Call of the Butt....What I Learned


 
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I got the call of the butt...the urge to smoke at 3.30 this morning.
A first cook of a boneless shoulder that was rubbed then frozen for about 10 days.
A first cook also for WIND. 16 mph gusting to 25 mph.

Doing a Minion Method cook with SAND.
Knowing it is windy and it is a must to manage temps on the way up I have proceeded with care.
3.30am start 16 kingsford in chimney.Filled wired ring with charcoal and 1 hickory,1 pecan and 1 cherry chunk. Each was a good size chunk so limited the cook to 3 chunks.

Cook: 4.00am Started with all vents 100% open.
Meat:39, wsm:98
4.30 meat 40, wsm 198 Closed all bottom vents.
Temp stayed 189 to 202.
5.00 temp 194. Opened one bottom vent 20%.
5.30 temp slowly rose to 219. Because of wind and concern of getting too hot, CLOSED the bottom vent.
6.00am butt 107, wsm 222. Top vent 100%, botttom vents all closed.

So far the the wind has not had an adverse effect on the cook. I have read many entries about the problems with wind-thank goodness the wsm is maintaining good temps.
I would be willing to bet, based on past experiences, that with the wind things could get out of control in a hurry when using sand and MM. So far so good!
 
6.30 butt: 119, wsm: 229
Top vent 100%, bottom vents all closed....

I can only hope temps do not rise out of control.
My plan is to find a cardboard appliance box for a wind shield if temps rise fast to 240. Perhaps another solution will be to do that which is not generally recomended around here, partially close the top vent?

7.00 butt: 130, wsm: 234
Top vent adjusted to 60% open


7.30 butt: 139, wsm 224
top vent 60%
Bottom all closed
Temps seem to have stopped climbing by closing top vent to 60% open.
Weather: 66*, winds 13 gusting to 21.

8.00 butt: 145, wsm: 220
leave well enough alone
 
On my first cook, it was sooooo windy that I closed all the bottom vents and closed the top vent probably 90%. Everything turned out ok after that. My temps were out of control until I took that drastic measure.
 
Susan, adjusting the top vent would appear to be a legitament aid in temp control as the last resort. O.K. I'll bite. It took me three years to get two years of latin credit in high school-what teacher would want another year with me in the class? So the translation is....

8.30 butt: 149, wsm:220 no changes
8.45 butt: 151, wsm 211 ( had dropped to 208 ) Stirred coals, openned top 100%
9.00 butt: 153, wsm: 217
9.09 wsm: 223
9.30 butt:155, wsm 243 Close top vent to 70%
10.00 butt:160, wsm: 248 no changes
10.30 butt: 166, wsm: 253 Close top vent to 50% open, bottom vents all closed
Weather: 64* 13-18mph winds, light rain due momentarily
11.00 butt: 171, wsm: 256 close top vent to 35%
 
Bruce, great point! I am measuring temp at the top grate with ET-73. It is running a little higher than I would prefer.

11.30 butt: 176, wsm: 253
11.45 butt: 177, wsm: 251
 
Steve
Grate temps of 250? are not to high, starving a fire of air to keep the temp down runs the risk of dirty smoke.
I would not want the temps over say 265?, much higher then you run the risk of burning the rub.
Looking at your pit temps posted above none of the temps are too high.
Instead of closing the top vent try using only the down wind bottom vent to control pit temp and leave the top vent open.
Closing the top vent to control temp starves the fire for air and will produce dirty smoke, if done for too long you will taste it on the finished product.
Jim
 
Jim, thanks for your post. You answered that unasked question-what really is too high? I will keep that 265* in mind as do not exceed....I pulled some bark to check for dirty smoke. All is fine.

All bottom vents have been closed since 5.30am.
So I did not have any other option I am aware of to lower temps. I now understand that it has not run too hot...

12.30 butt: 179, wsm: 243 Top vent opened 100%, (thanks Jim), bottom vents all closed.
Turned butt, basted with 80% Coke,20% Kansas Citrus Sauce-no apple juice around today.
1.00 butt: 172, wsm: 242

I am planning for a plateau...my 10 year old is in a championship basketball game...
 
1.30 butt:174, wsm: 248 no changes
2.00 butt:179, wsm: 251 holding steady
2.30 butt:185, wsm: 256
Game in 15 minutes...double wrapped in foil and towel and into small cooler to hold
I would have preferred taking the butt to 190*
but left to watch our guys take the championship!
Will report after pulling.
 
I guess it's a "butt" day today! I did my first butt today, a 7 lb. bone-in, using the "mustard slathered" recipe that Chris put on the site. I pretty much followed it closely and had very good results. No water in the pan worked out really well and kept temps around 250-275. It was very windy day, but warm (55-60degrees, heat wave practically)and had a screen. The butt got up to 185 within 8 hrs. Also used a pork butt "dressing" I got from Konrad "Teddy Bear" Haskins site which was really good (and very easy to make). Smoke and Pork fat, got to love it /infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif
 
What I Learned...
All temps ET-73, WSM temps at top grate
* Rub a butt then freeze is O.K.
* WSM can handle 15-25 mph winds without a wind
screen.
* Minion Method with Sand is the best...
just manage the temps on the way up
I closed the bottom vents when I reached 190- 200. Opened one bottom vent 20%. It is easier
to go up slow than try to bring down.
* Can hold butt for 3 1/2 hours (150*) foiled
and towel in Oscar cooler
* As a last resort you can adjust the top vent
for a limited amount of time to lower temps
* Jim Minion,"Grate temps of 250* are not too
high, starving a fire of air to keep the temp
down runs the risk of dirty smoke. I would not
want the temps over say 265*...."
* Turn the butt...you get better bark on both
sides.
* Plateau of 171-179* lasted three hours.
* Keep a written record. You don't know...
what you don't know.

Most if not all this is probably on the site elsewhere but some of us learn by doing and making mistakes. My wife said this was the best butt I have done.
 
When you have done a bunch, you will also find that all butts are not created equal. Just when you think you have the timing down you will put on a 10lber and it will turbo on you and be done in 9 1/2 hours.
 
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