Advice

[Mabpath]

Tried my first pork butt smoke this weekend. ive done many on my old Green Egg so I’m not a total novice. A four pound pound butt so not to big. Set temp at 240 and probe at 195. Wrapped in foil at 170. Going great but at 7 hours in the probe stalled at 180 so I figured this is the typical stall we always see but after an additional two hours still at 180. Left it smoke for another hour. Still 180. Pulled it off let it cool. Total disaster. Way over cooked dry and powdery. Any suggestions. The good news the ribs I did on Friday were great

 

[JpsBBQ]

Tried my first pork butt smoke this weekend. ive done many on my old Green Egg so I’m not a total novice. A four pound pound butt so not to big. Set temp at 240 and probe at 195. Wrapped in foil at 170. Going great but at 7 hours in the probe stalled at 180 so I figured this is the typical stall we always see but after an additional two hours still at 180. Left it smoke for another hour. Still 180. Pulled it off let it cool. Total disaster. Way over cooked dry and powdery. Any suggestions. The good news the ribs I did on Friday were great

Always check a probe. It could be in a fat vein etc. secondly, if You’ve wrapped butts before it’s common knowledge that once the temp starts to rise it does so continuously and consistently. There is no stall. That’s the whole point of wrapping. Lastly, I don’t know how you can dry out a butt that’s wrapped properly in foil. All the moisture is trapped in the foil. Not saying it can’t be overcooked. It might loose it’s body and get kinda mushy but dry and wrapped are an odd combo. I like to wrap butts in a foil pan so I can capture the juices and reincorporate them after a trip through a fat separator. Give her another whirl.

 

[Bruno]

Always check a probe. It could be in a fat vein etc. secondly, if You’ve wrapped butts before it’s common knowledge that once the temp starts to rise it does so continuously and consistently. There is no stall. That’s the whole point of wrapping. Lastly, I don’t know how you can dry out a butt that’s wrapped properly in foil. All the moisture is trapped in the foil. Not saying it can’t be overcooked. It might loose it’s body and get kinda mushy but dry and wrapped are an odd combo. I like to wrap butts in a foil pan so I can capture the juices and reincorporate them after a trip through a fat separator. Give her another whirl.

Switched to the pan method myself, just easy and cleaner.

 

[Mabpath]

Thanks for the advice. I’ll check the probe but believe me the meat was dry and powdery.

 

[JpsBBQ]

Thanks for the advice. I’ll check the probe but believe me the meat was dry and powdery.

You must have cooked the life out of it. Can't say I've ever seen that outside of someone passing out due to day drinking.

 

[Mabpath]

I feel awful but no alcohol was involved. I believed the temperature probe rather then my common sense.

 

[Mr. X]

I feel awful but no alcohol was involved. I believed the temperature probe rather then my common sense.

I use my meater probes but also check periodically with an instant read. that sucks..

 

[PatrickE]

I now always check with a thermometer after my first two probes failed.

 

[Dalwhinnie]

I now always check with a thermometer after my first two probes failed.

I'm a belt and suspenders kind of guy. Use a probe and check periodically with an instant read

 

[Bruno]

You must have cooked the life out of it. Can't say I've ever seen that outside of someone passing out due to day drinking.

Where you there? I’ve only done it twice, on briskets.

That was with my WSM 22, I just didn’t love that thing, which is why I preordered my SmokeFire back in the day. Never happened again.

 

[JpsBBQ]

Where you there? I’ve only done it twice, on briskets.

That was with my WSM 22, I just didn’t love that thing, which is why I preordered my SmokeFire back in the day. Never happened again.

I love the WSM22. It's just not as easy as the Smokefire. Puts out excellent BBQ though, excellent. I've never personally lost a cook due to day drankin', but I believe it's pure luck that I haven't.

 

[Bruno]

I love the WSM22. It's just not as easy as the Smokefire. Puts out excellent BBQ though, excellent. I've never personally lost a cook due to day drankin', but I believe it's pure luck that I haven't.

It was more like day and night drinking, I actually shut down the vents 2 times and didn’t know how long it sat cold. Total mess.
SmokeFire is much more my speed, love the app and multiple thermometers. Personally I get a better product all around, the smoke profile is way more to my liking and definitely the dailies.

 

[bbqking]

I also don’t know how you cook to powder a pork butt…even if it went to 300…I think it would just be mushy…something strange….I recommend using an instant read thermometer. Also saw that you had two previous probes stop working? I recommend different type of probe.

 

[Wilkie]

The Smokefire has 4 probe ports. Use two or three of them during the cook, what's it gonna hurt? Your instincts were right but you were 2nd guessing yourself because you'd never cooked a Boston Butt on it before. You'll get next time.

 

[richfleek]

I killed a fifth of bourbon once on a overnight brisket. I woke up at 7am and immediately had the "oh shit" feeling, I ran out to the back patio to find my SmokeFire off and not a single pellet in it and the brisket had no warmth at all. Hard telling how long ago the pellets ran out. Oh well..... Live and learn LOL