Urgent pulled pork question

[Tevans1224]

I’m smoking two 7 lb pork butts. smoker temp is steady at 225. I hit a plateau at 168F (around expected). My problem is that over the past hour the meat temp has dropped to 164F. I haven’t seen a decrease in past smokes. Anything I need to do or just roll with it?

 

[Smkryng]

It seem to me like I’ve had a few large cuts of meat lose a little temp around the stall. I don’t recall it being a problem though. If you have a probe in it I’d just leave the lid closed and go with it. If you’re to concerned you can always wrap and help push through the stall, I personally don’t but it’s an option

 

[BC Buck]

Like Smkryng said, you can wrap and knock several hours off cook getting to 203+ IT.

 

[forktender]

Wrap or put in a foil covered pan and crank the smoker up to 265*.....I smoke my butts at 270* the whole time and would put them up against any I have tasted.
There is absolutely zero benefit from smoking a butt at 225*.........zero, none..........zilch!!!

 

[Smkryng]

There is absolutely zero benefit from smoking a butt at 225*.........zero, none..........zilch!!!

I couldn’t agree more. When I was using a MES 30 I couldn’t tell the difference in one at 225 or 275 as far as flavor or tenderness. Only difference I seen was several hours knocked off a cook.

 

[tallbm]

I’m smoking two 7 lb pork butts. smoker temp is steady at 225. I hit a plateau at 168F (around expected). My problem is that over the past hour the meat temp has dropped to 164F. I haven’t seen a decrease in past smokes. Anything I need to do or just roll with it?

Hi there and welcome!
This can happen.
As others have mentioned crank the heat up. Pork butts/shoulders, briskets, and ribs don't care what temp you cook/smoke them at.
Also DO NOT open the smoker anymore if you have opened it at all. Many people, spritz, mob, baste, massage, fondle, eye hump, and all kinds of other things to the meat that just makes things take longer and don't really add much if any benefit. Keep the lid shut and roll with it for a these cuts.

Finally, know that at a smoker temp of 275F without opening the door that a porkbutt 9lbs or higher will take a little more than an hour a pound until it passes the Tenderness test. Pork butts are ready when they are tender, u check if tender by stabbing all over with a kabob skewer and if u get no resistance all over then it is tender and ready. The meat thermometer internal temp (IT) will tell u when to check for tenderness (not the time). On a pork butt for pulled pork I check for tenderness at an IT 204-205F.

[EDIT: more to add lol]
Finally finally, if u know that at 275F any meat 8lbs or higher takes a little over 1 hour a pound then you can plan ahead well when to start the cook . PLEASE PLEASE plan an extra 4 hours ahead. So if you have a 10 pound but that may take 11 hours to cook and u want to eat at Noon, u don't start the cook at 1am to eat at noon, you start it at 9pm the day before to give yourself an extra 4 hours incase the meat decides to take longer to cook than usual. Each piece of meat is different.
If you finish 4 hours early then great! Tightly double wrap in foil, then tightly wrap in 3 bath towels and set on the counter until serving time. A pork butt/brisket wrapped in this fashion will be piping hot for 4-5 hours no problem.
If the meat doesnt finish 4 hours early well u have 4 hours to get it done :)

I hope this info helps and crank that heat up! Best of luck :)