smoking meat at 130*

[flaco]

Hello all, I have been cold smoking pork butts, brisket and chicken for years in my home built smoker at 130*. just recently (like 2 weeks ago) got internet at my house and started searching about smoking meat. For example, i have been running my smoker at 130* to smoke pork butts, cut the butts in half, rub 'em up and put in the fridge for 24hrs and smoke untill the butts hit 125, about 4 hrs. Then wrap the butts in foil and finish off in a 300* oven until the meat hits 200*. Then it rests in a cooler for 2hrs or so and i pull it and eat. Recently I have been reading that my smoke is too cold and bacteria can grow. This does concern me as I don't want to get sick or make others sick. I always though that cooking the meat to 200* not only kills the bacteria, but makes the pork tender. I've never gotten ill, nor has anybody else, should i be concerned?

My set up as a charbroil smoke attachment for a grill that I plumbed into a pine smoke box. I adjust the heat by the dampener on the charbroiler and to the smoke box by adding 2 foot lengths of 4" pipe as needed to adjust for outdoor temps. I smoke with maple mixed with lump charcoal, add wet maple chuncks about every hour. My set up is probably 4 years old.

As I type this I am eating a smoked chicken salad sandwich......

 

[SmokinAl]

First of all, welcome to SMF!
I have a feeling that your thermometer is off, cause it’s pretty hard to believe that smoking a big piece of meat like a butt would get to 125 in 4 hours when the smoker is running at 130. What kind of therm are you using to check the pit temp, & the meat temp? Something just doesn’t sound right.
Al

 

[PPG1]

Your method kind of scares me but who know I am not ServeSafe certified sooo.
Anyways welcome to SMF were your questions will be answered shortly.

 

[BGKYSmoker]

Well if you or anyone else has not gotten ill the way your smoking.
Why would you be concerned now?
Just saying.

 

[SmokinEdge]

Good question. The rule of thumb is 40* to 140* IT in 4 hours or less. That said, folks SV meat at 140* for 48 hours and it’s safe. I would say 130* is at the ragged edge and you should up the temp to 140*. There is less concern also if you don’t inject. That just gives bacteria a chance to get inside the meat.

 

[flaco]

First of all, welcome to SMF!
I have a feeling that your thermometer is off, cause it’s pretty hard to believe that smoking a big piece of meat like a butt would get to 125 in 4 hours when the smoker is running at 130. What kind of therm are you using to check the pit temp, & the meat temp? Something just doesn’t sound right.
Al

thank you for the welcome! i'm not sure of the brand of thermo, but i took a pic of my remote receiver. I'll go peek at the sending unit for the name. The butt has been in for about 3hrs. some times it does take 5 or more hours, but i pull the meat after 5 and put it in the oven as it gets too smoky for me

 

[flaco]

Well if you or anyone else has not gotten ill the way your smoking.
Why would you be concerned now?
Just saying.

I don't want to get someone sick if I can help it. Just trying to get all the info, but you make a good point.

 

[flaco]

Good question. The rule of thumb is 40* to 140* IT in 4 hours or less. That said, folks SV meat at 140* for 48 hours and it’s safe. I would say 130* is at the ragged edge and you should up the temp to 140*. There is less concern also if you don’t inject. That just gives bacteria a chance to get inside the meat.

I don't inject...yet....I have kept the temp at 130* due to fire concerns of the wood smoke box, but 140* should be fine. It has hit 160* on me when a few beverages were involved...

 

[flaco]

I can't find a name on the thermo. My gf gave it to me as a gift about a month ago, she watched me get soaked during a rain storm. My old thermo pro doesn't have an external wireless monitor. when I compared the temps in the indoor oven they were within 5 degs or so. I do cut the butts in half for better smoke flavor.
the firebox is at 370* with infrared thermo gun, smoke box is at 142* now. I opened the draft a little.

 

[chef jimmyj]

The USDA recommends smoking meat that has not been Cured with a Nitrite Curing Salt, at 225°F or higher.
That said, Smokinedge brought up the 40°F to 140°F in 4 hour, rule of thumb, but that ONLY applies to meat that is Ground, Injected, Boned and Tied or meat Punched full of Holes to insert Herbs and such.
Since you are smoking Intact Muscle you need only worry about Bacteria on the surface. At 130°F the surface will be Pasteurized in about 2 hours, which is Safe.
The biggest Risk is the CHICKEN! Salmonella can survive up to 150°F, so while some Salmonella bacteria may be killed or inhibited at 130°F, there still may be sufficient growth to produce their Heat Stable Endotoxin. No further cooking will effect it. The problem with Chicken, and Turkey for that matter, is much of it is " Enhanced ", Injected with a solution to keep the meat moist. This injection pumps Salmonella deep into the meat, so cooking to an IT of 150°F+ in 4 hours becomes important so no more than an hour or two at 130 before you finish the cook above 225°F.
ALL NATURAL Chicken is Not Enhanced and there is little to worry about smoking at 130°F...JJ

 

[SmokinEdge]

The USDA recommends smoking meat that has not been Cured with a Nitrite Curing Salt, at 225°F or higher.
That said, Smokinedge brought up the 40°F to 140°F in 4 hour, rule of thumb, but that ONLY applies to meat that is Ground, Injected, Boned and Tied or meat Punched full of Holes to insert Herbs and such.
Since you are smoking Intact Muscle you need only worry about Bacteria on the surface. At 130°F the surface will be Pasteurized in about 2 hours, which is Safe.
The biggest Risk is the CHICKEN! Salmonella can survive up to 150°F, so while some Salmonella bacteria may be killed or inhibited at 130°F, there still may be sufficient growth to produce their Heat Stable Endotoxin. No further cooking will effect it. The problem with Chicken, and Turkey for that matter, is much of it is " Enhanced ", Injected with a solution to keep the meat moist. This injection pumps Salmonella deep into the meat, so cooking to an IT of 150°F+ in 4 hours becomes important so no more than an hour or two at 130 before you finish the cook above 225°F.
ALL NATURAL Chicken is Not Enhanced and there is little to worry about smoking at 130°F...JJ

This makes good sense chef jimmyj . So glad you and daveomak are here to guide us safely in food safety.

 

[daveomak]

And if you want to talk about "internal" meat muscle temp, here we go...

The water in the meat evaporates and cools it... in some cases it is called "The Stall"... The interior of the meat can NEVER get to the temp of the smoker UNTIL all the water is gone... The meat is sweating, just like your body sweats....
Generally, from my experience, 15 deg. F is all the closer to smoker temp, the meat can get... +/- ...