time and smoker temps

Oh boy!, looks like you might be a type "A" smoker. We'll need Smokin's help with giving you the correct recipe.

As far as that 5* difference in temp, think of a full glass of ice in 70* weather, how much faster do you really think it will melt if the temp is 75*?

Temp is only a target, you'll have to learn when the meat is properly cooked.

A 6 lb pork butt could take 12 hrs, so nothing unusual there. Have you read Pork Butt 101? It should help answer some questions for you.

Cal and Pags:

Thanks for the info. I have been lurking on this forum for a few months. Finally decided to take the leap and got a great deal on the discontinued smokette essential. The pork turned out awesome, especially for our 1st smoke, and thanks to this forum and that experience I picked up a some good advice. Looking forward to a world of pulled pork!

I have a 020, very good smoker.

I would guess that your PB had hit the plateau, sometimes the temp of the meat will actually go down, along with the temp of the smoker.

It wasn't the raising of the smoker by 5* as much as the PB had, or was about to, break out of the plateau.

When the PB is ready for pulling is when the probe will slide into the PB with no resistance. The meat by the bone will be the last to finish cooking.

Low and slow makes good pork eating.