Stalling for time

[myownidaho]

I put four 8.5# butts in the smoker at 8pm last night at 225*. They just hit 180! I’m thinking this is going to be a 16-18 hour smoke.

This is the first time I’ve done butts at 225. I typically do 250-275.

 

[Geebs]

This is the reason I no longer smoke them under 250. Currently have been doing them Smokin Als way at 280 and there is now stall.

 

[myownidaho]

These are the first butts in the new smoker, so I wanted to follow the Smokin-it directions. They look fantastic but I’ll go back to a higher temp in the future. These are for next weekend, so there’s really no time crunch.

 

[GaryHibbert]

Yeah, I do mine at 240ish and theres always a stall. But since we orefer soft bark, I just foil at the stall.
Gary

 

[myownidaho]

16.5 hours. I think it was worth it. They were quivering when I pulled the rack out.

 

[RiversideSm0ker]

Looking good with thos pork butts. I for one cook my butts and shoulders at about 250-260. They seem to come out great and they don't take very long. I average about 7 hours for a typical 6 pound piece. I always cut them down because it's usually just for me and my wife. I imaging the whole piece would take another couple of hours. You are doing great though. There is nothing wrong with low and slow if you have the time to invest.

George

 

[pc farmer]

Man they look good. All depends on when I need mine done on the temp I use.

 

[noboundaries]

You slept through the worse part of the smoke! That's why I do mine overnight at 225F, then crank the heat up in the morning. Feels like a short smoke that way.

 

[myownidaho]

What killed me is that they got wrapped, cooled and into the freezer with me just getting a teeny sample stuck to the rack. It was sublime.

 

[SmokinAl]

Well I have found out that at 225 or 280 the results are the same. Juicy & tender, but it just takes a lot less time & there is virtually no stall at the higher temp. But I'm sure there are some purists out there that would never smoke a butt or brisket over 225, and that's OK with me. I have tried both methods quite a few times & can find no difference in the final product other than the cook time. But I have a WSM/BBQ Guru setup, and if I'm going to be lazy & run it all night, then I will set it at 225 & go to sleep. Check it in the morning & see where I'm at. But I prefer to get up at 3-4 AM & fire up the Lang at 270-280, throw the butt on & pop open a beer & put some bacon & eggs on the firebox in a CI pan & get ready for a fantastic day! That is a day that I really enjoy!!
Al

 

[zwiller]

While I am totally converted to hot and fast at 275 for pretty much everything, a big factor is the thermal mass of the 4 butts/34lbs. I don't see too much info on this but seem to recall some guys throwing stuff out there like add another 20% for another butt. So that is potentially, that could be 80% or nearly 2x as long as a single. Similar with homebrewing: You can chill 12oz of beer in 5 hours in the fridge/15m in freezer but to chill 5G (normal batch size) it takes 24 hours+. Like all things lots of factors no 2 butts are the same. Totally freaked at the notion of sticking 34lbs of meat in my MES that weighs probably less than that but will soon be doing at least a pair at one time for daughters grad party (total of 7 butts). 2 down already.

Been a while since I did beers and breakfast but sounds totally killer idea today Al. We are having some fantastic weather here and that would surely hit the spot this holiday weekend!