Smoking my first Boston butt tonight. I have an 8 lb butt with jan's rub seasoned in the fridge now. My plan was to start the smoker tonight around 10pm. I was planning on 4-5 hours of smoke, smoker temp on the cabinet set to 220. I figure the temp will fluctuate a little. I was going to spray it with apple juice periodically, and planned on putting a bit of apple juice in the drip tray before I went to bed. I hoped to have it ready for dinner?
Am I missing anything?
I would change the water after you are done with the smoke part and make sure none of the V tray holes are plugged. The more you open it to spray, the longer it is going to take. I personally (and it is my opinion only) haven't noticed any difference if I spray or not so I don't.
QuoteI would change the water after you are done with the smoke part and make sure none of the V tray holes are plugged
X2 100 percent.
if you have a remote thermometer it would be a good idea to set the min and max temp alarms.
this way if the temp changes while you are sleeping you will know it.
X3 from up above. I don't waste my time spritzing. You'll loose tons of heat and
Is going to make for a marathon cook.
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So 5 hour smoke is ok? Can I substitute the little bowl for a larger one? 5 hours of pucks would have the bowl overflowing right?
A 9x13 foil pan from Wally Mart will work fine. Ditto on the dump/refill and go to bed.
Again!!!!
Before sleepy night night make sure the V tray is clear and there is plenty of water in the pan.
You could also drop down to 4 hours of smoke, that should do you just fine.
I have my temp probe down on the bottom rack and it's showing 200 degrees.. Should I ramp it up so it's 220 at the probe?
Quote from: Dillybars on August 03, 2012, 04:58:10 PM
I have my temp probe down on the bottom rack and it's showing 200 degrees.. Should I ramp it up so it's 220 at the probe?
It takes a while for the chamber temp to reach the setpoint if you're running a 500W single element. As the meat cooks and gets warmer the chamber temp will rise. If you increase the temp and go to bed you might wake up to a chamber temp that is way too high.
I feel like the pork is building temp too quick. It gained 20 degrees in an hour.. (130)
I'm afraid it's going too quick.
A couple of questions. 1. What are you measuring the temp of the butt with and 2. whatever you are measuring it with may be in a fat pocket which get hotter quicker. Try moving the probe to a different location in the butt.
Finally, I'll bet you're doing just fine. Butts, along with other meats will have a tendency to quickly run up an internal temp and then suddenly slow. Your butt is going to hit a "stall" at around 150-160 where the temp is not going to rise for 2-4 hours. It may drop a degree or two. Just leave it alone, the magic is happening inside the butt and the internal temp will eventually rise again, I promise.
You've got this. Just take a deep breath and enjoy the ride.
Quote from: KyNola on August 03, 2012, 08:21:38 PM
A couple of questions. 1. What are you measuring the temp of the butt with and 2. whatever you are measuring it with may be in a fat pocket which get hotter quicker. Try moving the probe to a different location in the butt.
Finally, I'll bet you're doing just fine. Butts, along with other meats will have a tendency to quickly run up an internal temp and then suddenly slow. Your butt is going to hit a "stall" at around 150-160 where the temp is not going to rise for 2-4 hours. It may drop a degree or two. Just leave it alone, the magic is happening inside the butt and the internal temp will eventually rise again, I promise.
You've got this. Just take a deep breath and enjoy the ride.
I'm measuring with a maverick. I'm going to move the probe when I swap out the water before I go to bed.
I swear this thermometer is the devil... I can't stop watching it. I just want pulled pork texture, not pork chop.
How did this turn out? We love pictures!
I'm sitting at 160 now... Not sure how long it's been there as I just woke up a half hour ago. I bumped the Bradley up 10 degrees so we'll see how things go. My maverick was showing temps that would average out to be around 210-215. Sometimes lower, sometimes higher.
If 160 is the internal temp of the butt you have hit the stall period, bumping the temp up probably wont give you the results that you are looking for. the breakdown of collagen/evaporative cooling can take 4 to 5 hours before the IT starts to rise again.
As KyNola said, be patient you've got this.
Quote from: Up In Smoke on August 04, 2012, 04:53:42 AM
If 160 is the internal temp of the butt you have hit the stall period, bumping the temp up probably wont give you the results that you are looking for. the breakdown of collagen/evaporative cooling can take 4 to 5 hours before the IT starts to rise again.
As KyNola said, be patient you've got this.
Yep go have a cup of coffee and read the morning paper. Notice I didn't say anything about looking at the thermometer. Let it go it is like a pot of water right now. If you watch it it won't boil or move. Don't worry it WILL NOT all of a sudden be 195 degrees. When the magic is done doing what it is doing it will start a slow and steady climb again. When you get to your finished temp double wrap in foil. Then wrap in a couple old towels and stick in a small cooler or in the microwave for 2-3 hours. This will allow the juices to all redistribute into the meat.
Quote from: Tenpoint5 on August 04, 2012, 05:15:08 AM
Quote from: Up In Smoke on August 04, 2012, 04:53:42 AM
If 160 is the internal temp of the butt you have hit the stall period, bumping the temp up probably wont give you the results that you are looking for. the breakdown of collagen/evaporative cooling can take 4 to 5 hours before the IT starts to rise again.
As KyNola said, be patient you've got this.
Yep go have a cup of coffee and read the morning paper. Notice I didn't say anything about looking at the thermometer. Let it go it is like a pot of water right now. If you watch it it won't boil or move. Don't worry it WILL NOT all of a sudden be 195 degrees. When the magic is done doing what it is doing it will start a slow and steady climb again. When you get to your finished temp double wrap in foil. Then wrap in a couple old towels and stick in a small cooler or in the microwave for 2-3 hours. This will allow the juices to all redistribute into the meat.
I was just worried because it swings as low as 196 then ramped up to 230 then started to fall off again. I felt like it was spending too much time around 200.
Don't worry it's all good. What your doing right now is learning how your Bradley works. I know some will be jumping in saying you need a PID or another element. You don't! You need to do what your doing right now. Learn how the beast cooks. That's the fun thing about this besides you get to eat the results. This is low and slow cooking with a 500 watt light bulb. It isn't going to be fast. Don't over think the whole process, it makes the whole process much harder to comprehend.
Quote from: Tenpoint5 on August 04, 2012, 06:36:21 AM
Don't worry it's all good. What your doing right now is learning how your Bradley works. I know some will be jumping in saying you need a PID or another element. You don't! You need to do what your doing right now. Learn how the beast cooks. That's the fun thing about this besides you get to eat the results. This is low and slow cooking with a 500 watt light bulb. It isn't going to be fast. Don't over think the whole process, it makes the whole process much harder to comprehend.
if I want to cook at 225...
The question is "is it better to fall to 225 and build heat, or climb to 225 and then lose it. "
Quote from: Dillybars on August 04, 2012, 06:27:14 AM
Quote from: Tenpoint5 on August 04, 2012, 05:15:08 AM
Quote from: Up In Smoke on August 04, 2012, 04:53:42 AM
I was just worried because it swings as low as 196 then ramped up to 230 then started to fall off again. I felt like it was spending too much time around 200.
Ah Ha! I just figured out your concern. You've been watching the temps inside the tower swing up and down as described above. A Bradley heating element is either on or off. That is what causes the temps inside the tower to swing up and down. You set the temp and the Bradley turns on the heating element and runs the temp above your setpoint. The element shuts off and the temp falls below your setpoint,prompting the heating element to come back on. Now, as the meat comes up to temp, the temp swings inside the tower will lessen considerably. Same thing happens in your house oven if you were to check it.
Don't touch that dial! ;) You've got this under control.
(http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n48/ihaveroadrage/ea58201e.jpg)
(http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n48/ihaveroadrage/ebfbd0b6.jpg)
(http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n48/ihaveroadrage/24b54185.jpg)
Oooo! Looky what I see! Clean bone means pulled pork. Meat looks good being pulled. Verdict?
Really good. It tastes great
Looks like you nailed it!!!!
It gets easier from here on out............Great job!!
Looks like everything turned out perfect! And you was worried!! :D Looks great
Best way to freeze extra pork? Haha
If there is any left ;), vac sealing is my preferred method to freeze. Then, when ready to reheat bring a pan of water up to almost but not boiling and submerge the package for 25 minutes or so, being careful to keep the seal out of the water. Don't have the water boiling as the seal can "let go" at those temps and you wind up with a bag of soggy wet pulled pork.(Don't ask me how I know that. :()
X2 with Larry. That's is exactly what I do to reheat my pulled poke.
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I must say, my good ol' lady has been asleep since "The Job" and I have a freezer full of pork and the Roman Pork Puller.....I'm thinking of a butt going in soon.......