Is Your Butt Too Big ?

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q dawg

Smoke Blower
Original poster
Jan 11, 2010
79
10
Is there a point (size) when a chunk of meat is too big to safely make it passed the 140* in the required time....at 250* temp. I've read here on SMF of those doing 26 lb. chunks of beef....I was even starting to worry about my 5 - 8lb. pork butts until I've seen the size of some that are being smoked....JUST A THOUGHT !!!

Q Dawg
 
Now did you see the smoker that that big hunk of beef went onto it's a large smoker too. Now bruce (dirt guy) knows what he's doing to. I wouldn't worry with your 6-8lb butts you will get them up to temp in time.
 
Quote:
Unpunctured, intact muscle need only have the outside 0.5 inch pass through 140 degrees within 4 hours. Something easily done at temps of 200 F or more.

Now if you inject it, you have changed the "intact nature" of the meat and should treat it as ground meat or forced meat. This means the inside temp of the meat must pass through 140 within four hours. Usually requiring a temp of at least 275 F or better.
Unpunctured, intact muscle need only have the outside 0.5 inch pass through 140 degrees within 4 hours. Something easily done at temps of 200 F or more.

Now if you inject it, you have changed the "intact nature" of the meat and should treat it as ground meat or forced meat. This means the inside temp of the meat must pass through 140 within four hours. Usually requiring a temp of at least 275 F or better.

FWIW, I actually didn't inject the shoulder until about the 3 hr. mark. I cooked for about 90 minutes, rolled the meat over and cooked another 90 minutes. At that time, I did the injection on the top side, rolled it back over and injected what had been the bottom side. I left it alone after that until it hit 150 (I think--it's in the thread). Once that temp was reached it was foiled to prevent the outside from drying out too much. I pulled it once it reached 190. The bark on the bottom side was now soft (not crunchy). But, it was being chopped up for BBQ sandwiches anyway. The bark will be softened up by the sauce and the time in the roaster.

Food safety is something we need to pay close attention to. I hope I never give advice that is contrary to safety standards. If I ever do, please correct meASAP.
 
Learn your smoker with smaller sections first. Last Thanksgiving I did a 19 7/8 pound bird from 39* to 140* in 3.5 hours. The probe was deep in the breast. I was concerned but pulled it off.
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