New to smoking..feeling very intimitaded

[Tenpoint5]

I usually start at 4-5am and am finished washing dishes at 11pm. Boston Butts are like Ribs in one way THEY are done when their done. Here is why I say that. As your IT climbs it will hit a PLATEAU.  Which is a point where the IT stops rising and just hangs there around 160-165 could be more could be less but generally it is in that range. Your Butt will do this! When it does, it is just like your wife in labor all you can do is sit and wait. It is at this point in the ballgame that your Butt is turning into fall apart goodness. Just let it do its thing don't turn up the heat. The longer it is at a plateau the better your Butt will be. After the collagen turns to gelatin in the meat fibers the temp will start rising again. Hope this helps some.

[KyNola]

10.5 has given you great info about the butt hitting the plateau.  He is dead on when he says don't rush this part of the cooking.  The IT will eventually begin to move up again and don't despair if it doesn't do so for 2-4 hours.  That's the way butts roll!

KyNola