Help save my butt!

[trig]

I put my 7lb butt on the smoker this morning around 9-930. It's 12 now and I'm at 150 degrees! I think my thermometer on my smoker reads low, since it's at under 200 right now. I put an oven thermometer in there and it was reading 275 before I turned it down.

I got my foil ready and I'm going to foil it and put it in the oven at 230 degrees until 200.

Any ideas here? I know my thermo isn't hitting the bone as I moved it around a couple spots. The butt looks good but I was hoping to have dinner ready at 6, not 12!

 

[fire it up]

No problem, it will be fine for dinner.
Leave it in until it hits 160-165 then wrap in foil, finish in the smoker or the *oven* then when it hits 200-205 wrap in a towel, into an empty cooler or microwave or turned off oven and let sit.
It will keep hot for up to 6 hours at least and will be perfectly fine for dinner.

There's also a chance you will run into a stall if you haven't already.

Not usually a good idea to go by thermometers that come with most smokers, lots of times they are pretty inaccurate.

 

[trig]

Well I forgot to mention, this is my UDS. The thermometer has been replaced once but it only has a 1/2" probe on it, so I think it's being cooled from the outside or something. The butt looks real good and I turned down the smoker and can tell the meat is cooking slower, now at 160. I'm getting the foil right now and the oven is on.

I think I need to get a thermometer with like a 6" probe. This probably explains why my fatties have been finishing in like 1-1.5 hours as well.

 

[raceyb]

Excellent advice by Fired, as always. You'll be fine for dinner. You still have the plateau to get through and your rest time.

 

[trig]

So is the plateau usually after the 160 point? I was anticipating it but panicked when started cooking that fast.

 

[fire it up]

Generally my plateaus hit around 142 or 156ish but I have had them come after the 160 point.
Since you are foiling and finishing in the oven then if you do hit one you should sail through rather quickly.
Just don't forget about wrapping in the towel, very important if you are going to hold it hot for 4-5 hours.

 

[trig]

Alright, thanks man. Towels and cooler waiting for it when it's done.

 

[the dude abides]

You may or may not have a plataeu. If you're planning on pulling you've got to get it up to 200-205*F. No harm finishing in the oven once you foil since you're not going to get anymore smoke at that point anyway. You can run the oven at 250 or so to speed things up a bit if you're concerned about the finish time. If it gets done early, like FiU said, it'll hold for several hours at safe temps IF you've properly foiled and insulated for it's resting period.

Good luck and don't forget the qview

 

[pignit]

I think the instructions on new smokers should have "Throw away the temp gauge that came with this unit immediately" Seems like the leading cause of new smokers frustration and failure. The only way I go by my lid gauge is when I've run a rack probe and know the difference in the two. The rack temp your smokin at and the internal temp are two of the most important things in turnin out good Q.

It's gonna take longer than you think to get from 150 to 200.

Good advice here. Your gonna be good to go at 6!

 

[trig]

And it's foiled and in the oven!



About to put some sausage links on for warming up with dinner.

Thanks guys and I'll get a new thermometer stat!

 

[raceyb]

It is looking lovely!

 

[the dude abides]

Nice butt!

 

[trig]

Thanks!

I'm pretty stoked about eating this. It's my first butt, and actually the first time I've ever had or made home made pulled pork, so hopefully it goes right.

That, and I invited like 10 people over to eat my success, so I hope it turns out good, lol!

 

[fire it up]

Didn't realize it was the first one you had done, that's even better!

You are going to love it.

If you don't have one planned I would highly suggest using a finishing sauce on it, finishing sauce adds such a wonderful new layer to pulled pork, I don't even add BBQ to mine, just its own juices and some finishing sauce, topped with a little slaw....

Don't forget to take finished pictures

 

[trig]

The pulled pork was a success! Sorry, didn't get any pics of it, but it looked like anything else. Everyone liked it and I actually had a ton left over.

Note to self: Invite more people over when cooking 7lbs of pork and 3lbs of sausage. Everyone was stuffed!


One question though. I didn't trim the fat any before hand, but afterwards I wish I would have. Is there a special way to do this? I've also seen the fat side scored for whatever reason, and am wondering if I should do that or just cut it all off. I'm going to try to go to a butcher for my next one, but just for future reference, I'll need some help trimming these store bought butts.

Also, if someone could link me to a ebay ad or something with a decent long probe thermometer, that would be really helpful for next time!

Edit: I'm thinking about something like this!

http://cgi.ebay.com/2-1-4-GRILL-SMOK...item3357cbfebd


Edit-Edit: Just bought this one, like I should've a month ago!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...%3DI%26otn%3D2

 

[john3198]

Trig - you're on the right track, but you really need a couple of digital thermometers with probes. Put one near the grill (but held up off it with something like a ball of foil or a potatoe) and another in the meat you are cooking. These are the best way to know what is hapenning and you don't have to keep opening the door to know what the temperatures are.

There was a recent similar diacussion on the equpment section

;\\http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/for...ad.php?t=85679

 

[raceyb]

As for your questions regarding the fat, You can certainly trim some off before smoking. What I like to do is score the fat cap and leave it on. This way the fat can keep basting the meat as it melts. In the end, it comes right off with your hands anyways and is easy to discard or reserve some smoked fat for later use like flavoring greens or beans.

In the end, if you are looking for a leaner and healthier piece of meat, trim off the fat, but make sure you are mopping the meat to keep it moist. I simply score it and cook with fat side up for the first 160 degrees.

Your first ppb looked awesome going into the stove.

 

[smokebuzz]

1 thing to remember is, some hunks of meat refuse to cook slowly. I have had ALOT of briskets (14-16#) get done in 8-12 hours and turned out fantastic, and pork butts tend to cook to temp a little faster than most. And I run to gauges at 225-250. And then there is the hunks that refuse to take on heat and do the 2 hours a #. Being your first of many, you will experience this also in time.
When it come to fat cap, I don't trim on pork unless it is excessive, but do trim briskets to about 1/4" cap, just what I do, you will need to try and see what works for you.

LOOKS GREAT also!!!