Well....the verdict is a split decision. I put the 4.50 lb butt on Saturday mid-morning, figuring about 1.5 hours per pound. The smoker started doing it's thing, filling my yard with the delicious aroma of barbeque on the way! I resisted the temptation to peek, and kept an eye on my remote thermometer. After 6 hours, the internal temp was up to 150. I thought that was a bit low, but it's my first time, so I waited patiently. 3 hours later, it's up to 152. I'm puzzled, but still refused the the urge to lift the lid and peek! I go to bed, setting my clock for an hour. I get back up, still at 152. Short version, I leave it 2 more hours, and it never got past 154. I figured it must be the thermostat in the smoker (considering the instructions said it should only take 4-6 hours!) I removed the lid, took out the butt, heated my oven to 225, and 1 hour later, my thermometer beeps, telling me it's ready. So here I am, 3:30 in the morning, wrapping this project up and putting it in a cooler to rest for a few hours. Next morning, I'm pulling some very tasty barbeque! So, I guess I learned that you definitely can't over cook it, but also learned that I need to go shopping for a new smoker!
One question, however: I put the butt in one of those prefab aluminum broiler pans you get at the grocery store, you know, the ones that are one time use deals. I figured it would make cleanup easier. Would THAT have absorbed the heat of the smoker enough (kinda like a heat sink) to keep the butt from getting up to temp? Ridicule or suggestions welcome!
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