First Picnic Shoulder/tied to the smoking post

I didn't see you mention which type of smoker you are using. If it's a Cookshack I very much doubt that you are getting thermal loss at outside temps of 43. I've smoked with outside temps well below 0 without any problems.

Have you verified your smoker temps before? If not I would suggest you fire up the smoker with a temp probe and check the temp every 15 minutes, do this for a few hours. You will see temp swings, which is normal, but you should average very close to your dail setting. If your temps are way below then there may be an issue. Are you using an extension cord? Whenever possible always plug directly into an outlet, or use a heavy guage extension cord in the shortest lenght needed.

I'm sure others will offer advice as well.
Don

Thank You Trucky;
I am using a 12' 3 conductor #12 cord(no V drop there) I did in fact take readings ( temp readings) and the temp is going as high as 146 and drops to 212 before starting to regain.I feel the Smokshack Smokette has a defective thermostat or probe.This explains the long cook times .The two pcs of meat i cooked were very good indeed but the amount of time was highly suspect of a defect.It is definitly NOT the Taylor checking the temps as it is new and also has been checked with ambient and other known temps.I will need a replacement as i just got this last week.I am sure Cookshack has a problem now and then.I can not wait to get my new one and start again..........

Must be a typo here.. Get's as high as 146 and drops to 212..??? Should that be as high as 246 and dropping to 212.. or gets as high as 212 and drops to 146. If it's 246 to 212 that sounds pretty good.

If you are checking your Taylor with ambient temp, I'd suggest a more through check. Dunk the tip of the probe in ICE water and it should be close to 32ºF and in BOILING water should be close to 212º.

There's a possibility the probe or t'couple is faulty.. but, slim. You should call Tony at Cookshack on monday.. but, I'd suggest fully piercing a potato so the tip of the probe is away from the spud and run the check again. Put a couple of chunks in the hopper and make sure the aluminum foil (if you are using it) is not blocking the flow of air.. and make sure the hopper is installed correctly.. ie, big slots to the back.. smaller to the front.

Either way, Cookshack's Tony will be a big help.. it's pretty unlikely it's the shack.. but, might be.

BTW, when I do a butt/shoulder.. I put it at 250º.

Also, what's up with changing the temp and foiling? Put it in at 225-250* and LEAVE IT ALONE! My CS will do 2 butts at 10* ambient temp in about 8 hours. Your's will too if you leave it alone.

Yes typo.245-212 .This seems to move up and down the temp scale .

quote:

Originally posted by weekend smoke:
Yes typo.245-212 .This seems to move up and down the temp scale .

If you were set at 225, that's an acceptable range. Realize it's the average temp that you would watch.

Dropping the temp to 200 WILL extend the time, by a lot, so just realize that.

The times for the brisket were fine, so something else changed for the pork. Did you open the door much. Each time there will be a heat loss.

quote:

Originally posted by weekend smoke:
It DEFINETLY has a thermal loss in cold temps.

Well, not to disagree, but it's not definite. The insulation in the smoker is fine for smoking in Alaska and I think Illinois in Oct wouldn't be a problem.

Too many times, when you induce a lot of variables, then it's hard to isolate.

Put the butt in at 250 and let it go. Don't open the door.

Check the temp probe

Check the smoker for temp (but your brisket times sound fine)

Smokin'

only opened the door once to wrap in foil @ 156 .Closed and set @200 as I had to leave and thought I may overcook.Returned 4.5 hours later and moved to 250.It then took until the next day to reach 197 when I removed it.It was very good and super moist.I happen to like the foil method ( read this in another Cookshack Q file) and just want to get my times straight and if so equipment also.I just noticed the temp fall as the sun fell and the ambient temp fell 20 degrees i lost 6 or so degrees temp in the meat.I thought it had to be thermal.is there another explanation?

Weekend Smoke

This might be a possibility:
I noticed you started at 6 am and then opened the door about 12 hours later (6 pm? as the sun was falling). You stated that the meat temp was 158 degrees. This could have meant the meat was just reaching the "plateau" temp area where it may sit for several hours as fat is rendered. Some have posted in the past that they have actually seen the temp go down, not just stall at this point. It may be that just as it was reaching this plateau, you opened the door and wrapped, then with the smoker temp lowered to 200 degrees it just took a long time to move through this plateau. Could've been the sun going down was just coincidental timing.

Thanks for all the input.I am sure it will work out and life will go on . In any event the meat was super and I will not stop or slow my adventure with my Cookshack smoker!I will report back with my discoveries in the next week after speaking with the techs. @ Cookshack and solving the issue.It can not be much as the unit and factors are way to simple.Thanks again and the forum is a great tool you and others have provided!

My initial reaction is there is nothing wrong with your Smokette.

Do not open the door.

Do not foil pork butts. (I am actually offended by this.)

Turn it up all the way and leave it alone until the meat is done.

Your smoker will get more efficient the more you use it.

Only wipe it out with paper towels. Do not remove the seasoning.

Let us know when EUREKA!!! sets in.

I hate the fact that i am new and I have already offended someone with a name like Purebred Hick LOL ( I am just kidding)I will try without the foil wrapping as soon as I install the new thermostat and re-check heat.Thanks for the advice and I will report back on how the new approach pans out.Actually the meat was very good with the foil and very moist (loved it)as well as all others who ate the Pork.The tech listened to my story and said he though the thermostat was in fact defective and promptly sent a replacement.

What GLH,and the other fine cooks above are saying is that we don't always need to try all things-at once.

Sometime ,letting the smoker do what it is designed to do,produces a superior product.

Without doing this,it is hard to know for sure.

Yes,cooking in foil can produce the same product as a pressure cooker,or crockpot-if that is what we are trying to emulate.

Yes,foil can have its specific uses.

If you are cooking on a pure log burner and unable to control your smoke,this lessens it.

If you are at a comp,and are way behind schedule,and don't care about the bark and overall texture,you can crank the heat on a foiled product and perform just like your house oven.

If you are flowing large amounts of air[like some logburners,but certainly not a Cookshack] this might prevent having a dry/tough bark]