NewQ question Pork Butt Foiling


 
K

Kurt

TVWBB Pro
wont go over the minutia...first cook ever with WSM...

2- 5 lb pork butts... on a 5 am... noon meat temp 175... 115Pm meat temp 181... is this another stall or just the "low and slow" process.... contemplating foiling to finish them off... would they finish quicker while foiled on smoker or should I just leave them alone...

sorry if wrong forum but I see there are always a lot of members helping each other out over here n'at...

Go Stillerz!!!
 
Kurt assuming your smoker temps haven't changed, I would guess this is a stall. 1-1/4 hours isn't that long for a stall. At 250/275F, figure on 1-1/2 hours per pound going the long way. Regarding the foiling, unfortunately I'm not the expert on that as I never foil. I "believe" however, you can foil and finish your cook inside at 350F. Hopefully someone more knowledgeable than I will chime in here.
 
Foiling will almost always shorten the total cooking time. One of the causes of the 'stall' as seen in unfoiled cooks is the evaporative cooling effect as water is liberated from the meat. As the water evaporates into the free air of your smoker, heat is removed from the meat and is commonly seen in the meat's internal temperature drop. When foiling, the water being liberated from the meat is no longer open to free air but contained within the foiled 'package'. Hence the evaporative cooling effect is reduced or negated.

When foiling, make sure your 'package' is totally sealed so that no air transfer can occur.
 
I never foil. It softens the bark on the outside of the butt. You are in the stall, and if you are not in a hurry, it will pass and you will gradually get to the "finish line". If time is getting critical, you can always take it inside to an oven at about 300 degrees and finish it there. I would recommend not foiling in the oven, too, unless you don't care for the crispy bark. If you like the bark like I do, skip the foil. Just my 2 cents worth. Good luck and enjoy the butt.
 
thanks for advice... i ended up foiling for last 40 minutes of cook and shot straight up to 205... the bark was still really good and I was extremely pleased with overall first cook... took longer than I anticipated for a 5 lber... but I guess good bbq is done when it is done...
 
Kurt said:
thanks for advice... i ended up foiling for last 40 minutes of cook and shot straight up to 205... the bark was still really good and I was extremely pleased with overall first cook... took longer than I anticipated for a 5 lber... but I guess good bbq is done when it is done...
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My brother , who is a long time smoker , tells me to never hesitate to foil and finish a cook in the oven if you're short on time or your fire is dying. He says by the time you get that far your meats taken on plenty of smoke and it will still be good.
I have finished a couple of butts in the oven and I have to say , I like to go unfoiled cause I like the crunchy bark.but it's your call.
 
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