Smokin' day...

[tRidiot]

Unreal....


This is the 2nd time this has happened to me - once in a while you get a pork butt that just WILL NOT COOK. Most of the time, I'm cooking a butt for between 5 and 7 hours to reach my ideal temp, which is 204.

This one today took me a full 11 1/2 hours, and I STILL pulled it off at 199F. It's still amazing, the bark is slightly thicker, which I don't mind a bit... that chewy, sweet/salty bark is almost the whole reason I do this. But it's just sooooo soooo strange to once in a while get one that takes so long to cook. Can really throw a wrench in any plans you have - my parents had come up and while I did get to share a rack of ribs I threw on as an afterthought, they had to leave a couple hours before the pork butt was done. What a bummer.


Just really strange. Temps and all were the same as always, essentially, but this one just would not cook. Anyone else run into this sometimes? This is the 2nd time it's happened to me, out of maybe a dozen times.

 

[HiredHand]

I have no idea if this is what's happening in your case.

http://amazingribs.com/tips_and_technique/the_stall.html

 

[tRidiot]

No, that's not the problem. "The stall" is perfectly normal and I see it on every pork butt I cook. This one just took 3-4 hours longer than most. It was painful. But that website (AmazingRibs.com) is the one I used to learn to smoke. Great site.

 

[FOG]

I smoke alot of butts and I had one stall on me last week, I finally pulled it at near the 12 hour mark. Meat was fine, bark good but like you said, it can wreck your plans. Fortunately I planned to smoke hamburgers anyway so that ended up being the main course.

I added more apple juice to the pan than normal about 3/4 way through and wonder if the cold juice could have caused the stall?

 

[tRidiot]

I smoke alot of butts and I had one stall on me last week, I finally pulled it at near the 12 hour mark. Meat was fine, bark good but like you said, it can wreck your plans. Fortunately I planned to smoke hamburgers anyway so that ended up being the main course.

I added more apple juice to the pan than normal about 3/4 way through and wonder if the cold juice could have caused the stall?

A water pan lengthens the stall, yes. Also, adding cold water in the middle of a cook could theoretically worsen it, assuming you're cooking unwrapped, as I always do. The stall is caused by evaporative cooling of the meat, which is why increasing humidity will prolong it. I don't use a water pan, though.

 

[FOG]

Good to know, thanks.

 

[Shadowrider]

Unreal....


This is the 2nd time this has happened to me - once in a while you get a pork butt that just WILL NOT COOK. Most of the time, I'm cooking a butt for between 5 and 7 hours to reach my ideal temp, which is 204.

This one today took me a full 11 1/2 hours, and I STILL pulled it off at 199F. It's still amazing, the bark is slightly thicker, which I don't mind a bit... that chewy, sweet/salty bark is almost the whole reason I do this. But it's just sooooo soooo strange to once in a while get one that takes so long to cook. Can really throw a wrench in any plans you have - my parents had come up and while I did get to share a rack of ribs I threw on as an afterthought, they had to leave a couple hours before the pork butt was done. What a bummer.


Just really strange. Temps and all were the same as always, essentially, but this one just would not cook. Anyone else run into this sometimes? This is the 2nd time it's happened to me, out of maybe a dozen times.

I found in my Cookshack (which is now Keelty's) that each brisket and butt has their own personality. There is no such thing as 1 or 1.5 or x hours per lb at any given cook temp. What is happening is at about 165'ish internal temp the fat starts rendering out. When that process is finished the climb will resume. I've had briskets stall for a couple of hours to as long as 5 hours and they were similar sizes and the same type cut (full packer). Butts are the same.

I still need a couple of small items for my BGE before I do a real long low and slow but I've done ribs on it and grilled a crapload of burgers, steaks and a chicken on it. Love the BGE! Sell that Traeger and get you one, you WILL NOT be sorry.

 

[dennishoddy]

We had family pop in unexpected so didn't have time to smoke anything.
Whipped up some Jalepeno poppers for supper.

 

[nofearfactor]

We had family pop in unexpected so didn't have time to smoke anything.
Whipped up some Jalepeno poppers for supper.
View attachment 49122

Yummmmm......

 

[Jon3830]

We had family pop in unexpected so didn't have time to smoke anything.
Whipped up some Jalepeno poppers for supper.
View attachment 49122

I used to make mine like that and then I found this http://www.amazon.com/King-Kooker-3...F8&qid=1436757463&sr=8-1&keywords=pepper+tray