How long is too long for the stall


 
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Darren C.

TVWBB Pro
I'm doing 2 pretty large boston butts on my 18" WSM. I put the food on about 8:30 pm last night (~13 hrs ago). In about the last 8 hrs, they've only risen from about 155 to 165. Not only that, but they've actually dropped a few degrees (like about 5) in the last hour or so. I had to add more charcoal about 7:30 this morning. I didn't really want to foil because I didn't want to remove the lid and because I don't want to mess with the bark. Should I just wait it out, should I foil or should I raise the pit temp to 250? I've been shooting for 225.

See it live here (hope the traffic doesn't kill the server).
 
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Darren that is quite awhile, you did not say the size and bone in or not. Most figure an hour and a half per pound but that is just a general time estimate guideline.
Also be more specific on what you are using to measure internal and WSM temps.
 
They are bone in. I forgot to look at the weight on the package. So, I can only guess. But, they look like 8 lbs or so to me. They occupy pretty much the entire top grate. I took the lid off whenever I added charcoal and spritzed them. They looked good.

I'm using the HM with Thermoworks probes. About an hour ago, I looked at the dome temp on the WSM and it was saying about 200. The HM was saying about 230'ish. So, to verify, I put my Thermapen in the top vent. It read 230'ish, too. So, I am pretty comfortable with the probe accuracy.
 
If they are your standard 7-9 lb butts they should be done by now.
Time to do this old school. Is it a bone in? If so check the bone if it slides out cleanly. Check with a thermometer for probe tenderness. Maybe something is off with your electronic devices??
 
Tony R said:
Can you take a pic of what they look like? The bone should be exposed by now.
Click to expand...

Yes, they are bone in

Here you go, a couple of pics....

12135335434_54afda00bc_b.jpg


12135209183_8467aa8034_b.jpg
 
I was gonna suggest you reposition the probe, but you got probes and it looks like 4?
I measure at the vent, and that usually runs 12-15 deg higher than grate, so youre close to 215-225.
I would bump the temp to 250+.

HTH and good luck!

Tim
 
I just checked the meat temp with the thermapen. It was in the 160's everywhere except one place, where it was closer to 155. There was a good bit of resistance to the probe at spot where the temp measured 155. The resistance everywhere else was so-so.

I just opened the vents. I'm going to push it to 250.
 
This has happened to me many times. Put the butts on at 7am and by 9 or 10pm they were still 165-ish. I pull 'em out, wrap 'em in foil, and put them in the oven at 300 or 350 (I can't remember, I was going by what one of my BBQ books said). Within an hour they were up to temp and came out awesome. I don't own my own home, I rent...so I can't have things set up exactly the way I'd like. It's a super pain in the butt to do a long cook like that because of the difficulty in adding more coals. Also there's no decent light when it gets dark. I have pretty much abandoned the idea of leaving them in for long periods of time so I leave them in as long as one full ring of coals can keep the temp in the 225 to 250 range. Once the coals give out, I wrap 'em and put them in the oven and usually in about 60 to 90 minutes, they are done. Never ever had a bad end result. Also, you watch shows with any of the pros (Alton Brown comes to mind) and they all say smoke 'em for 4 hours or so and then wrap 'em and into the oven. Who am I to argue? :)
 
If your in a hurry I would go as high as 275.
It almost seems as if the butts were smoking at a much lower temp than 225.
 
timothy said:
I was gonna suggest you reposition the probe, but you got probes and it looks like 4?
I measure at the vent, and that usually runs 12-15 deg higher than grate, so youre close to 215-225.
I would bump the temp to 250+.

HTH and good luck!

Tim
Click to expand...

You can see 4 food probes and 1 pit probe in the picture, but 1 food probe is not being used. Since bumping the temp up, I'm seeing the food temps creeping up. I'm about to add some charcoal again.
 
No you will be fine, if it was mine though I think I would foil them with some apple juice and broth to moisten them some during the finishing and it will be quicker and not drying them out anymore
 
Also because they have been cooking so long the fat is going to be well rendered so pull as that bone breaks loose, put in on the counter and let it sit till IT drops to around 170 covered loosely and then foil it back up and let it rest. Save your juices from the foil and use them on your shredded meat. Don't shred right away or it will dry out quick on you
 
Bill Schultz said:
Also because they have been cooking so long the fat is going to be well rendered so pull as that bone breaks loose, put in on the counter and let it sit till IT drops to around 170 covered loosely and then foil it back up and let it rest. Save your juices from the foil and use them on your shredded meat. Don't shred right away or it will dry out quick on you
Click to expand...

They have been foiled. The pit temp is up and the food temps are finally climbing. To clarify, when the temps are up to 195, let them rest on the counter uncovered to 170 and the loosely foil again? For how long? I no particular plan to shred anytime soon. When is the optimal time to shred?
 
Might be too late, but... (then again, might not be after watching the heat meter live :) )
In the 190 - 195 (nothing exact) range, you start checking for tenderness. Without opening the foiled package see if a probe/skewer will penetrate into the meat with very little resistance... kind of like going into soft butter.
 
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A tip I read before and what I do is don't go buy temp after foiling, so I don't bother. Temps will rise quickly and even at X temp + or - the roast might not be tender yet. I usually give it a squeeze with a gloved hand, and if it feels soft and unyielding, than I'll start to probe it.

Tim
 
Thanks everyone for all of the help. I pulled one off at 205. My parents dropped by the house. I was watching my monitor from across the room. I didn't realize that the screen hadn't refreshed. I checked the other one with a shisk-a-bob stick and it seemed quite tough. I might have transformed it into a leather boot by now. I'll give it some more time and see if it will get more tender.

What a fiasco?!?!
 
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