Just checked the cooker and


 
D

Drew Get

New member
Good morning. Im in the middle of my first overnight cook. I put a butt on at 3:30am, I just woke up and the cooker seemed to be running a bit high about 275-280. I looked at the meat and took a therm reading the meat was at about 160. This is the first time that I have checked it but it seems that is a little high for this early into the smoke. Is that true? This is my first butt so I just wanted to check.

Thanks
 
Drew I don't know how big your butt is but six hours in 160 is very possible. Especially if you had a spike or two over night. Your temps are in range too. Don't sweat it. Are you going to foil or cook straight through?
You are probably hitting the stall soon and will take time to get through it, could be a couple of hours.
 
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Don't worry Drew, I regularly cook around 275 with nothing dried out. Like Bill said, it will stay around 160 for a while in stall mode.
 
I'd like to add that most cooks take a very typical curve pattern vs a straight line to completion. Here's an example from a pork butt I did a while back. I plotted every 30 minute temp readings manually:




...and one from the iGrill graph feature to show the typical curve most cooks take:

 
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just ride it out, good for you that it is cooking! I have had the opposite problem where my people are waiting and the meat is still stuck in the dang stall
 
Bill Schultz said:
At this point what time you want to eat is the big question. Also what temp is it at now?
Click to expand...

Don't really know. We are going to eat when its done. Been able to keep the smoker temp pretty steady at 250-275. Butt is about 7.5 pounds and is currently at 187*. I plan on taking it off at the 205 mark letting it set up for about 30 min and then foiling it for about an hour. Am I on the right track?
 
Grab yourself a skewer or a pointy temp probe and when it hits 190 pull that thermometer right out. Check it every 15 minutes for that skewer to slide right into it in a couple of places real easy and smooth.
If it is a bone in grab that bone and twist, when perfectly tender that bone will start to break away pretty easy.
Also let it cool for ten minutes before putting it in foil or it will keep cooking.
Resting for an hour is a good thing in an insulated cooler
 
Don't sweat it. 275-280 is fine for a butt, butts stand up to fluctuating temps just fine. Just bring the heat back down to where you want it and keep on cooking.
 
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