Is my meat in the Danger Zone?

[bellacp]

I smoked 2 boston butts (6 lbs. each)  last night. I am using a probe (maverick) for temp monitoring.
I put the butts in at bbq temp of 210, then went to bed at 11pm.
Woke up at 3am to change water, bbq temp was around 130 something i think, so I bumped it up a bit.
Now, I am up at 7am, bbq temp is 150F, internal temp of meat is 122F.

Again, i have raised it but am now concerned that my meat stayed at too low of temp overnight?

So, was this meat at too low of a temp during the night? Is it in the danger zone for bacteria?
Please advise.  Thanks!

[bellacp]

Can anyone help me with my question? I finished cooking it to an IT of 190, looks darn good.

[classicrockgriller]

bella, I have cooked some butts that took 24 hrs to reach 190* IT.

IMO, I think you are good to go as long as you had a constant rise in the meat IT.

Actually (if I got this right) the cooking process took from 11 last nite to 2 this after noon.

That's 15 hours for 12 lbs of Butt.

I say pull it and eat it.

[bellacp]

Thanks for replies! my concern is not how long they took to cook, but that the amount of time they spent in the "danger zone". Basically from 11pm (when i first put them in) until around 4am the temp was under 140!
Isn't that a long time for them to be in this zone?

[classicrockgriller]

NO< PULL IT AND EAT IT!

next time might be better to post in one spot so everyone can keep up with ya.

[dubob]

I smoked 2 boston butts (6 lbs. each)  last night. I am using a probe (maverick) for temp monitoring.
I put the butts in at bbq temp of 210, then went to bed at 11pm.
Woke up at 3am to change water, bbq temp was around 130 something i think, so I bumped it up a bit.
Now, I am up at 7am, bbq temp is 150F, internal temp of meat is 122F.

Again, i have raised it but am now concerned that my meat stayed at too low of temp overnight?

So, was this meat at too low of a temp during the night? Is it in the danger zone for bacteria?
Please advise.  Thanks!

Bellacp,

I'm guessing that all of the bacteria that may have formed would have been killed as soon as the IT hit 160 or above.  But if you want to know for sure, why don't you call the experts at USDA.  Here's the URL for them:
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Food_Safety_Education/USDA_Meat_&_Poultry_Hotline/index.asp

You can get their toll free hot line number on that site.  Call them, find out for sure, then let us know what they said.   :)