it has begun


 
J

J Rector

TVWBB Super Fan
Well we are on our way to our first pork butt supper.I think I finally got the temp under control.
We will see
I started at 5:15 lit 20 briqs
5:55 PUT ON MEAT temp202
6:05 bvents 50%closed temp 211
6:25 bvents 75%closed temp 234
6:35 bvents 100% closed top 50%
6;45 temp dropping slowly from a high of 247.
I guess we'll wait and see if I can keep it under control.

Update later
Jeff
 
Good luck with the cook Jeff...just remember to keep the top vent open. The smoke needs somewhere to go, if not the meat will end up with a bitter and unpleasant taste. How big is the butt?
 
Hi Jim

The butt is 4.8 bonein I finally got the temp down off of a high of 247. Its setttled in at 230.The bottoms are still cmopletely closed the top is probably around 75% closed.Since it is a new cooker I was expecting it to run a little hot.I only put in a few small chunks of hickory so hopefully it wont be to smoky.The meat temp has already hit 160 right now at 8:35 my time.I'm waiting to see how long it takes to break through.Would this be fairly normal for a smaller butt like this to heat this fast? I am using a et 73 to monitor everything.Boy has my life just gotten easier.

talk to you later
Jeff
 
hey guys
im cooking my first butt today too. had similar problems with temp but my smoker is about 8 months old. hit a high of 260 and im fighting to get it down. have all 3 bottom's closed, did touch 270 for a brief time. im using an et-73 as well and i have 2 6lbs boneless butts on and hoping for them to be done at 6pm. if i cant control temps im looking at lunch instead. :-(

good luck jeff

go gators
 
Jeff -

Yeah, with a butt that small, not too uncommon for it to shoot up to 160 in only a few hours. It will likely stay at or around that temperature for a number of hours, though... hitting what folks here call the "plateau". So don't fret if it doesn't continue to rise at the same speed.

In fact, as I learned a week or two ago, the meat temp may actually drop a few degrees while the fat renders. Again, so long as the smoker is still in the good temp range, nothing to worry about.

I've screwed up ribs a number of times, but butts have ALWAYS turned out great. They are forgiving that way.

Good luck and keep on keeping us posted.

- Adam
 
adam
ever cook butts on the very high end of 250-260 for 2 hours before being able to get temps back down ?? im hoping since there are 2 of them and they are decent size the temps didnt affect it too much
 
Yes, often actually, on purpose. Butt is not brisket. It can take higher heat. 275 grate for a couple hours is not an issue. Carry on!
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Jeff...when you do the MM remember to put your meat on and assemble the cooker in one session...don't put the WSM together and let it goet hot and then put the meat on...build the temp with the meat in and you won't have the temp spike next time, ok?
 
Originally posted by K Kruger:
Yes, often actually, on purpose. Butt is not brisket. It can take higher heat. 275 grate for a couple hours is not an issue. Carry on!
icon_smile.gif
Click to expand...

thanks kevin for the info
believe it or not, i was sweating at 7am getting this going. the humidity in florida is torture !!!
for those who complain about it, i would love to smoke in the snow !!
 
I was just writing the same thing as Greg...

Hal--did you get your meat on when you assembled or after?
 
weel it seems like I might have hit the plateau finally.It settled in on 166 and it aint moving.The smokers at a steady 236 should be some good eats.

Hal if I may be so bold i've had to run all my bottoms closed and my top closed almost 75% just to stay down this low.Hopefu;;y I didn't over smoke it on the way up.Good luck today.

Talk to ya'll later
 
Originally posted by K Kruger:
I was just writing the same thing as Greg...

Hal--did you get your meat on when you assembled or after?
Click to expand...

meat went on with assembly, i didnt wait on that part.....started off low temps but kept climbing. im at 257 right now on way down i hope to 240 but at least im going right direction
 
Originally posted by Jeff rector:
weel it seems like I might have hit the plateau finally.It settled in on 166 and it aint moving.The smokers at a steady 236 should be some good eats.

Hal if I may be so bold i've had to run all my bottoms closed and my top closed almost 75% just to stay down this low.Hopefu;;y I didn't over smoke it on the way up.Good luck today.

Talk to ya'll later
Click to expand...

u2 jeff
between you, kevin and myself we have deltona, Okeechobee and West palm covered.
 
Hi greg

I wasn't to sure about putting a 40degree piece of meat in there with the water.I'm using a old pan out of my charbroil h2o and i put in 2 tea pitchers of water to get it started so i wouldn't have to refill hopefully.Yes they were hot tap water to begin with. iwas afraid it would take to long to heat up cold water.Maybe I'll try that next time for better temp control on the way up.

Thanks for the heads up
Jeff
 
Jeff-

You had too much coal going when the meat got put on--that's why you've had the struggle with temps. As Greg noted above, you really want to put the meat on when you assemble the cooker, when you use the Minion for start-up. It is important to have to top vents open 100% for best combustion. Controlling heat on the way up allows this.


Hal-- Bring on the humidity!! I'm not a huge fan of it, actually, but have gotten used to it. It's sunny and 82 here with a pleasant breeze. I just came out of Greg's neck of the woods--Westlake, Ohio--where it was gray, wet, and low 40s. Got home at midnight last night.
 
i here ya kevin, long time in this area but there is something about dying of sweat at 615am while firing up the smoker!! temps are now down to 255 and im feeling better.

butt is at 152 after almost 2:45
 
Hal--Looks like it's going well. Should be a great meal. Though I prefer a lower temp at the outset, there are times when time is an issue. Pork butt, fortunately, is perfect for those occasions; I can start at a higher temps for a while, speeding up the cook, with no ill effect.

I know what you mean--6:15am and sweating--expected in the summer, but not the end of March.


Greg--I should have. I was out of food in the truck. You could've brought me lunch!
 
well I've hit a second plateau or just maybe the first real one.I hit 166 for 30min or so now i've hit another at 170 for 45 min this thing must really be breaking down.How's it going on your end Hal? everything strolling along?

See Yaa
Jeff
 
Hi Everyone

I just realized I've read somewhere about preheating a cooler up for when you let the butt rest.How in the world do you do that.Throw hot water in it or something?

Thanks
Jeff
 
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