I have cooked 3 pork butts in my Bradley since I bought it. Each butt/shoulder has been 7 or 8 pounds. Most recipes say to smoke it between 220-230F until the internal temperature of the butt reaches 185-190. So each time I set the smoker to 220 and let it run. After 10hrs, the meat isn't even at 170. So I usually end up turning it up a couple times, usually reaching 260 while waiting for the meat to come to temperature. I am pulling it as soon as it reached 180-185 because it has smoked for over 12hours at this point. Each time, the meat still doesn't shred apart and I end up having to chop it.
Any suggestions? Should I set the temperature higher or just let it smoke through the night- for 18hours or so I'm guessing?
Thanks!
You're pulling it before it is fully cooked. A butt is done when it is done. The rule of thumb is 1.5-2 hours per lb. I've had 8 lb butts take 12 hours and others that have taken 20 hours to reach an IT of 195 that I like to pull them at. I keep the chamber temp at 210*F.
Some people go by the fork test. When the IT of the butt reaches 190 (some do it sooner than that) stick a fork in it and twist. If the meat comes apart fairly easily then it is done.
Welcome to the forum, what Ted says is bang on. I would add this:
I generally smoke my butt anywhere between 3-4 hrs depending on the weight of the butt. There is a school of thought that suggests meat will not absorb more than 4-6 hrs. Pork and beef can handle a fair bit of smoke, fish and poultry less somewhere between 2.5-3 hrs (possible exception being smoked salmon) but I haven't done one yet.
When I empty the puck bowl after 3-4 hrs I refill it with water, spritz the pork well with apple juice or whatever you choose. I don't open the door again till i'm finished. The bradley struggles to achieve and maintain consistent temps with the door opening and closing. With a desired cooking temp of 225-230.
It's also key to have a multi-probe thermometer. I use the igrill2. (it is more accurate than the one on the bradley) I use one probe to monitor the cabinet, and the other to monitor the meat. I judge done-ness solely by internal meat temp and never time as Ted points out time is just too much of a variable.
If you have any other questions feel free to ask as there are many members here with a great wealth of experience
Quote from: Blink on September 11, 2016, 09:55:37 AMI am pulling it as soon as it reached 180-185 because it has smoked for over 12hours at this point.
I initially missed the part where you said that you were SMOKING it for over 12 hours. That is WAY too much smoke. I generally apply smoke for the first 3 hours and then just slow cook it for however long it takes after that.
Great feedback, thanks! Now I won't be spending so much $$ on boxes of pucks!! Thank you!
Blink, conventional wisdom here is that meat will readily absorb smoke only for about four hours. After that time period, any additional smoke absorption is limited. As a result, additional smoke application is not cost effective.
Poultry absorbs smoke more readily than meats such as beef or pork. I find that smoking poultry about half to two thirds as long as I smoke large cuts of pork (4 hours for pork shoulder) is adequate for my taste.