# Temperature in Boston Butt DROPPING



## frog (Nov 14, 2010)

I put 2 Boston Butts on last night at 11 pm.  This morning at around 7 am, the internal temp was 170.  Now the temp is at 150 and the grill has been 220 the entire time.

Is my thermometer broken?  Was I too close to the bone?

Color me confused...


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## Bearcarver (Nov 14, 2010)

Hmmmm, could very well be a bad thermometer.

Did you probe it when you started?

If so, the important question is what was the temp after 4 hours in the smoker at 220˚.

Do you have a backup thermometer of any type?


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## frog (Nov 14, 2010)

I probed it from the beginning.  Honestly, don't remember what the temp was 4 hours in.

I just used a backup thermometer and it confirmed that they're both around 150.  Both at 150 after 10 hours!

I'm using the BGE, by the way.

Thanks for the response.


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## Bearcarver (Nov 14, 2010)

frog said:


> I probed it from the beginning.  Honestly, don't remember what the temp was 4 hours in.
> 
> I just used a backup thermometer and it confirmed that they're both around 150.  Both at 150 after 10 hours!
> 
> ...


The reason I asked:
If you probed it at the beginning, it has to go from 40˚ to 140˚ in no longer than 4 hours, in order to be safe to eat.

If you don't know what the temps were at that point, you don't know if it is safe.

If you don't know if it is safe, it could be dangerous to eat (toxic).

I don't like to tell you that, but it's true.

I never do over night smokes for that reason, and I have a very reliable electric smoker (MES 40).

Many guys do over night smokes, but they are very experienced & know their smokers real good.

Bear


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## frog (Nov 14, 2010)

I was too antsy so I got up every hour last night.  So I know the smoker didn't drop.


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## eman (Nov 14, 2010)

Sounds like you hit the stall from hell.

But a 20 degree drop is more than normal???

 On edit: Try raising your cooking temp up to about 235 and see if your internals start to rise?

 Allmost sounds like you're not cooking at the temp you think you are.


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## SmokinAl (Nov 14, 2010)

I agree with eman, sounds like your smoker temp is not what you think it is.


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## rdknb (Nov 14, 2010)

I also agree with the 2 above, I have had some stalls but never with a 20 degree drop.  The smoker has to be at a lower temp then you think and may also be falling temps.  Good luck.


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## meateater (Nov 14, 2010)

I would suggest calibrating your therms first before so you can trust them, also have multiple therms on hand for backup. This is a smokers most important tool, I have three digital and three analog myself. This doesn't include the ones mounted on my smokers. You can never have too many. Here's a wiki on the subject. Hope this helps.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/wiki/thermometer-calibration


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