Butts Cooking too fast?

And I bet she's either still around 170 or even went back to 169.

You're close to the stall point where the rendering starts. It'll stick at that temp for a few hours.

I'm in the same spot as I type.


Don't worry...soon you be asking why the hell the temps won't budge.


But, for the sake of asking. You're sure you didn't get the end of the probe into an air pocket on that boneless butt right?

Hhmmm...

Usually boneless take longer cause they don't have the advantage of the heat conduit that the bone usually provides.

You really never know. Are you complaining? That would be a first!

The Smokette is noticeably more efficient with a full or near full load in.

If you have done your homework, you know the drill. Don't make me say it!

I am just worried these guys will be done while I am sleeping tonight. I will probably set an alarm for 4 and check them.

Well, if you're worried you can always pull the temp back to 200 or 195. You won't need to, but you can definitely sleep knowing she won't be 215 degrees when you wake up.

Yep, I would turn down to 200* and sleep late. No sense worrying, they will be fine! Turn up full blast when you get up. Next time start them when you go to bed at night, on 200* and then turn up all the way when you get up.
Besides, what is done to you with pork butts? I have had them at 205*+ and then wrapped in foil and rested for hours, and they still can't be beat. It is hard to go wrong with them. Relax, then get excited when it is time to pull and eat!

Now I feel better...

They came up to 174* last night at 11:30 which made me a little nevous. I wanted to be able to sleep through the night and not have to take them out At 5:00 a.m. they were STILL 174*. Now they are 180* at 8:00.

Right on schedule. Should be warm and delicious for game time. GO BLUE!!!

R.I.P. Bo

Anyway, I pulled them at 1:00 when my temp guage reached 192*. Something strange happened though...

I opened the door when the internal temp read 192*. I reinserted the probe in several places a few minutes later and I was getting readings below 180*. It was cold out and the door was open, but will they cool that fast? They were definitely done to perfection becasue they were falling apart.

Anyway...I'm not complaining. They were delicious. Just curious why the temp was so low when I re-tested. I thought they would hold the 192* temp a little longer.

Thanks

Who knows, it gets pretty cold up there.

Did the meat shred easily?

No they won't cool that fast. You probably had the probe in the first place touching a pocket or something. That's why it's good to do what you did, check multiple spots.

Even with the low temps, the meat shredded almost effortlessly. Thats why I was a little confused. They were definitely done, and done well. If I had to guess, I would say they averaged 182* after a rest in the ice box.

I agree that the original probe placement could have been the problem. I guess that could be a problem with a boneless butt since its sort of butterflied, then tied back together creating some pockets.

I am going to get one more probe since they are a cheap way of double checking yourself. This will keep me from opening the door to probe around the meat.

Again, not complaining. Just learning...and eatin' good.

Some butts will pull well and some won't at that temp.


That's why you see so many responses of "it's done when it's done" when someone asks. If you were to buy a butt and smoke it 10 weekends in a row each would have a different sweet spot. The best way to tell(for me) is to place the bone side towards the door and when it gets within 10 degrees of my target open the door and give her a tug. If she comes out its done. If not, let her go till the target temp.

I actually like my butts from 189-190. Mostly because I REALLY like pork fat on my sammiches and the higher you go the more will render out and off the pork butt.


Glad you had a good experience!

Boneless butts are almost butterflied. Did you cook it "unrolled"? ...or did you roll it back up, secure with butcher's twine, and then cook? I'd guess the former.