Weather took an ugly turn.....what to do? (Final pics posted)

[trevor77]

I started 4 butts nice and early this morning and all was going well.  Temperatures were cool and hover around 38F.  Now the temps have dropped to about 33F and it's raining pretty hard and the wind has picked up.  The smoker temp is having trouble maintaining and is slowly dropping but still above 225F.  The meat is currently at 145F IT.

What's the best course of action in this case?  I was hoping to get the IT up to 160 and then foil it and finish in the oven

 

[rgautheir20420]

You should be at your 160 very soon. I'd throw a bit more fuel on the fire to get that temp up just a bit for the last hour. Even if the temp gets closer to 300, you won't hurt anything. A butt is very forgiving and there are many that go hot and fast even. Once you're at 160, pull and foil and into the oven I say.

 

[seenred]

You have some options.

1. Don't know where your rig is set up, but you could try to move it to a more sheltered area.

2. Build a makeshift wind/weather break around or over the smoker.

3. Tough it out and plan on consuming more fuel to keep your temps up.

4. You could always cut your losses and shut the smoker down, and finish those butts in the oven.

Probably some other options I'm not thinking of right off the top of my head...Good luck and let us know how it turns out! Thumbs Up

Red

 

[trevor77]

 
You should be at your 160 very soon. I'd throw a bit more fuel on the fire to get that temp up just a bit for the last hour. Even if the temp gets closer to 300, you won't hurt anything. A butt is very forgiving and there are many that go hot and fast even. Once you're at 160, pull and foil and into the oven I say.

Topped up the fuel and temps are rising.  I just wish I knew where my rain jacket was

 

[rgautheir20420]

 
Topped up the fuel and temps are rising.  I just wish I knew where my rain jacket was

Maybe it's in the fridge labeled "booze" 

Nothing like a beer and watching the rain fall.

 

[trevor77]

You have some options.

1. Don't know where your rig is set up, but you could try to move it to a more sheltered area.

2. Build a makeshift wind/weather break around or over the smoker.

3. Tough it out and plan on consuming more fuel to keep your temps up.

4. You could always cut your losses and shut the smoker down, and finish those butts in the oven.

Probably some other options I'm not thinking of right off the top of my head...Good luck and let us know how it turns out!

Red

The kicker is I'm under a gazebo.......but with no roof.  I haven't put it on yet for the summer.  I did however manage to tarp off the area above the smoker and I put a tarp up between 2 of the gazebo uprights to block some wind.  Things seems to be looking better now.  

I'll see how things are going once I get to 160 but I'll most likely bring it inside. 

This is only my second smoke so if I can get through this it all gets better, right?

 

[seenred]

The kicker is I'm under a gazebo.......but with no roof.  I haven't put it on yet for the summer.  I did however manage to tarp off the area above the smoker and I put a tarp up between 2 of the gazebo uprights to block some wind.  Things seems to be looking better now.  



I'll see how things are going once I get to 160 but I'll most likely bring it inside. 



This is only my second smoke so if I can get through this it all gets better, right?

Yeah it definitely gets better...but we've all had the weather go south on us one time or another, and had to power through a smoke we had already begun. If you can master your pit in bad conditions, just imagine how great you'll do when conditions are ideal?

Hang in there...and let us know how it turned out!

Red

 

[trevor77]

Everything seems to be going good.  I've put a picture below of the butts just off the smoker.  They are currently foiled and in the oven.  Thanks guys for the help.  I'll post some finished pictures later on.

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• trevor77
• Apr 8, 2015

 

[b-one]

Wow, those are Looking great!

 

[trevor77]

I wanted to get this posted last night but the need for sleep before waking up at 4:30am today came first.

Here's some of the pictures from thoughout the cook.

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• trevor77
• Apr 9, 2015

This is sometime before the weather turned nasty.  Just finished spraying with some apple juice and bourbon

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• trevor77
• Apr 9, 2015

After about 10 hours on the smoker.  Just getting ready to be foiled and put in the oven to finish.

20150408_174519.jpg

• trevor77
• Apr 9, 2015

Taking a well deserved break

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• trevor77
• Apr 9, 2015

Here's a few pics after the butts came out of the oven.  

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• trevor77
• Apr 9, 2015

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• trevor77
• Apr 9, 2015

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• trevor77
• Apr 9, 2015

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• trevor77
• Apr 9, 2015

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• trevor77
• Apr 9, 2015

Overall a great learning experience and thanks to the guys who passed on some well used advice for bad weather.

This pulled pork was my donation to a lunch/bake sale fundraiser for a co-worker who's niece who is undergoing treatment for stage 4 liver cancer which just happens to be the same cancer that killed her mother, my co-workers sister, two years ago.  I brought the crock pot today and the foil tray is for tomorrow.  I almost wish I had done more.  The crock pot sold out within 10 minutes and I had people asking if I had more.  We ended up raising just under $1000 today and hopefully do just as well tomorrow.

The is now my second time smoking and I'm starting to get addicted.  I think ribs are next

 

[b-one]

Good looking pork for a great cause hopefully you can sell out tomorrow as well. You got a great smoke ring that's for sure. So are you going to foil the ribs? I suggest try both ways see which you like better,I prefer no foil,but eat them anyway there given to me!

 

[seenred]

Looks like the pork came out great! Nicely done...and good on ya for chipping in to a good cause.

:points:

Red