Using an original Bradley with no mods.....temp outside is 48 (pretty cold for Florida).....put in a 9 lb butt yesterday morning and went to work....was internal temp of 150 and smoker temp of 170 last night.....this am internal temp of 170 and smoker temp of 180......obviously in the stall.....what I am wondering is when do you give up and move it to oven? I have a party tonite and need this done by 3 or 4. I think the bark might be better if I left it on the Bradley but we are approaching 24 hours in now and not moving to completion...wonder if it is drying out but water pan is full. So I could move it to oven so I can get ext temp at 225 degrees......or I could also do the Texas Crutch but that kinda messes up the bark, IMO. I guess this is why you guys add extra heating elements but very disappointing that Bradley doesn't give this thing the heating power it needs from the factory.
Appreciate any input.
Mike
Set your house oven to 225. When it reaches 225, move the butt to your house oven, sitting on a rack in a roasting pan. I don't foil for the reasons you described. When the butt reaches the IT you are seeking you can FTC it for several hours.
Don't panic, you've got this.
Thanks for the reply. That was my plan but glad to hear you agree. Just can't keep waiting for the Bradley to heat up. I have used an IT of 195 prior but was reading somewhere that I should be going to 203......your preference of IT for butts?
Also, any tips on if getting a better heating element is worth the hassle or just continue to remove butts, brisket, etc at the stall and move to oven?
thanks very much.
I think 195 is fine. My range is 190-200F and anywhere in that range I am good with.
As for the second element, I don't have one. I can see the benefits of it but I am not tech savvy enough to do it.
Just remember the "low and slow". 24 hrs is nothing, some on here have had 36 hrs. The low and slow is the best way to break down the connective tissue. Your bradley will do the job just be patient. Plan for longer and if it finishes to soon FTC it or you can pull it and reheat it in ziplock bags in boiling water.
on the 2nd element, I would do it
I did mine a week or so ago and its like a new smoker now.
its really easy to do following the advice here
Quote from: Smokin Elvis on December 22, 2012, 06:44:33 AMthis am internal temp of 170 and smoker temp of 180......obviously in the stall.....what I am wondering is when do you give up and move it to oven? I have a party tonite and need this done by 3 or 4. I think the bark might be better if I left it on the Bradley but we are approaching 24 hours in now and not moving to completion...
If the cooking chamber temp is only up to 180*F after nearly 24 hours there might be a problem with the main element failing. Did you have the slider control all the way over to the right? If so, and you don't have the connected through an extension cord, then you might do a resistance reading on the element when you get some spare time. I believe a good element will test at around 27-32 ohms.