First Multi-cook - extremely long


 
T

Travis K

New member
Well, I did my first multi-cook yesterday. I did a 5.5 lb pork butt and a 6.7 lb brisket trimmed. It was my first multi-meat cook and I planned on it going for about 9-12 hours. Boy was I wrong. I'm really trying to figure out why it took so damn long. I began at 6:41 AM and still wasn't satisified with an internal temp on my brisket of 180 when I yanked it at midnight. Grand total of about 17 hours. Weather conditions were fine: light wind, sunny, mid 80s day. I had no temp flare ups. Temp of the smoker (measured on the top lid) stuck at exactly 225 through pretty much the whole cooking process. I did have one drop off when I had to get out for a few hours, and when I came back the temp was around 185. Other than that, my temps were dead on where I wanted them.

I took the meat from the fridge to the smoker.
Top layer of brisket was covered in bacon. Brisket was placed on the second row, and the butt on the top. I wasn't excessivly peaking, other than flipping around noon and then taking a temp check on the butt around 4, removing the top lid. All other temp readings on the brisket, or to fill the water pan, were done through the side door.

I've been going over it in my head but I still can't see why it would go so long. Maybe this is common? I didn't feel like I was smoking enough meat, quantity or weight, to have a 17 hr smoke.

Anyone have any idea why it took so long? Do I have an equipment issue with my thermometers maybe? Cold meat add that much cooking time? Quantity of meat absorbing heat energy creating longer cook times? I don't know...
icon_razz.gif


Thanks for any input
wsmsmile8gm.gif
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Travis K:
Well, I did my first multi-cook yesterday. I did a 5.5 lb pork butt and a 6.7 lb brisket trimmed. It was my first multi-meat cook and I planned on it going for about 9-12 hours. Boy was I wrong. I'm really trying to figure out why it took so damn long. I began at 6:41 AM and still wasn't satisified with an internal temp on my brisket of 180 when I yanked it at midnight. Grand total of about 17 hours. Weather conditions were fine: light wind, sunny, mid 80s day. I had no temp flare ups. Temp of the smoker (measured on the top lid) stuck at exactly 225 through pretty much the whole cooking process. I did have one drop off when I had to get out for a few hours, and when I came back the temp was around 185. Other than that, my temps were dead on where I wanted them.

I took the meat from the fridge to the smoker.
Top layer of brisket was covered in bacon. Brisket was placed on the second row, and the butt on the top. I wasn't excessivly peaking, other than flipping around noon and then taking a temp check on the butt around 4, removing the top lid. All other temp readings on the brisket, or to fill the water pan, were done through the side door.

I've been going over it in my head but I still can't see why it would go so long. Maybe this is common? I didn't feel like I was smoking enough meat, quantity or weight, to have a 17 hr smoke.

Anyone have any idea why it took so long? Do I have an equipment issue with my thermometers maybe? Cold meat add that much cooking time? Quantity of meat absorbing heat energy creating longer cook times? I don't know...
icon_razz.gif


Thanks for any input
wsmsmile8gm.gif
</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yeah Travis, somethings not right. Have you calibrated your thermometers? Butts typically are done right around 2 hours per pound and briskets between 1-1.5hrs per lb. Yeah both can take longer or actually finish sooner as well. But, 17 hours, no way. Calibrate your thermometers and I'd be willing to bet you'll find your problem. How was the finished product by the way?
 
Check the therms as Larry advises. Also consider cooking at a higher temp--225 lid is low--as there is no benefit, imo, of cooking at so low a temp (you were likely ~200 at the lower grate for quite a while, 210-215 upper--I look for 235-245 grate temp).
 
Travis,
I have noticed a big difference between lid Temp & Upper Grate temp. I put a candy therm in the top vent, and lie the digital probe on the upper grate.

When I record the temps there is always a minimum of 10-20F temp difference, and I have seen as high as 40-50F difference on occasion (the biggest differences tend to be during temp spikes or right after I've opened the cooker up).

My point is similar to Kruger's. The temperature your meat is exposed to is too low, that makes for OVERLY slow cooking. I'm convinced there's a minimum temperature at which almost no cooking occurs, & my guess is that its around 180F-190F grate temp. Try adding a grate level thermometer and use that to gauge your Too Hot, Too Low.

I shoot for 210-230 at the Upper grate for the middle to end of cook. During the first hour or two the Upper Grate temps are skewed lower because of the cold meat nearby the probe.
Cheers,
 
I try and shoot for 240 for all my smoking.

However, I've found that if I need to speed things up a bit, I push the temps closer to 275 and foil the brisket. It will quickly push through any plateau and still be quite good. And butts are forgiving enough that 275 won't make a massive difference. If you aren't cooking for a comp, you won't notice a difference.

- Adam
 
The WSM lid temp is about 15 degrees hotter than the top grate. You will want to allow for this when using a thermometer in the lid. I use a Taylor Candy Therm in the lid and I keep my temps (on the therm) between 240-250 degrees. This means I am actually cooking between 225 and 235 which is a good low and slow range. If you follow the therm temp exactly, you will be very low and very slow. Thats not a bad thing, but it takes a long time for the meat to get done. My last 8 pound butt and 7 pound brisket were done in just about 13 hours. The butt nearly pulled itself when I took out the bone, and the brisket was tender, juicy and had an excellent smoke ring.

Hope this helps.

Tony
 
for some reason my smokes always take a long time and I account for it. I did a 7 lb butt this past weekend...put a probe in the meat and clipped to the top grate. Kept temps in the 210-230 range...18 hr smoke to 190F
Overnight cook, minion method, only adjusted vents, never opened it.
 
Jim--

Try a cook temp of 25-30 degrees higher. You'll cut the time but still get the quality.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

 

Back
Top