 degrees. It has a built in thermometer and I also purchased another one to have 2 ways to check. I have been smoking at 225. I also have an oven thermometer to verify temperature and it is accurate. Is this normal or any suggestions? Chicken halves were same almost 8 hours to get close to recommended internal temp

 

[mosparky]

Due to the late hour, it might be awhile before more knowlegable folks see this. I can give you some rookie insight and you can wait it out for others to respond.

Assuming you want to make pulled pork from the butts, you need to get them to an IT of about 205. That is real close to your cook temp of 225. That will extend your cook time abit. Most times, things seem to slow down as the approach the ambient temp. No real data to support this, just observations. Look at it this way if the IT is 180 and smoker temp is 225, you are applying a relative heat of 45 degrees to raise the IT. At 200 IT you are applying 25 degrees.

 Then you have something called "the stall" to complicate matters. As water evaporates it carries heat with it. This is especially evident on larger pieces of meat. You eventually reach a sweet spot where the steam coming out of the meat and the heat you are applying reach an equalibrium and "stall" the rising temp. Eventually the meat gives up enough vapor it can no longer stall the cook and the IT will begin to rise again.

 Alot of people power thru this by wrapping the Butts in foil when it reaches the stall. This seals the vapors (steam) in and takes advantage of it to help cook the meat.

 You mention several thermometers. One wonders how you are reading them. If you are opening the door to check temps, you just let all the heat out and added probably 30-45 mins to your cook EACH TIME. I did this on my first smoked chicken and took nearly 4 hrs to do what should have been a 1 1/2 to 2 hr cook. For this reason, most of us have remote therms with wired probes to monitor IT and sometimes smoker temps too.

 All this combined with the pure mass of food to soak up all the heat you are throwing at it, I would really recommend cooking at 275 or so. 

 

[old sarge]

I do larger butts and they can take 12 to 16 hours.  I smoke at 225/230 degree and shoot for an IT of 195 for pulling.  It takes time, and the aforementioned stall is a killer. I have read that a small butt can take as long as or longer than a larger butt (different site). No explanation.

 

[mikein]

Thanks for the replies. I can see the oven one through the glass but I do have to open the unit for the second internal probe. Since I now know the factory one is pretty close I won't need it so that may help. I am going to try a whole chicken tonight or tomorrow so I will try not to open it at all.

 

[dr k]

 
Due to the late hour, it might be awhile before more knowlegable folks see this. I can give you some rookie insight and you can wait it out for others to respond.

Assuming you want to make pulled pork from the butts, you need to get them to an IT of about 205. That is real close to your cook temp of 225. That will extend your cook time abit. Most times, things seem to slow down as the approach the ambient temp. No real data to support this, just observations. Look at it this way if the IT is 180 and smoker temp is 225, you are applying a relative heat of 45 degrees to raise the IT. At 200 IT you are applying 25 degrees.

 Then you have something called "the stall" to complicate matters. As water evaporates it carries heat with it. This is especially evident on larger pieces of meat. You eventually reach a sweet spot where the steam coming out of the meat and the heat you are applying reach an equalibrium and "stall" the rising temp. Eventually the meat gives up enough vapor it can no longer stall the cook and the IT will begin to rise again.

 Alot of people power thru this by wrapping the Butts in foil when it reaches the stall. This seals the vapors (steam) in and takes advantage of it to help cook the meat.

 You mention several thermometers. One wonders how you are reading them. If you are opening the door to check temps, you just let all the heat out and added probably 30-45 mins to your cook EACH TIME. I did this on my first smoked chicken and took nearly 4 hrs to do what should have been a 1 1/2 to 2 hr cook. For this reason, most of us have remote therms with wired probes to monitor IT and sometimes smoker temps too.

 All this combined with the pure mass of food to soak up all the heat you are throwing at it, I would really recommend cooking at 275 or so. 

Yes I agree.  I did a thread in this forum called Team 275 that didn't go over that well.  I set my Mes at 275*F but it averages about 265*F which keeps me from having to foil.  It's just maxing the smoker at the 275 setting and getting what you can but not exceeding 275*F.  IT temps rise faster at the beginning of the cook with fridge/room temp meat then slow as the ambient temp gets closer to the IT and may appear to stop when they are 15*F apart from each other so cooking at a little higher temp really makes a difference.  A lot of people really demand their steaks get to room temp before grilling but that's only 30*F difference so a steak can sit out two hours and the center may still be 50*F, 13*F warmer than being in the fridge.  I like to dry brine steaks an hour an inch with kosher salt before grilling if I have the time and room temps soften the outside of the steak for the salt to more quickly dissolve but not to get the whole steak to room temp.  The cooler the steak the less gray band just under the sear before your desired doneness in the center.  If you sear a 1"+ frozen solid steak for seven minutes a side before finishing it indirectly for 15-20 minutes you will get the entire steak the doneness you want between the sears with no gray band.  You just have to season the steaks after that side has been seared.  Thermoworks has this recipe online.  It's all good.  There's no right or wrong.  It's what you like unless time is not on your side and just a little more heat would have solved that dilemma and not affect the results.

-Kurt     

 

[gmc2003]

I don't have an electric smoker so I can't give any rock solid advice on your situation. I usually smoke my butts in the  250 to 275 range. Temp swings aren't all that critical(at least to me). I've tried the low and slow method when I first started out, but got tired of eating at 10pm. I'm also not a fan of overnight smokes. I worry to much and never slept all that well when doing one. As far as chicken goes I usually do those on my kettle using the vortex(extremely high heat) with a piece of apple wood over the coals. The only chicken I smoke at lower temps is boneless, skinless breast meat, and that's usually for chicken salad. I can see where a bone in butt of 4 pounds at 225 could take 13 hrs. So your fine there. Eight hours for chicken is kinda worry-some and the skin will never crisp up. Chicken takes on a smokey flavor pretty quick. So it's easy to over-smoke. I would crank up you temps as high as your cooker will go for the chicken. If it can't get over 325 you'll have to crisp it up on a gasser or under the broiler. Smoke flavor will still be there. You'll notice that there isn't a gold-standard for cooking/smoking. Everyone does things a little different to achieve the results they desire. Just absorb all info, and use what you think will work for you and your equipment. BTW I use a WSM. 

Chris.

 

[bbqwillie]

I do my butts/brisket/chicken at 275 in my MES. 225 - 230 is for pork loin, chops and ribs. Although lately I have been going to 275 with my ribs and getting some really good results (see Al's method. I think he's on to something).