First Smoke Confusion

[DADAKOTA]

Applied the rub to the 7.75 pound bprok butt and let it site for 24+ hours.  Preheated the smoker and put the but in the OBS at 8 PM last night.  Used a conbo of 3 hickory and nine cherry during my 4 hour smoke.  Kept adjusting cabinet temp to keep below 225.  After four hours of smoke I refilled the water pan and removed the used pucks.  Kept monitoring the cabinet temp with a remote temp probe placed on the rack with the meat.  Checked IT at 1:45 and found it to be 141.  From 2:00 till 3:30 I had it dialed in where the cabinet temp ranged fro 219 to 224.  Figured it would be good to go and time for a little nap.  Woke up at 6:45 with a cabinet temp of 242.  Checked IT again and it was 178. 

Why did the cabinet temp rise to 242 when I had not adjusted the temp slide and it had not been above 224 for at least an hour and a half?  Is it normal for the cabinet temp to keep increasing even though you do not adjust the temp slide?  Don't know if I have passed the dreaded IT temp stall or not.  It appears this butt will be done in the next couple hours I'd guess.  How long can one FTC?

[3rensho]

Hi.  Sounds like you're thru the dreaded IT stall that occurs at 168 and are good to go.  I use a PID for cabinet temp on my OBS so can't help answer the question about the fluctuation using just the slider.  What were ambient conditions like during the night? Go from some wind earlier to calm later?  Warm front come thru?

[Sailor]

If the IT was 178 I would say that it passed the stall period.  I am not an expert by any means regarding the Bradley and the cabinet temps.  I would think that the reason that the cabinet temp keeps creeping up is because the meat is absorbing more and more of the heat.  I have noticed that using the PID to control the temp that the unit clicks on a lot more during the first part of a smoke.  As the cook time progresses and the IT of the meat climbs the unit is not kicking on as much to maintain the cabinet temp.  When you have your slider adjusted to maintain 220 when the meat is is at 80 degrees the Bradley does not compensate for the increased temp of the meat and will continue to cycle on that setting.  Say the slider is set 3/4 open and you get 200 degrees with a meat temp of 80.  The Bradley is going to cycle on and off for that setting.  The meat increases in temp and the Bradley is still kicking out the same BTU that was needed for meat at 80 but now the meat is at 150 and the meat does not need the same BTU to maintain the heat and is not absorbing the heat as fast so the cabinet temp starts to climb. I only did one smoke using the slider then my PID arrived and I have used the PID for every smoke after that.  So I may be totally incorrect in my assessment as to why the temp climbs. I am sure one of the experts will have a good answer.

[Brisket Lover]

Hey his is a common problem. The slider is just a gauge and not temp adjuster. As the meat heated up the same amount of heat was applied. This causes the temperature to rise because the heating element is static and the meat takes in less heat. The heat has to go somewhere so it goes into the cabinet.

Kind of like boiling water. You set the stove top knob to a setting but hen have to move it down to keep the water from boiling over.

[Wildcat]

These guys are right on. It takes awhile to get used to the slider control. This is the reason I went to the PID system to control the temp. Now I can set it and let it cook all night with no concerns.

Butt is very forgiving and the fluctuation will not harm it. Take it out at 190 and FTC for a few hours. Some have FTC'd for 5 or 6 hours. Just monitor the internal meat temp for safety.

[DADAKOTA]

Thanks.  Was thinking it was something like that.  Go Packers.

[DADAKOTA]

Well it finished at about 1:00 pm.  FTC'd it till halftime of the Packer game and then pulled it.  Very moist and flavorful.  Everyone loved it.  Thanks to all of you for responding to all my newbie questions and all your sound advice.

[bundy]

Congratulations on your first good Butt DADAKOTA ! Is it to early to say the Pack is Back??

[SouthernSmoked]

Congratulations on your 1st Butt... Enjoy!!

[DADAKOTA]

Yes the Pack is Back. ;D