Masterbuilt propane double door model # 20051311 Temperature issues

[richdm]

I have about 2 hours left. It is climbing closer to 300 but i am trying to keep under control. I read mixed reviews on foil. Not sure how to employ it

 

[richdm]

The smoke looks much more translucent now. Not billowing and white. In my opinion at least. Maybe you see something different..

 

[timberjet]

That smoke looks a little better to me. I would foil if I were you on this one because I don't know how much more smoke you will need to give it. That thing really puts out the smoke. Is that a fan I hear Can that be turned down? What is the internal temp of the meat now? If you read Bear's step by step you will see how to employ the foiling but it is really simple. I like to use a disposable foil pan myself and top that with two layers of foil. Normally it is the same pan that i caught all of my drippings in. I just pour the liquid out into a jar and put that in the fridge for a little while. Then defat and add back in at the end. You will want to do this when you are done cooking and ready for the rest as well. That stuff is really good and needs to be saved and added back in. I use apple juice for foiling liquid most of the time. I have used beer, root beer, etc... and it's all good but it seems that the apple juice goes well with the pork so I try to remember to have some when I am doing a butt. You don't need much juice, just about enough to cover the bottom of the pan. If you don't have a pan like that you can just double wrap in heavy duty foil with some juice and get the same effect. I find you get some leaking out all over when you do it this way. If you choose to foil do it at about 165 internal of the meat. That is where the stall will happen and is the best time to foil if that is what you are going to do. At this point you can bring it in the house and put it in your oven at 250 until it's 205 internal. Then once it gets there place it in a dry cooler wrapped in a couple of towels for 2 hours. I hope you are not planning on having this for dinner tonight because that probably aint going to happen. But, since I have no idea what your time zone is who knows. 2 hours per pound. By the way how many pounds is that thing? 2 hour rest. I hope I'm not repeating myself too much but I did say where you said you have 2 hours left??? What did you mean by that?

 

[timberjet]

Looking at the Butt again you should foil that thing like I said. Someone trimmed every bit of fat and stuff off of that thing and that stuff is there to protect it and keep it moist. If you do not foil you will have dry pork. IMHO.

 

[richdm]

Okay I put it in a foil pan with some juice at the bottom. I then double wrapped the top of it and put it back in the smoker. Before I did that I measured the temp- it was about 145-150 internal temp on the meat. I put it back in the smoker for a few. In about 20 minutes I will finish it off in the oven at 250. Right now I am at about 4.5 hours cook time so I will finish off the total of 6 hours in the oven. I think it is about 3 pounds so that math should add up. 

The fan in the background is for my house not the smoker.

 

[timberjet]

Just remember, pork can't tell time. It could be done right sooner or later. Every Butt is different. You can not cook large muscle meats by time but only by temperature. FOIL AT 165 next time . Monitor the meat temperature in the oven too and don't just wing it. It is foiled now so it will not take any more smoke. You might as well save some propane. It will be done a little over 200 degrees internal temp of the Butt then you need to do the resting step like I outlined to you. That is very very important. You don't want to go to this much trouble and mess it up at the very end.

 

[richdm]

Okay it is in the oven now finishing off. I will check back in about an hour and see what the internal temp is. I don't have a cooler. Do I just take an old bath towel and wrap it in that and put it somewhere room temp?

 

[timberjet]

That would be fine. It will still be piping hot when the rest is over. It will be great.

 

[timberjet]

By the way you can just poke the probe right through the foil and leave it in. just try not to have it touching any bones if there are any bones.

 

[richdm]

What is the point of letting it rest? Just curious

 

[timberjet]

You are redistributing the moisture in the meat. It is also breaking down more tough tissue while it is resting. The beauty of a pork shoulder is how tough it is to begin with and then when you have cooked it low and slow for long enough it is the tenderest thing imaginable. You should rest everything. Steaks, chicken, pork chops, turkey, meatloaf, burgers, chuck roast, tri tip, sirloin tip, flank steak, skirt steak, pork loin, you get the picture right? just everything you grill or smoke in the way of meat.

 

[richdm]

 
Just remember, pork can't tell time. It could be done right sooner or later. Every Butt is different. You can not cook large muscle meats by time but only by temperature. FOIL AT 165 next time . Monitor the meat temperature in the oven too and don't just wing it. It is foiled now so it will not take any more smoke. You might as well save some propane. It will be done a little over 200 degrees internal temp of the Butt then you need to do the resting step like I outlined to you. That is very very important. You don't want to go to this much trouble and mess it up at the very end.

I have it in the oven at 250 for about 40 minutes now. It's only at 160 degrees. It has a total cook time of 5 hours 15 minutes at this point. Doesnt look like it will reach 200 degrees by 6 hours. Any insight?

 

[timberjet]

Ok I said it earlier but I will say it again. Take Jeff's free 5 day e-course. I would even recommend his book because I have it too and it really goes in depth about why and how to do things. It costs a few bucks but is well worth it so that you can take advantage of that smoker so you don't decide to go half cocked on some 60 dollar brisket or something without knowing a spatula from a hole in the ground. I was a newby once and all this stuff has helped me to make the food I cook ten thousand times better than when I didn't know anything except how to grill a hamburger and hotdog.

 

[timberjet]

I have highlighted everything you need to know about this in red. Please read what I wrote already. I am taking the time to really help you get this thing cooked right. Please read what I wrote.

 

[timberjet]

Ok I don't have the patience for this anymore. Would someone please help this guy?

 

[richdm]

The question I asked last had nothing to do with what you said before. I appreciate all of the time and help you gave me but don't be a dick and tell me you don't have patience for it anymore. Just don't answer. I signed up for the course and I have been reading it, doesn't say anything yet on what I just asked which was purely for your insight, not some concrete answer. But I won't fight with you over an internet blog. Thanks for your help. No need for it anymore, I've got it from here.

 

[timberjet]

I don't think you even read half of what I tried to help you with because it doesn't seem like any of it sunk in. I already told you there would be a stall and what a stall is. I also told you what temperature to foil at. I also told you a lot more. If you just would have looked at the link I posted for you on the first page you would already have the answers that you are looking for.There is a search bar at the top of the page as well and all you have to do is type in what you need to find out and read. I am sorry that you think I am being a dick but I don't feel the need to answer the same question over and over and over and over. I hope your Butt turns out good and it will if you just follow all the advice and insight that I have given you. Bear put a lot of effort into his step by steps and I for one am glad they are here so I can help people by sharing his information that he so diligently and professionally put together. There is a lot to learn but pork shoulder is pretty easy. Happy smoking. Timber