ahhh! the dreaded stall!

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smoking pipes

Newbie
Original poster
May 14, 2014
29
10
Ste. Genevieve, MO
Smoking my first pork butt right now. I have read about the stall. Now I have experienced it! I decided to cook a 3lb Boston butt with the bone removed as my first try. Even though its fairly small, I have been stuck on 151F for 45 minutes! Since I'm new, I am not sure what to do. Some say foil it (which I did 45 minutes ago) and some say to raise the smoker temp. Others say leave it alone. Suggestions? I am using my UDS and am holding fairly steady in the 220-225 range.
 
Let it be, yeah let it be! 
roflmao.gif
 
If your not in a hurry, I say :cheers: & roll with it... Ya can wrap but the reason I personally don't like wrapping is because it will soften the bark... However, wrapping will push thru the stall better... It's a double edge sword ..... LOL ! Or ya can show that stubborned butt who's boss by :779: LOL.... :ROTF.... Seriously, I'd crack a cold one & let er roll, but it's up to you !
 
From what I've read, 1 hour wrapped in the foil inside a towel in a cooler. What would you suggest? Is there any harm in pulling earlier, if it gets late and my family gets hungry?
 
You CAN eat it right off the cooker, but you will have a better product if you let it rest a bit.

You need to train your family that the Q is done when the Q is done... and not a minute before. It's a hard lesson to learn.
 
You CAN eat it right off the cooker, but you will have a better product if you let it rest a bit.
You need to train your family that the Q is done when the Q is done... and not a minute before. It's a hard lesson to learn.

I hear ya! Problem is, it's hard to get a 4 year old and 3 year old to understand that! Dad needs to learn to start a butt earlier. After 6 hours I'm at 180F with only a 3lb butt. And I follow the no peek rule and have a good maverick thermometer. Not sure why its taking so long.
 
Late response here but... you can always wrap in foil and crank up the hear some to help it through the stall. At that temp, you won't be gaining any more smoke.

Don't let a small piece of meat fool you - they can take just as long as a bigger hunk o meat. It's all about breaking down the collagen.
 
I smoked a 5# butt this weekend and it took a solid 7 1/2 hours to get to 205. My family was drooling, but I made them wait. It was worth every minute of the wait.
 
My first attempt at smoking I had the stall but had neighbor up  the street that said he always puts more heat to it. On my gas smoker I could do that and get away with not too erratic temps. I have found that meat will stall and so I always try to start earlier if I am doing a repeat smoke the next week or so. Otherwise on the wood smoker I would rather ride the temps out and let the stall run its course. Part of the thrill of the smoke is to tame the temps early on and then the next level is to enjoy the experience and let it happen. Having shared all of that, I have done it all the ways you mentioned but find it more relaxing to wait out the stall.

 I have poultry stall on me and I can be as nervous as an expectant new father.  I learned to sit back and have another of whatever I'm having and wait.  Just my 2 cents. 
 
All great advice. Especially sit back and have a cold one and just ride it out. I smoked some 1 1/2" thick pork chops this weekend for a group of 18 and even those hit a stall at 140 for 45 min then shot up to 145 in a 15 minute period. I used the tip of enjoying a cold beer with buddies to push it through!
 
All great advice. Especially sit back and have a cold one and just ride it out. I smoked some 1 1/2" thick pork chops this weekend for a group of 18 and even those hit a stall at 140 for 45 min then shot up to 145 in a 15 minute period. I used the tip of enjoying a cold beer with buddies to push it through!
The stall is just one of those things that you just get when you cook a thick cut of meat.  Don't dread it, don't try to beat it, plan accordingly for estimated cook time and enjoy the cold ones.
 
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