Stubborn (Marathon) Butts!

  • Some of the links on this forum allow SMF, at no cost to you, to earn a small commission when you click through and make a purchase. Let me know if you have any questions about this.
SMF is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

deannc

Master of the Pit
Original poster
Jun 13, 2010
1,153
24
Cradle of Cue, NC
I'm just glad I started these 2, 9 pounders at midnight last night. lol  Trimmed them up, rubbed with Jeff's Rib Rub  and have been spritzing since the 3 hour mark with a 2 to 1 mix of apple juice and cider vinegar.

Decided to give the UDS a break this weekend and use the GOSM.  The butt I done in the UDS turned out incredibly good last weekend so I thought I'd do a comparison on the gasser now with the spritz mix I liked so much last weekend.

I've been determined to not foil until I pull them at 200* the last 2 weekends in the UDS but when I suffered through some long stalls I lost patience and went ahead and foiled to get them done.  Since I've got nothing but time today, I don't care how long the stalls are, I'm NOT foiling until I pull them!  At the 14 hour mark, the bark is looking great and one has an IT of 170* and the other 175*.

Here they are rubbed down ready to smoke.

7e170e86_IMG_2771.jpg


This was at the 12 hour mark.

af36a05f_IMG_2772.jpg
 
Bear - Thanks!  I gotta feelin' these are going to be goood! 

15 hours in, one on the left IT 175* and on the right 181*.  I keep repeating, I'm not going to foil til 200*, I'm not going to foil til 200*!!!! LOL

6557bb15_IMG_2773.jpg
 
I think you will be pleasntly suprized by the not foiling pig butts. May be a lil dry on the out side but once it pulled and mixed its awsome.
 
Nearly 17 1/2 hours in, glad I started out with a new tank of gas! LOL  One at 178* and the other 188*, just a little while to go and I'm starting to get a little hungry.  So glad I didn't start at 6 or 7 this morning.  Think we're going to throw down on some hush puppies with todays fixin's!  

eman - they're still looking nice and juicy...can't wait to sink my teeth into the bark!

smokinstevo - Thanks...first time I think I haven't been on a tight schedule and you're right, it's so nice not to stress over "when" it's gonna be done...lol  Although I am starting to get a little hungry and I should have saved some of those beverages from last night for today! LOL
 
Last edited:
Those are some stubborn butts to have gone that long and still be at that internal temp. Must have been really loaded down with collagen. Who knows, maybe it will be all that much better for it.
 
Dick - I'm really beginning to wonder, after 18 hours now, just repositioned probes, stuck with a couple spares to confirm and at 18 hours I've still got internal temps of 189* and 179*!  

Is this really happening? LOL  I'm not going to foil, I'm not going to foil!

EDIT should add my chamber temps have been good at 225* to 232*
 
Last edited:
smokin - LOL, we think a like, I'm awaiting its arrival as I type! LMAO

I'm really trying to maintain my patience hehehe...but after resticking the probes that one that "was" reading 189 is now reading exactly as the other butt, still 179* just as my last post and I'm on hour 19! lol  

Think I'm going to retitle the thread to "Marathon Butts!"  (Can this be right? lol)  I'm just thinking here, they've hit the 19 hour mark at a constant low and slow temp and we can't get past 179*?  I'm going to really have to beg myself not to foil in the future. 
icon_cry.gif
 
Well, I'm hoping I have another 8 to 10 hours of gas left! LOL  If they don't shrivel up before then!  I'm getting real tempted to just pull them, I know they're cooked "thoroughly!" which may be an understatement. haha  How could it not be tender after 19 hours?  

Let's take a poll..pull'em or don't pull'em? LOL  To think I started at midnight last night to avoid eating at 9 p.m.! 
 
Just thought I'd post up the 20 hour update, we're at 186* and hopefully climbing! More Qview to follow.
 
Whats the spritz mix Dean? Ive juat been doing a 4 to 1 ratio of AJ to cider vinegar. If you have something more exciting let me know. I also figured out that IPAs and pulled pork sandwiches with homemade Lexington dip are a phenomenal combination! Good beer and good cue are a match made in heaven.

edit: nevermind just saw your spritz recipe
 
Last edited:
Oh well, the saga is over!  I pulled them at 188* after 20 1/2 hours.  I'm kind of glad I have a sheet of quarter inch aluminum under the smoker because after what has turned into a crappy smoke even got worse!  Since I decided not to get my table out and all, well, when I lifted this smooshy butt up to the top of the smoker to set in the aluminum pan and then lifting off the pan....yep, the freaking thing fell!! LMAO  What a way to top it off! And heck I could have accepted it if I'd have had a few too many or something.  lol  Oh well, it may be salvageable and I can't even believe I'm sharing that part.

When I went to get the second one of I gave in and enlisted the help of the better half and we at least have one butt in tact! 

I'm sort of concerned considering we still never hit 200* after all this time.  Not because it may not pull, I'm sure it'll do that...but more about whether or not the meat is even consumable. hummm....Anyway, they did reach 140 in just over 3 hours and I'm hoping the meat isn't all mushy or get anyone sick.  The first one I pulled, well, it did feel a little mushy as I scooped it up and back into the pan! LOL  What an ending...but I'll post some pictures in a little bit....I should have taken one with it lying there at the foot of the smoker!  
PDT_Armataz_01_19.gif
PDT_Armataz_01_40.gif
 
Last edited:
The smokin' gods are with me!  These two butts turned out very tasty and pulled nicely.  A little soft around the bone but I'd guess that's to be expected, especially after that long of a smoke.  
036ed4de_IMG_2778.jpg


2e4a9a27_IMG_2782.jpg
 
All's Well That Ends Well!

I think next time I'd foil at 165, and take it to 205˚.

Seems to be a lot less hassle.

Nice lookin' plate though!

Bear
 
All's Well That Ends Well!

I think next time I'd foil at 165, and take it to 205˚.

Seems to be a lot less hassle.

Nice lookin' plate though!

Bear
Bear - Thanks, it did turn out eatable and tasty.  This was my third attempt at not foiling until 200*, so I'm feeling like I've given it a fair shot. lol  There's a lot to be said for foiling at 165*!

This should probably start a new thread, but to those who don't foil, I've tried as I said, three times now.  Each time I failed to reach 200* internal, smoking low and slow in the 225* to 235* range.  What am I doing wrong? I've tried low temps through the stall periods, how do you get through that?  Increased chamber temps? 
 
Bear - Thanks, it did turn out eatable and tasty.  This was my third attempt at not foiling until 200*, so I'm feeling like I've given it a fair shot. lol  There's a lot to be said for foiling at 165*!

This should probably start a new thread, but to those who don't foil, I've tried as I said, three times now.  Each time I failed to reach 200* internal, smoking low and slow in the 225* to 235* range.  What am I doing wrong? I've tried low temps through the stall periods, how do you get through that?  Increased chamber temps? 
I thought the debate about foiling or not foiling was with ribs---not butts. I could have missed it though.

Bear
 
 
Dean ,

 I'm sure you have checked and rechecked ,But it's allmost like your grate temps are lower than what you think they are.Just thinking out loud trying to figure out why those butts took as long as they did???
 
I thought the debate about foiling or not foiling was with ribs---not butts. I could have missed it though.

Bear
 

    Bear - I know...lol  I was thinking the same thing when I posted this morning.  I have read about getting a different texture on the bark that I was wanting to try because it seemed when foiling at 165* through pulling at 200* and then resting an hour or two all in foil seemed to soften the bark to almost the same texture as the meat.  Not that there has been anything wrong with it, they've all been absolutely delicious.  I was just wanting to experiment with it because I know not everyone foils.  Just not understanding how in three attempts I've failed to get through the stalls and not being able to complete the smoke without foil.  That might have all came out...lol...hope it makes sense. 
Dean ,

 I'm sure you have checked and rechecked ,But it's allmost like your grate temps are lower than what you think they are.Just thinking out loud trying to figure out why those butts took as long as they did???
eman - I have and that's what I'm not understanding either.  I've used two different smokers, the UDS and now the GOSM with the same results.  I'm reaching the internal meat temps of 140* right around the 3 hour mark (+ or -) so during the earlier phase of the smoke with my grate temp readings at or near the 225* range per the Maverick ET-73.  So it must be at high enough chamber temp to reach 140* in that amount of time.  Puzzled, but  I'll probably have some time this afternoon to test my grate probe again just to be sure.  Thanks eman.  

Well, the wife just brought me a pp sammich so I'm gonna savor that a minute and think about this some more.  lol

 

I thought the debate about foiling or not foiling was with ribs---not butts. I could have missed it though.

Bear
 

I thought the debate about foiling or not foiling was with ribs---not butts. I could have missed it though.

Bear
 
 
SmokingMeatForums.com is reader supported and as an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.

Latest posts

Hot Threads

Clicky