First butt, help needed. Pics

[KyNola]

Chris,
I thought he meant the temp in the OBS was 210 after 2 1/2 hours.  If he did mean IT, you're right and that should have been a big clue that something was amiss.

[Tenpoint5]

Chris,
I thought he meant the temp in the OBS was 210 after 2 1/2 hours.  If he did mean IT, you're right and that should have been a big clue that something was amiss.

That is what has me confused, it was 210 after 2 1/2 hours and 250 7 hours later (9 1/2 hours) and he said the IT was 250 when he pulled it out of the smoker. I am thinking he is talking about IT not cabinet temps. Now I could see a cabinet temp of 250 7 hours later when everything evened out. Then he said a 1/4 of the butt was burnt black. now is that a 1/4 inch or 1/4 of the way in? If ti is the 1/4 inch then he had a nice bark that should have been shredded and mixed back in. If it was a 1/4 of the butt he had a fire in there and things got a whole lot warmer than 250º

Just thinking out loud to myself by typing my thoughts

[BuyLowSellHigh]

Gents, both of you are reading my mind  here.  My first thought, if it was edible was something wrong in the IT measurement he reported; that and possibly not being used to what a well smoked butt with great bark looks like.  I have hard time with an IT of 250 °F and still being edible.  The other possibility that ran through my mind was a small grease fire, but still that leaves me perplexed about the 250 IT and being decent eats.

[sublimaze41]

I am working the night shift so it has taken me a day to respond.

I am now believing I might have had a grease fire. I didn't tend to the OBS after the first 2 1/2 hours as I went to sleep. I had a total of 4 hours smoke and only changed the water after say the first hour.

The garage had a burnt smell versus a nice smokey arouma. The grease pan was in place but there are numerous pieces of burnt fat on it. The drip pan was BONE dry.

Don't know how much this impacted the heat inside but the vent was 1/2 way closed.

Yes, the internal temperature of the butt was 250 degrees. Thankfully I have a remote themometer on the way, perhaps that will help with the learning curve.

I never dreamed smoking was as much a science as it is a work of love. At first I just wanted to do some simple items but after visiting this site I saw just what my Bradley was capable of.

[Tenpoint5]

I am working the night shift so it has taken me a day to respond.

I never dreamed smoking was as much a science as it is a work of love. At first I just wanted to do some simple items but after visiting this site I saw just what my Bradley was capable of.

I can relate to the night shift thing I work 12 hour nights myself.

To add to the highlighted section : Most everyone here wants you to be as successful at your endeavors as you can be. So we will do everything we can possibly do to help you achieve your goals. That's why we seem to over analyze things sometimes. We are not trying to down play or insult your post we are trying to help make the next one better. It also helps those folks that lurk in the back ground as guests looking for answers to questions that they have.

[BuyLowSellHigh]

sub,  I suspect you're right - -you probably did have a small grease fire and that raised the temp inside your smoker appreciably.  It's happened to a number of folks, some very experienced smokers and Bradley users.  One of the joys of the Bradley smokers is that they make smoking very easy.  That's also creates one of the potential use problems - it's so easy and automated that it's easy to walk away and let things just cruise away, and that's when surprises happen.  Don't let this discourage you or slow you down.  Chalk it up to a good early learning experience, take the lesson from it and keep pressing on.  You can bet that your 2nd butt will be totally awesome!

Now for a thought or two about moving ahead.  Just about everyone who has done a butt or a brisket in a Bradley has left it on autopilot overnight.  The general advice is before you leave it, get the smoking done, dump the water bowl of burnt pucks, then either reload the water bowl with hot water (boiling if you can) or replace the bowl with a larger pan filled with hot water ( a 9x 13 disposable aluminum pan works well).  If you stay with the freshly refilled bowl you should check it about every 4 hours after dumping it.  The reason for the dump is the pucks themselves can absorb grease from the drippings and end up making a good fuel source for a fire - get 'em out of there.  Second, on long smokes also be sure that the drip pan (V-tray) vents don't get plugged up from drippings.  That's becomes more significant if you are using a rub that has a fair amount of sugar in it.  Some keep a putty knife nearby for a quick scrape of the V-tray just in case.  All of that should help you on that next butt.  Before you go there though be sure to check out your smoker for any possible damage from a heat excursion and check that everything is functioning as it should.  The door seal is one of the more susceptible things to check.

Finally, take 10.5's words to heart.  This forum is populated by some of the finest folks around, who stand ready to help you in about any way that they can.  It's a family.  Ask a question here and you will get answers.  In sharing your initial experience you have already helped others who will come after you.  Welcome to the family.

Now, what's the plan for that next butt?  

[KyNola]

Nice post BLSH.

Glad the only damage done was to the butt and not your garage or house, Sub!  Don't get discouraged.  What happened to you has happened to lots of us.