The dreaded plateau!

[timberjet]

Wow, my boston has been at 138 for like three hours. Holy crap! I have had this happen before but not for this long. Oh well, just thought I would share.

 

[eman]

welcome to the real world of low and SLOW!!!

 

[Bearcarver]

Hmmm, at the risk of starting another big argument:

Stuck at 138˚ for 3 hours.

Knowing it is at 138˚, means it has been probed.

When was it probed?

What is the total time it's been in the cooker?

I always wondered what would happen if somebody probes there meat at the beginning, and it stalls before hitting 140˚. I realize that's probably close enough, but how long was it to get to 138˚?

Just wondering,

Bear

 

[timberjet]

I might have broken through at four hours and 17 minutes, it now reads 142. The dude will not abide! Still smoking at 225 unfazed! I guess I should mention this five pound butt has been in for almost 7 and A half hours. Looks like dinner will be breakfast instead. Ha, ha. LOL!

 

[timberjet]

No argument here bearcarver. Just A bony, grizzly (no pun), piece of meat. Chugging along low and slow. I have finally reached 160. five more degrees to foilage. I usually try for 240 or so but the ecb will only run 225 or 255 for some reason today. I need to find an old fridge and am looking for A barrel at the moment. I found A weber lid last month and am looking for A good barrel for my next smoker, or A good ol' 50's frigidaire. Ten hours and fifteen minutes so far. I should mention I live at 6000 feet if that makes any difference. 

 

[timberjet]

It was probed at two hours or so. I am following the boston wiki sticky. This may just be an unruly butt. Any suggestions or help is much appreciated.

 

[timberjet]

Geez the last five degrees and three more hours or so, I might have to eat the leftover smoked chicken jumbalaya from monday again, and I am low on beer. Crap!

 

[timberjet]

Woo hoo, just hit 201 and nearly ready for the rest. Man the 8 pounder I did last month didn't take this long. Twelve hours and twenty four minutes to now. I usually rest for two hours. Can't rush anything at this point. Too much invested.

 

[meateater]

Just make sure the probe doesn't hit bone, that will mess ya up on temps. Now ya know Qview is a requirement round here.

 

[timberjet]

Darn I know it but the dang digital camera bit the dust last duck season and the building business is non existent here at the moment. Hopefully things will pick up soon. Yes I had A discrepancy with my probes and had to check in boiling water. Luckily the one I originally had in the meat was spot on. The backup went to the Q-gods. My birthday is next month maybe the wife will get me A new remote digital. Crossing my fingers.

 

[timberjet]

Well, it was all worth it. 14 and one half hours. Burp!

 

[Bearcarver]

Too bad no Qview, but all seemed to go off alright in the end---a little long, but probably worth it in the end.

Thanks for telling,

Bear

 

[pgsmoker64]

Are you sure your smoker thermo was working? Almost sounds like you didn't have the temp you thought you did.

 

[timberjet]

Unfortunately my smoker thermometer is an analog candy thermometer and I checked it in boiling water so it was kosher. Hoping for better equipment soon. I have done several much larger picknicks and such lately with normal cooking times on those. I really just think this shoulder was bottom of the barrel and tougher than the others. Soon my friends I will have new probes. For now I just have to wing it.