# Not sure what to do ??



## brianh4 (Jan 9, 2021)

I purchased a new country smoker pellet grill at tractor supply. My first experience with pellet cooking.   I smoked 3 racks of baby backs and 2 trimmed brisket last weekend and they all came out great.  Temps were in the neighborhood of 40°. 
I put a approx 7 lbs  pork butt last night around 9pm.  Temps dropped into the mid 20s. Had smoker set to 250°. Checked it around 2am and turned up to 275°. Long story short,  Temps got into the 40s today and finally devised to wrap in pink Butcher paper at 155° meat temp.  Never got past 168° meat temp scent after 22 hours.  HELP !!


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## Kevin DeShazo (Jan 9, 2021)

What kind of thermometer were you using and what was the internal smoker tip. If its the built in therm, ditch it for a good multiprobe therm


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## brianh4 (Jan 9, 2021)

Using the probe that came with the smoker,  and using a little instant read that's a little more accurate.  I've read the probes that come with most smokers are junk.  Just thought I'd try my luck with some pulled pork this weekend since all went pretty good last weekend.  Finishing the pork butt in the oven as we speak.


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## tropics (Jan 9, 2021)

Kevin DeShazo said:


> What kind of thermometer were you using and what was the internal smoker tip. If its the built in therm, ditch it for a good multiprobe therm


I 2nd that


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## brianh4 (Jan 9, 2021)

The internal smoker temp fluctuates allot, in sure it's because of the colder Temps.  If I set it to 250, it seems to run between 175 and 275.  Thinking about a blanket.  I really like to keep smoking during the winter.  Maybe just a learning thing,  and a new thermometer.


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## SmokinEdge (Jan 9, 2021)

Don’t worry about set temp. Tell me what your grate temp was. That’s what you need to watch. May need to run your set temp to 300 to get a grate temp of say 250. This is learning your cooker. A welding blanket from harbor freight over the cooker can save a lot of grief. Insulation.


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## brianh4 (Jan 9, 2021)

I honestly have no idea what my gate temp is,  will be ordering a new multi probe thermometer.  The welding blanket is an awesome idea.


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## ofelles (Jan 9, 2021)

What everybody has said.  The cold ambient temp makes the cooker work harder so a blanket will help.  Plus some meat has a mind of it's own and can take a lot long or shorter time than normal.   This usually show up with brisket especially.


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## Bearcarver (Jan 10, 2021)

brianh4 said:


> Using the probe that came with the smoker,  and using a little instant read that's a little more accurate.  I've read the probes that come with most smokers are junk.  Just thought I'd try my luck with some pulled pork this weekend since all went pretty good last weekend.  Finishing the pork butt in the oven as we speak.




Wind is the culprit!!, Not Temp.
Wind can suck the heat right out of a smoker.
When you had that "Pretty Good" time last weekend, it probably wasn't windy.
Once you get your accurate set of Therms, put your Smoker Probe about 3" from the meat---Close enough to measure the air around the Meat, but far enough away from the Meat to not be affected by the Cold Meat in the beginning of your Smoke.

Bear


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## SmokinAl (Jan 10, 2021)

Finish it in the oven until it’s probe tender or until the bone wiggles out.
Al


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