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Done WAY early! Help please.

homebrewtimhomebrewtim Posts: 22
edited July 2012 in EggHead Forum
So I planned for a 12-18 hour smoke of my pork butts and they are done in about 11 (on at 9:00 pm last night.)  It's 8:00 AM, we are eating around 4:00 or 5:00 PM.  What's the best strategy from here forward?  Will they hold, wrapped in a HD foil in a cooler for 8 hours?!?

Fire Ring Loaded "Elder" style
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Meat on
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Meat now 195F
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Comments

  • lousubcaplousubcap Posts: 16,213

    Posted the below on another thread with the same issue:



    You can hold in a cooler with your set-up for 4-6 hours easily. If you have remote thermo you could insert(wrap with foil) and monitor but it would be a crap-shoot to get to early evening and still be at 140+*F, although  there are those who have held it that long (by accident).  The other option is to hold for while (or not, your choice) then pull and refrigerate as you mention. When ready, put in an aluminum pan with Q sauce, seal tightly and  reheat.  You can reheat the sealed pan in the oven or BGE (around 200-220*F) or put the pulled pork with Q sauce in a crock pot.  It will all turn out great.  Happy B'day USA!
    Louisville;  L & S BGEs, PBC, Lang 36; Burnin' wood in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer.  
  • homebrewtimhomebrewtim Posts: 22
    Well, then JUST hit 200F.  I am going to double-wrap in HD foil, probe the smallest one, and play it by ear from here. They can be pulled at 3-4 pm. So, I think between oven and cooler, I should make it.

    Thanks!
  • michigan_jasonmichigan_jason Posts: 1,346

    The sauce will set you free! If you can't change it, don't worry. You know what you have to do (lou is spot on and always is) Just enjoy the day, the pork will be good either way.



    "Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity, and are able to turn both to their advantage."

  • LizzieSampsLizzieSamps Posts: 894
    Great looking bark!  I hope mine looks like that!  Good job!
  • The Cen-Tex SmokerThe Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 17,326
    all good advice Home Brew. Try to hold- extra towels, newspaper, etc in the cooler. I'm the guy who held one for 12 hours by accident so it can be done :) Was catering a party and we had a butt left over and we stayed and drank beer at the party all night. When we got home, the butt was still at 140 at 10pm. pack it and check it in 4-5 hours to see how it's doing. if it's low, pull it and reheat later.

    1- LGBE
    1- KBQ C-60 (The Dishwasher)
    I- Blackstone 36" Griddle
    1- Sweet-A$$ Roccbox Pizza Oven
    1-Very Understanding and Forgiving Wife
  • Rolling EggRolling Egg Posts: 1,995
    Your oven will probably go down to 180. I would set it to 180 and put the foil wrapped butts in a pan and place them in the oven. Go four hours in the oven and then four in a cooler. I've had success with this many times. Seems to work fine for me.
  • homebrewtimhomebrewtim Posts: 22
    Thanks all.  They are double-wrapped now and on the Egg. I have bottom vent closed and daisy wheel barely open.  Dome at 180....grate at 220 ish. Oven preheated to 170F now.  Going to move 'em, then transfer to a cooler in a bit.  Thanks for the reasurance they'll still be good.  I'm bringing the two small ones to my neighbor's and freezing the big one for left-overs.


  • LizzieSampsLizzieSamps Posts: 894
    Sounds like good eats are coming soon!
  • The Cen-Tex SmokerThe Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 17,326
    perfect tim. They will be fine....better than fine...they will be great
    1- LGBE
    1- KBQ C-60 (The Dishwasher)
    I- Blackstone 36" Griddle
    1- Sweet-A$$ Roccbox Pizza Oven
    1-Very Understanding and Forgiving Wife
  • homebrewtimhomebrewtim Posts: 22
    Hope so....I've done quite a few butts on WSM, and they have ALWAYS taken 15-18 hours....I must have run the BGE a little too hot too long.  Next time I'll target about 200 or less at the dome and see where that takes me for the first 6-hours.  

    They are moving from the oven to the cooler for their final resting place.  

    Many thanks...glad I had plenty of homebrew to ease my transition from the Weber to the Egg.

    Cheers

    Timmy
  • lousubcaplousubcap Posts: 16,213
    Next time I'll target about 200 or less at the dome and see where that takes me for the first 6-hours.  

    FWIW-the BGE normally has a "sweetspot" somewhere around 250*F +/- on the dome.  200 can be a challenge to hold.  And there is the dome to grid off-set that can run 20-40*F (or more) with the dome usually higher for indirect cooks-I learned of the off-set the hard-way. My first few low&slows took much longer than planned...then I read about it-BGE dealers generally don't know these things.  Happy B'day USA!
    Louisville;  L & S BGEs, PBC, Lang 36; Burnin' wood in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer.  
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