Pork Butt Question


 

Robert T.

TVWBB Super Fan
This may sound like a newbie question but I've been doing this for a while and thought I would ask anyway. Cooking 4 butts totaling 29 pounds for my son's graduation party in a few weeks. My buddy offered to let me borrow his WSM to go with mine so I didn't have to jam them all on one. I started them about 8pm last night with about a quarter chimney of lump lit and a full ring of lump unlit in each WSM. Also used some Apricot wood for the first time. Came up to temp and was cruising along when I went to bed. About 4:30, one was still running around 250 but the other was at 170 as the fuel had burned down. I added more lump and got it going again. Did not do anything to WSM #2. About two , #2 was now out and the temp was down around 140. I immediately got it going again and it's back up to temp. It was not low for very long. What is interesting though is that the meat in WSM #1 is around 195 while WSM #2 is around 160. They both ran around the same temp for most of the night. Does this sound odd to anyone else? I have had some butts take much longer than others while in the same WSM but still thought it seems a little weird to have that much disparity.

Buckeye Bob
 
Bob,

Not sure I have the expertise to answer but, if all things are the same such as fuel, weather and such it could be the amount of nasty stuff in the meat like ligaments and tendons that get broken down over the course of the smoke that could be the difference. I've noticed that some butts plateau for longer periods of time then others and always thought that was the cause. That's my best guess....if there is an answer then this is the place to find it thath's for sure!

John
 

 

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