I am the new owner of an older Smokette 008. I have a pork butt just under 6 lbs. in, and after approx. 9 hours, the internal temp is just at 120 degrees. Problems here, or is this within the realm of normal?
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Your PB should be at plateau (160-165) if not a bit higher.
What temp did you set to cook at? Have you verified the internal smoker temp with a themometer? Are the wood chunks brown/black or black/grey? The heating element end needs to be in contact with the wood pan. Check & verify.
If it's sitting slightly below the pan you can gently coax it up.
How long did it take to finish? Results?
What temp did you set to cook at? Have you verified the internal smoker temp with a themometer? Are the wood chunks brown/black or black/grey? The heating element end needs to be in contact with the wood pan. Check & verify.
If it's sitting slightly below the pan you can gently coax it up.
How long did it take to finish? Results?
MaxQ, I set it between the 225 - 250 range. I will check the element and wood once it cools. This is a live report about a work in progress, so I haven't yet pulled it. I have not yet done a comprehensive test of the interior temps. I just got my probe yesterday. I hope I'm not having a thermostat or element issue. Is there any maintenance that should be done to the thermostat?
Are you using a digital thermometer? If so, did you calibrate it with ice water/ boiling water? If you have two, you can cross check them against each other. What temp. were you smoking at?
If it's not working, I'd wrap in foil and finish in an oven. You're not going to get any more smoke anyway. Good luck & good eats!
We've moved the butt into the house oven now. A big question is, since it took it hours to reach 120 and had stayed there for so long, is it still safe to bring in and cook to 205 internal without safety risks.
Back to the 008:
I had it set to approx. 225+. Knob turned completely clockwise and backed off just a hair. One thing I did do yesterday to get a very rough idea of function was to turn the unit on with one chunk of apple, and just put a regular pocket pen-type food thermometer dangling into the smoke hole. It reached a temp of around 190 and then started going down. I just get a general feeling that it is not getting hot for very long, and not cycling back up.
Back to the 008:
I had it set to approx. 225+. Knob turned completely clockwise and backed off just a hair. One thing I did do yesterday to get a very rough idea of function was to turn the unit on with one chunk of apple, and just put a regular pocket pen-type food thermometer dangling into the smoke hole. It reached a temp of around 190 and then started going down. I just get a general feeling that it is not getting hot for very long, and not cycling back up.
Best thing to do is set your 008 to the highest setting...I think it's 250...and put a digi probe in there and monitor for an hour. Due to the age of the unit, your element might need replacement. You might call Bill or Tony in customer tech support tomorrow and discuss results with them.
As for the safety factor, I'm 98% sure you'll be ok at a 205 finish temp...a little high IMO...190-195 works well for me for pull apart pork that isn't mushy. Btw...you can smoked butts at 250...cut's down on time.
Let us know how the pork turns out and what you find out about the heat issue.
As for the safety factor, I'm 98% sure you'll be ok at a 205 finish temp...a little high IMO...190-195 works well for me for pull apart pork that isn't mushy. Btw...you can smoked butts at 250...cut's down on time.
Let us know how the pork turns out and what you find out about the heat issue.
I always error on the safe side: The US health department recommends all meat reach an internal temp of 140 with in 4 hours of heating. At that temp bacteria stops growing and producing toxins. If the meat remains below 140 for 4+ hours the bacteria will produce toxins which are harmful or worse. These toxins will not be destroyed no matter how high a temp you cook the meat to. 9 hours at 120 seems way too long unless you have a thermometer calibration problem.
It breaks my heart, but it looks like this butt is going into the trash. It looks really good, but I am sonewhat concerned about the safety.
Back to the 008 again, what is striking is that the unit doesn't look like it's been used much at all. The interior had very little staining. What it does reveal is that it appears that someone has either replaced or attempted to replace the thermostat once before. The label has been cut in the area where to 2 screws fasten at the dial.
Back to the 008 again, what is striking is that the unit doesn't look like it's been used much at all. The interior had very little staining. What it does reveal is that it appears that someone has either replaced or attempted to replace the thermostat once before. The label has been cut in the area where to 2 screws fasten at the dial.
quote:Originally posted by HawkGT:
We've moved the butt into the house oven now. A big question is, since it took it hours to reach 120 and had stayed there for so long, is it still safe to bring in and cook to 205 internal without safety safety risks
Okay, here is my take on it.....
If the butt was sterile(whole piece of muscle that wasn't violated) the outside would have been above the safety zone soon enough to not worry about the danger zone.
Now if you didn't sterilize your probe or you injected the butt, you may have some concerns.
Like MaxQ(a professional chef), I too think you are safe....maybe not by the letter of the law for public resale though.
HawkGT,
Don't feel too bad
. As someone wise on this forum once said, "Food is Cheap, Doctors are Expensive"!
Being a doctor who has had food poisoning, I can attest to both statements!
Bill & Tony will get you up and running in no time! Better luck next time!
Don't feel too bad
. As someone wise on this forum once said, "Food is Cheap, Doctors are Expensive"! Being a doctor who has had food poisoning, I can attest to both statements!
Bill & Tony will get you up and running in no time! Better luck next time!
Will be calling on Tony today. Here's what I will be relaying:
Checked my new Acurite thermometer. Seems to be very accurate.
Condition of the two apple chunks after approx. 10 hrs? The one nearest the door was black at the bottom with just a bit of ash, dark brown at top. The one in the middle was black and was about 50% reduced to ash.
Did a test of the interior temps with my thermometer wrapped in foil and placed near the thermostat in the back of the box:
183 17 min
187 27 min (starts falling right after this, so I bump the thermostat to 250 to see what happens)
182 30 min
162 45 min
198 1:04
168 1:25
157 2:18
154 4:02
Tried again this morning with thermostat set to 250 and thermometer probe dangling in box. Reached 200 after 33 minutes and begins to fall shortly after. 161 at 48 min.
Is there any cleaning, adjustment or maintenance of the thermostat?
Checked my new Acurite thermometer. Seems to be very accurate.
Condition of the two apple chunks after approx. 10 hrs? The one nearest the door was black at the bottom with just a bit of ash, dark brown at top. The one in the middle was black and was about 50% reduced to ash.
Did a test of the interior temps with my thermometer wrapped in foil and placed near the thermostat in the back of the box:
183 17 min
187 27 min (starts falling right after this, so I bump the thermostat to 250 to see what happens)
182 30 min
162 45 min
198 1:04
168 1:25
157 2:18
154 4:02
Tried again this morning with thermostat set to 250 and thermometer probe dangling in box. Reached 200 after 33 minutes and begins to fall shortly after. 161 at 48 min.
Is there any cleaning, adjustment or maintenance of the thermostat?
Tony was extremely helpful. I have ordered a new thermostat. Updates to come.