Howdy all from NC


 
K

Ken H - Cary NC

New member
Ken here from NC,

Been a lurker for a while, I have learned so much from this site, thanks for creating this site!!

Doing my first overnight cook with my WSM with a pair of 9lb boston butts, put on a good rub, and started at 7:15pm, so got a long night ahead. Used to have an ECCB, had to start a full chimney every 1.5 to 2 hours. ugh! But tonight I filled the fire ring w/wood chunks, apple and hickory, lit 23 briquettes and tweaked the bottom vents and now holding at 250 so far.

One question, I'm running about 30 degrees difference in the temp in the shoulders, not sure if my temp probe is too close to the bone?
The butt on the bottom is running the hotter of the two.

Thanks!!

Ken
 
Hi Ken and welcome - hope the cook is going well, post some pics!!
assuming you filled the basket with coals and started with only 23 lit from the chimney?
using water or clay saucer?
I use a Maverick thermometer so one probe in the top butt and the second is always measuring the air temp at the top grate, I've never measured the internal on the 2nd butt.
You could be close to the bone, if you're using 2 different thermometers they could have a variance (but them both in boiling water and see if they both read 212*) or there could be a temp variance between the top and bottom grates. with all the different ways, different temps, and different durations that people use to cook butts I think you'll be fine no matter what, especially if you wrap them when done and let them sit for an hour or more in a hot cooler before pulling or slicing.
 
Welcome Ken and don't forget to post some pics of your cook.
The bottom grate runs hotter in a WSM generally speaking. You can rotate them or just pull the bottom one first when it is done. But go by tenderness not by temp.
 
Thanks to all for the Hello's/Intro's and info. The temps actually evened up over the course of time. I had 2 thermo's, one in each BB, and of course watched my temp dial in the top of the smoker. I went 14 hours and didn't quite reach 200, my smoker had exhausted all its charcoal and dropped below 200 so I wrapped them in foil, set the oven at 250 and let'm finish there. Took them out and sat them on top of the stove, threw a couple of thick towels on top and let'm sit for another 1.5 to 2 hours, then proceeded to shred. I wish I had taken the time to take pics but was in a rush due to other commitments. Sorry!!! I shall endeavor to take them next time. We dropped some of the pork off at a friends house, and I received a call later last night, with the news that the pork was very good, one of the friends is from the south and he stated "It was the best BBQ pork he'd ever had". I think he led a sheltered life!! LOL!! Anyway, I learned I could probably sleep a bit more next time, I need to get one of those thermo's that you can put in the smoker, set the range of min/max, take the remote and go to bed. I think I got about 3.5 hrs sleep Friday night checking my cook temps every hour, and the WSM maintained them really well.
The pork tasted really good, it had that good pork flavor with just a hint of smoke, nice and subtle.
I want to thank you all for your help!! I promise next time, pics.

Thanks..........Ken
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

 

Back
Top