Smoker Worked OT This Weekend

oakville smoker · July 20, 2009, 07:24:17 AM

Hello all you smoke a holics, myself included

Smoker was working overtime this weekend. Ribs. Whole Chicken. Pork Butt for Pulled Pork.
Ribs and chicken were excellent. Trying to cook those while smoking the butt was a challenge.

Pork was in Bradley for about 10 hours. Temp spiked madly to about 210 and I thought I lost it.
Pulled it from smoker and did an FTC overnight.
Was not easy to pullnext day but I managed. Wallowed in pork butt up to my elbows.
It seemed dry and grainy so I chopped it, fired up the slow cooker, added 1 Sleeman Cream Ale for moisture
and let it warm up for about 3 hours, doing a little mix every hour or so.

I thought if I saved this puppy, well store bought BBQ sauce was not going to cut it.
Found a recipe for a BBQ sauce to use as a base and then made it my own. Dont ask me what went in it, it was a hodge podge.
The BBQ sauce then found its way to the slow cooker with the pulled pork and sat with the slow cooker off for about an hour.
Mount on fresh rolls and serve.

I started with a 9LB butt and this morning there is nothing left !

All in all, a good experience, but challenging as well

Gizmo · July 20, 2009, 07:49:49 PM

Did you move the probe to other locations in the pork butt? A rapid rise in temp sounds like the actual thermal sensor in the probe was not in the center especially if it did not pull easily unless all the fat was rendered out and the rapid rise was due to the probe being in a large area of fat and the rapid rise was the liquidation of the fat. That would explain the tough meat as well. 210 is high for what I do, but I have seen others here that go that high with good results. The temperature the meat was experiencing can have a lot to do with what temperature you should take the IT to for good results. Going low box temp for long times to high IT temps is usually not a good result compare to the same IT high temp with a higher box temp and a short period of time.

Tenpoint5 · July 20, 2009, 10:12:41 PM

It does sound like you went to hot too fast. A 9 pound butt should take about 16-17 hours to get to the right IT. Myself I like 208*, and the meat usually falls apart no real pulling needed. Like my friend Giz said low and slow is the preferred method. The longer it takes to get there the better the meat will be.

Habanero Smoker · July 21, 2009, 02:51:45 AM

Also a spike like that can indicate a problem with the probe, or the unit, or the batteries going dead. I would check the probe. Ice water is the easiest, if your probe will read that low, or use the boiling water test. Bring water to a boil and just place the tip of the probe into the water.

If you want to determine the actual boiling point temperature for your location, and current barometric pressure; this is a good site to use:

Boiling Point Calculator

FLBentRider · July 21, 2009, 03:33:16 AM

I have also noticed that pockets of fat are much hotter than meat.

I always "stick" in multiple places.

oakville smoker · July 21, 2009, 05:12:58 AM

Thanks for the feedback

Not knowing what the butt looks like inside, its highly probable I did hit a spot with fat.
I never thought to move the probe around.
The oven temp temp was steady all day long around the 200 mark. The digital oven temp was left at about 210 to maintain
200 inside. Next time I will now better.

That probably explains why the slow cooker and beer the next day saved the butt by finishing the cook.

Lots to learn. Every smoke is an adventure but a good adventure.

OU812 · July 21, 2009, 06:29:54 AM

Part of the fun is learning what the product is doing and why it is doing it.

Even our mistakes taste good, maybe not what we wanted but still good.

The next time it will be perfect.

FLBentRider · July 21, 2009, 06:36:11 AM

I notice it wen I pull it too, the fat is a lot hotter than the meat.

More dense, I assume.

oakville smoker · July 21, 2009, 07:52:22 AM

This is like learning to walk all over again. The only risk is the food might taste bad or god forbid someone gets sick.
Looking at the pic of the pulled pork on the board, well mine did not look like that!
I think I have conquered ribs in 3 short weeks, the pork loin, chicken, prime rib, taters.
My brisket experience was not great but I do have another one in the freezer waiting for its chance for glory.
I do have to find another place to buy butts in this area ( mississuag / Oakville Burlington ) though. utt is the one thing Costco does not have. It seems to be quite a challenge and quite expensive for a cut of meat that requires so usually so tough and requires so much tender loving care. My 9 LB butt was 20 bucks and its seems a touch steep.

I am already thinking about what I am going to smoke this weekend !

OU812 · July 21, 2009, 08:08:54 AM

Why not try another brisket while its still fresh in your mind and you have some of the last one to compare with.

deb415611 · July 21, 2009, 08:39:23 AM

Quote from: oakville smoker on July 21, 2009, 07:52:22 AM

I do have to find another place to buy butts in this area ( mississuag / Oakville Burlington ) though. utt is the one thing Costco does not have. It seems to be quite a challenge and quite expensive for a cut of meat that requires so usually so tough and requires so much tender loving care. My 9 LB butt was 20 bucks and its seems a touch steep.

I am already thinking about what I am going to smoke this weekend !

Keep checking Costco, the one near me has them sometimes.

SaltSpringSmoker · July 21, 2009, 10:06:58 AM

The Costco I shop at in British Columbia does not sell pork butts or packer briskets. In fact, they don't sell brisket in any form. So I have to purchase from a local butcher - the quality is good but the prices are alot higher than the forum members from the US regularly post. Not to mention Nepas getting a barn-full of pork butt for free. That just slays me.

I'd be very interested to learn where other Canadian members, particularly BC members, shop for their smokes.

SaltSpringSmoker

oakville smoker · July 21, 2009, 12:07:36 PM

OK, OK....
Another briskett it will be. Might as well start now gettikng ready for the weekend.
Last weekend was a version of pulled pork and The Open Championship.
This weekend. A briskett while I am at the Canadian Open at Glen Abbey being demoralized, watching the pros play the game I love.
BUT I am guessing they cant make smoked ribs so I might have one up on them in that department !
I am about a 3 wood down the valley from Glen Abbey. Some people suggest I set my smoker up near by and sell ribs and samiches.

I check Costco regular for butts, no luck yet. I might even ask the guys in the meat area if they ever have them or if I could order some. Best deals going on pork loins and bulk steaks and rib chops and anything else they have.

My smoker suppliers come from Crappy Tire but I think I will be in LeBarons neighbourhood tonight so a stock up on
bisquettes and cures will probably be in order. Way better pricing than Crappy Tire.

I better go take that briskett out of the freezer now

OU812 · July 21, 2009, 12:30:27 PM

There you go, try and try again, till you get it the way you like it.