Blizzard Pork Butt

Welcome to the forum Bill. Congrats on your purchase & first smoke. The fun has just begun!

Each time you open the door consider you add a minimum of 1/2 hour to your smoke.

Snow and outside temp should not add extra time. I am unaware of the the effect of high altitude on smoking in the CS. Hopefully someone will have an opinion.

Good job!

Bill,
I live in Colo. also have had my smokette for about 5 yrs. and love it. The cold weather really does'nt affect the smoke times. And I have learned to leave the door shut until it is done. The cook times are consistent all year long

Hi... I'm new to the forum as well.

I just received a new CS model 260 yesterday and smoked two pork shoulder roasts last night. I live about 15 miles south of you, Bill57, in Larkspur, CO, at 7250 ft elevation.

Until now, I've done all my smoking in an offset. Although I can't say for sure it's an elevation effect, it seems my meat is done at lower temps than others experience. For example, many on the forum smoke pork shoulders to 190 degrees or more. I've never had one go that long - they are usually falling apart at around 170-180 degrees, which is about 14 hrs at 220 for 4 lb shoulder roasts.

I tried the "shut the door and forget it" approach, and let the roasts go to an internal temp of about 160 - 14 1/2 hrs at 215 degrees. I am not happy with the way the first two roasts came out - too dry, although they have great flavor and bark. I am wondering if the fact that I was only doing 2 roasts in a model 260, which can handle at least 30 of that size, contributed to the dryness. Does anyone think that not loading up the smoker has a drying effect on the meat?

On my offset I used to smoke for about 5 hrs, then wrap in foil and finish for the remainder of the 14 hrs in a 225 oven. I have a few more roasts thawing that I'll try tomorrow, and this time I'm going to wrap after 5 hrs and leave them in the smoker for the rest of the time.

Would appreciate any feedback or advice you all have.

Regards,
John in CO
Purebred Berkshire Pork

They Cookshack folks say the units when mostly filled w/meat. Ive never expierenced meat quite as dry as your describing. If you do foil your meat, next time add a quarter cup of apple juice to your meat. Wrap foil tight and place back in the cooker. It will rehydrate the meat. Ive done this several times and things turned out just fine.

Mike

John - I don't think it is an elevation effect, I live at 6900 ft asl and use a Smokette and have never had dry pork butt. I usually pull at 180 to 190, which takes about 2 hours per poind here. - Duffey