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Help with Boston butt!

volntitan
volntitan Posts: 95
edited May 2012 in EggHead Forum
So I've been smoking 3 butts that are all about 4 1/2 pounds. I've been monitoring the egg temp only with the maverick with temp from 240-250. I just stuck the 2nd probe into one of them to get meat temp and it is reading 170 internal. Now the maverick 732 is brand new and the egg temp probe was accurate (matched the egg thermostat). I'm concerned that the butts don't have that black crust yet and seems like 4 hours wouldn't be enough time...

Any thoughts on what I could have done or doing wrong? HELP!

Comments

  • It will still stall out right there for quite a while (sevral hours). Chilax, have a beer and let the magic happen. You are good.
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • volntitan
    volntitan Posts: 95
    What internal temp should I shoot for?
  • Eggucated
    Eggucated Posts: 213
    You have a lot of time left. I did 2 8lb butts Wed and they went 16 hours. I have an 8lb on now, went on at 9:30am today and almost 9 hours later it's at 161. Dome temp is 250 and grid temp is 220. The meat was at 42 degrees and straight from the butcher
    Thanks, Mike "Live in such a way that if anyone should speak badly of you, no one will believe it."
  • Eggucated
    Eggucated Posts: 213
    Oh, I almost forgot stop opening the dome! Your letting al the goodness out.
    Thanks, Mike "Live in such a way that if anyone should speak badly of you, no one will believe it."
  • volntitan
    volntitan Posts: 95
    Well there isn't any smoke any more ;(. But my main concern that according to meat temp, they are done
  • Eggucated
    Eggucated Posts: 213
    edited May 2012
    Butts should be done anywhere from 195-205. I typically remove mine at 200, or when the probe slide in and out like butter. The plateau occurs anywhere from 165-185 and can take several hours to start climbing again. It's not uncommon to see the meat temp drop during this timeframe also.
    Thanks, Mike "Live in such a way that if anyone should speak badly of you, no one will believe it."
  • volntitan
    volntitan Posts: 95
    Great...i thought 165ish was the temp
  • Eggucated
    Eggucated Posts: 213
    No problems, your doing great. What kind of rub did you use?
    Thanks, Mike "Live in such a way that if anyone should speak badly of you, no one will believe it."
  • volntitan
    volntitan Posts: 95
    I slathered yellow mustard and then put a heaping amount of dizzy dust coarse and rubbed it in and stuck in the fridge for about hour and a half. Of course alot of smoke up fron, but not smoking any more of course
  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,167

    Boston butt/Pulled Pork-when in doubt please check out the provided references...will do much to ease the concerns during the cook.  and one more time

    http://www.nakedwhiz.com/ceramic.htm 

    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
  • volntitan
    volntitan Posts: 95
    Thanks. Btw..those of you who advised me to spend the extra money on the Maverick et-732, THANK YOU! This is an amazingly accurate and simple machine. Best $60 I've spent in some time!
  • volntitan
    volntitan Posts: 95
    6 hours in...sitting at 210 in egg and meat at 180. Drinking a Founders and salivating
  • 6 hours in...sitting at 210 in egg and meat at 180. Drinking a Founders and salivating
    Now all is right with the world. It's just meat. Chill and enjoy.
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • volntitan
    volntitan Posts: 95
    Every beer I have, I get chillier...
  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,167
    Don't know your beer supply but you are likely in for a few more hours unless you decide to "push it to the finish-line" by cranking up the temp-
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
  • volntitan
    volntitan Posts: 95
    I have 2 full size fridges and one kegorator full of some of the finest craft beer in the world!
  • Eggucated
    Eggucated Posts: 213
    I've never cranked one before, but for a butt sitting at 170, would you wrap in foil and increase the heat, or just bump the heat to 350 or so?
    Thanks, Mike "Live in such a way that if anyone should speak badly of you, no one will believe it."
  • Hi54putty
    Hi54putty Posts: 1,873
    It is best to let it come up to the proper temp on its own but you can crank to at least 300 with no problem at all. If you are in a hurry do that, if not, let it do it's own thing. It is worth the wait.
    XL,L,S 
    Winston-Salem, NC 
  • volntitan
    volntitan Posts: 95
    Meat temp actually going down a bit
  • Hi54putty
    Hi54putty Posts: 1,873
    If you are on the clock, crank it. If not, just relax.
    XL,L,S 
    Winston-Salem, NC 
  • volntitan
    volntitan Posts: 95
    Not on the clock, but don't want to be up until the wee hours ;). I put it on at 1 and now at 8, meat is 180. I pumped up the heat to 250, so should be all good.
  • Meat temp actually going down a bit
    Normal. More beer
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • volntitan
    volntitan Posts: 95
    4 beers in... I love you guys....
  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,167

    You may want to look at the beer/hour/egg cook rate.  If I do the math correctly you may have missed a few opportunities for an adult beverage along the way-not that Q'ing is all about that but...:)

    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
  • volntitan
    volntitan Posts: 95
    I may not be an egg expert, but beer? I am a beer Einstein. I purposely started late on the beer drinking...I ain't drinking' your average girly beer ;)
  • You may want to look at the beer/hour/egg cook rate.  If I do the math correctly you may have missed a few opportunities for an adult beverage along the way-not that Q'ing is all about that but...:)

    Amen Cap. Preach!
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • DMurf
    DMurf Posts: 481
    Not on the clock, but don't want to be up until the wee hours ;). I put it on at 1 and now at 8, meat is 180. I pumped up the heat to 250, so should be all good.
    Only worried to the wee hours on my first low-n-slo. After that I found that the EGG is so rock solid that I go to bed and check the dome when the dogs need to go out, although getting them back in is a challenge as they troll around the EGG heads held high. 

    At 250 and a full load of lump I have had a lo cook run 20 hours and the temp stayed rock steady, that taught me to quit stressing and enjoy the cook. I have two butts on the EGG now that I put on last night at 9:00p, meat temp is now 157 EGG is still at 250 and the smell is incredible.
    David
    BBQ since 2010 - Oh my, what I was missing.
  • Eggucated
    Eggucated Posts: 213
    edited May 2012
    Looks like I got one of those butts, been on since 9:30 yesterday morning (21 hours) and its just hit 184. Grid temp is 205...
    Thanks, Mike "Live in such a way that if anyone should speak badly of you, no one will believe it."