Butts on the top are close to 185 but the butts on the bottom rack are 170???


 
T

Tom Raveret

TVWBB Pro
Started last night at around 8 pm with 4 butts at 235 all night in my 22"WSM. They were between 7-8 lbs each for a total trimmed weight of 29lbs.

I took my thermapen to all of them and the ones on the bottom were 185 and the ones on the bottom were struggling at 170? I moved all to the top rack and am about to wrap the two that were on top overnight and leave the others in the WSM for a while.

thinking of holding in the oven at 160 wrapped for a couple of hours for the ones approaching 190

thoughts? is that temperature difference normal (Its been a while since I did a big cook of Butts)

I'm just cooking for neighbors friends and the freezer so there is no time pressure just want them to turn out best.

How long would you hold them and then rest before pulling?
 
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Very normal to have that happen. When I do stacked cooks like that I rotate the meat every 2-3 hours. Top to bottom, bottom to top. I cook my butts to an IT of 205°f for pulled. If you have a cooler you can wrap the done ones in foil and towels and place them in the cooler. They will hold temp for a long time.

When I do large cooksI'll let the finished one cool, and then pull when I can handle them. Then I put the chaffing dishes into the cooler or cambro until the others are done. Mix it all up and serve.
 
The temperature at the bottom cooking grate will be less than the upper grate if there is an object between the lower grate and the coals.
Heat will flow around the object and come together at the lid damper.
 
I have an empty water bowl with three tin foil balls and then covered with foil to catch the grease and that makes sensse about the temps.


Case 205 seems high to me. I would be afraid thay would be dryer at that temp.... i tend to wrap at 195 for a couple of hours then unwrap and rest 15 then pull. If there is a better way im always open to learning.
 
Tom Raveret said:
I have an empty water bowl with three tin foil balls and then covered with foil to catch the grease and that makes sensse about the temps.


Case 205 seems high to me. I would be afraid thay would be dryer at that temp.... i tend to wrap at 195 for a couple of hours then unwrap and rest 15 then pull. If there is a better way im always open to learning.
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You could put the smaller butts on the bottom to get a closer cooking time. I pull mine at 200 to 205.
 
U have had Butts probe tender from 192 to 205. All pulled easily I start checking at 190 and when probe tender all over I wrap in foil and into the cooler to rest. .
 
Tom Raveret said:
I have an empty water bowl with three tin foil balls and then covered with foil to catch the grease and that makes sensse about the temps.


Case 205 seems high to me. I would be afraid thay would be dryer at that temp.... i tend to wrap at 195 for a couple of hours then unwrap and rest 15 then pull. If there is a better way im always open to learning.
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I always take shoulders to atleast 200 if I’m pulling them. 185 range for chopped.
 
Late to the party but if I had them in there that long I would have wrapped and throwed in the oven to finish, smokes done all it can , 204ish ,rest a short bit then pull before they get cooled off.
 
Also the reason it was more done on the top is due to stacking, it is common with water heaters, the top gets hotter than the bottom, convection takes over in the smoker,
 
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