What is the 4 hour rule for smoking a pork butt. Does it have to do with temp. I sorry, Iam new at this.
Well said ChefMost meat and Chicken in particular, has some bacteria on the surface that, if not killed before they multiply to an unsafe level, can cause foodborne illness. The four hour rule is basically, get your meat heated above 140*F in 4 hours or less. For 99% of the nastiest, 140*F will kill them and there is little risk of getting sick. NOW you may have noticed I said, "on the surface" because the little buggers come from handling when the animal is slaughtered and cut up. When you grind the meat like for Sausage and Hamburger the bacteria is mixed ALL THROUGH THE MEAT! So unless a curing salt (a chemical that inhibits growth) is added, it is Super Critical to get to 140*F in 4 hours or less. How you handle the meat is important too. Keep it cold until it goes in the smoker or on the grill. Wash everything that the raw meat has touched BEFORE you handle or cut up any other food. And keep HOT food HOT, 140*F or higher and COLD food COLD, 40*F or less. Get a good thermometer to monitor equipment temps and meat temps.
I hope this helps...JJ