Welcome to the EGGhead Forum - a great place to visit and packed with tips and EGGspert advice! You can also join the conversation and get more information and amazing kamado recipes by following Big Green Egg to Experience our World of Flavor™ at:
Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Pinterest  |  Youtube  |  Vimeo
Share your photos by tagging us and using the hashtag #BigGreenEgg.

Want to see how the EGG is made? Click to Watch

Math is hard! Pork Butt stall

NewEnglandEgger
NewEnglandEgger Posts: 104
edited July 2012 in EggHead Forum
The typical 1.5/2hr per lb guideline for smoking pork butt seems to be off for me.

For the second week in a row, I have 5lb butts on my egg, and they are probably going to be close to 3hrs/lb.

Cooking indirect with a drip pan with water/apple juice. Also injected the butts.

Does this sound like it is within a normal range, or do I have something else going on here?
· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • joe@bge
    joe@bge Posts: 394
    Every piece of meat will be different.  I normally do a 7 - 9lb bone in butt and they all seem to get to pulling temps in around 10-12 hours.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Eller
    Eller Posts: 56
    New, yes, this time is typical. I have done butts and they take about 1 hour and 45 minutes per pound. Dome temp. was at 225 degrees and your thermometer at internal temp of 190 degrees. Keep in mind the target temp is reached slowly towards the end. What dome temp. are you using?  Good luck with your cook.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • gdenby
    gdenby Posts: 6,239
    Injections will make the cooking time longer. The stall has been shown to be caused by evaporation. The more water to evaporate, the longer the time.

    The fluid in the pan also slows the cook. The more humid air does not transmit the heat quite as well to the food.

    You say butts. Are you crowding them? If they are touching, that adds a bit of time.

    Also, what is your dome temp? Remember that for the first few hours of a long cook, the mass of cool meat makes the air as much as 50 degrees cooler around them.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Brownie
    Brownie Posts: 1,023
    I feel the same way, I am in the 2hr plus club at 250*+ dome. Always takes longer than I expect for Low n slow. I haven't calibrated in a while, but I use my et732 in conjunction, and see expected temps between BBQ probe and dome thermometer.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Elde
    Elde Posts: 148
    Does this sound like it is within a normal range, or do I have something else going on here?
    What's your dome temp? Are you preheating sufficiently?
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Griffin
    Griffin Posts: 8,200
    have you calibrated you thermometer lately? What temp are you smoking at? If I go by dome thermometer (which I never do anymore) I usually try to run it at 275-280.

    Rowlett, Texas

    Griffin's Grub or you can find me on Facebook

    The Supreme Potentate, Sovereign Commander and Sultan of Wings

     

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • NewEnglandEgger
    NewEnglandEgger Posts: 104
    I have my DigiQ showing 225 at the grid. My suspicion is that gdenby is correct. Evaporative cooling of injected mass takes longer. Makes sense.

    At the 12hr mark, I am at 158. Have climbed slowly from 151 in last hr. Based on my schedule for the day, going to foil right now.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,322
    Math is easy-trying to make sense of low&slow "Q" is hard.  BGE tries to make it a bit less of a challenge but still...
    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.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • NewEnglandEgger
    NewEnglandEgger Posts: 104
    Don't get me wrong...I am loving every minute of this process!
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Griffin
    Griffin Posts: 8,200
    Bump it up to 250 then. Butts are very forgiving and the extra 25 degrees won't matter and will help it cook faster.

    Rowlett, Texas

    Griffin's Grub or you can find me on Facebook

    The Supreme Potentate, Sovereign Commander and Sultan of Wings

     

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 22,958
    3 hrs per lb is not normal, nor is it recommended. make sure your dome thermo is accurate or just use your DIGI-Q to get the grid up to at least 250 (i do 260 or so). 3 hrs per lb in there will dry your butt out before it's done

    Injected butts should actually cook faster than non. The added liquid inside is more efficient at transferring heat than air so they actually cook faster. It's different than the evaporative cooling coming from the juice being squeezed out of the muscle

    Get that temp up and get it down to 1.5-2 hrs per lb and they will turn out better (an way faster)
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • NewEnglandEgger
    NewEnglandEgger Posts: 104
    Well...the Texas Crutch certainly did the trick for getting me to the finish line. About 5 more degrees, and FTC time.

    Will be interesting to see if they are dry...worried they may be. If so...sauce to the rescue! :)
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • NewEnglandEgger
    NewEnglandEgger Posts: 104
    FYI...total time will clock in at 14.5 hrs for a pair of 5lb butts.

    Crutch applied at 12 hr mark while at 156 degrees internal, 225 grid. Grid temp increased to 250 when I foiled them.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Duganboy
    Duganboy Posts: 1,118
    NewEnglandEgger you really don't need a water pan with the BGE, because it is a very moist cook anyway.  A lot of folks are used to using water pans like they have with other smokers, but it is really not needed in the ceramic BGE.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 22,958
    NewEnglandEgger you really don't need a water pan with the BGE, because it is a very moist cook anyway.  A lot of folks are used to using water pans like they have with other smokers, but it is really not needed in the ceramic BGE.



    I did one brisket with water and one with just a drip pan this week.....no difference whatsoever. On top of that, they cooked at almost exactly the same time per lb so water did not help or hurt in any way. When I figure out something like that, i eleminate that step to simplify cooks going forward. No more water in the pan for me
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Eggucated
    Eggucated Posts: 213
    I'm with CenTex, i did a Turbo Butt and didn't have a drip pan on hand so I just used some loose foil on the Plater Setter and all was well.
    Thanks, Mike "Live in such a way that if anyone should speak badly of you, no one will believe it."
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • allitnils
    allitnils Posts: 109
    Not sure if it's been mentioned, but think of this as an analogy:
    Go for a run in the middle of a dry summers day.
    It won't be long until you're hot and your mouth feels dry and dehydrated.
    Now.... Have a cool drink every so often and your temperature will inevitably dropas you fill up with moisture..
    Then.. Splash your face with cold water from time to time.. You might have a hard time raising your temperature at all....
    You're hydrating the meat by injecting cold liquids to it.. Each time you do, it'll take a while for the meat to come back to its original temperature which it took so long to achieve....
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • 4Runner
    4Runner Posts: 2,948
    I like water in the drip pan to simply keep the dripping from burning. Makes for easier cleanup too.
    Joe - I'm a reformed gasser-holic aka 4Runner Columbia, SC Wonderful BGE Resource Site: http://www.nakedwhiz.com/ceramicfaq.htm and http://www.nibblemethis.com/  and http://playingwithfireandsmoke.blogspot.com/2006/02/recipes.html
    What am I drinking now?   Woodford....neat
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • tazcrash
    tazcrash Posts: 1,852
    NewEnglandEgger you really don't need a water pan with the BGE, because it is a very moist cook anyway.  A lot of folks are used to using water pans like they have with other smokers, but it is really not needed in the ceramic BGE.



    I did one brisket with water and one with just a drip pan this week.....no difference whatsoever. On top of that, they cooked at almost exactly the same time per lb so water did not help or hurt in any way. When I figure out something like that, i eleminate that step to simplify cooks going forward. No more water in the pan for me
    Interesting, and yet in my vertical, I used to add water to the pan to help keep temps where I wanted them (lower). The water boiling would actually help keep it cool through evaporation.
    But in the egg, I used to use it to keep burning from happening in the pan like 4Runner mentioned. 

    Bx - > NJ ->TX!!! 
    All to get cheaper brisket! 
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 22,958
    NewEnglandEgger you really don't need a water pan with the BGE, because it is a very moist cook anyway.  A lot of folks are used to using water pans like they have with other smokers, but it is really not needed in the ceramic BGE.



    I did one brisket with water and one with just a drip pan this week.....no difference whatsoever. On top of that, they cooked at almost exactly the same time per lb so water did not help or hurt in any way. When I figure out something like that, i eleminate that step to simplify cooks going forward. No more water in the pan for me
    Interesting, and yet in my vertical, I used to add water to the pan to help keep temps where I wanted them (lower). The water boiling would actually help keep it cool through evaporation.
    But in the egg, I used to use it to keep burning from happening in the pan like 4Runner mentioned. 

    Both pans were full of brisket liquid only and no scorched parts. the water evaporated and the pan filled with 1 gallon of brisket juice and fat. I always thought it would help too. 
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • NewEnglandEgger
    NewEnglandEgger Posts: 104
    Both butts were a hit with the family. About 20 different people had sandwiches. Not a scrap left.

    Despite that, I was not happy with the end result. The late foiling followed by an immediate FTC treatment left the pork with a moist exterior, instead of a nice bark.

    Next time, I will definitely try 250 degrees, instead of 225 in the hopes of getting closer to 2hrs/lb.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 22,958
    Both butts were a hit with the family. About 20 different people had sandwiches. Not a scrap left.

    Despite that, I was not happy with the end result. The late foiling followed by an immediate FTC treatment left the pork with a moist exterior, instead of a nice bark.

    Next time, I will definitely try 250 degrees, instead of 225 in the hopes of getting closer to 2hrs/lb.



    Correct. Foil kils bark so I only use it in emergency situations. I like crusty bark so I don't even FTC unless I have to.

    Raise the temp to around 260 (for some reason that seems to be the sweet spot for holding temps for many of us on here) and let er rip. 3 hrs per pound is way too long
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • NewEnglandEgger
    NewEnglandEgger Posts: 104
    Thanks CenTex...will do next one at 260! Have a boneless half picnic in the fridge, so may do it during the day this week...wife & I will have it all to ourselves! :)
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 22,958
    Thanks CenTex...will do next one at 260! Have a boneless half picnic in the fridge, so may do it during the day this week...wife & I will have it all to ourselves! :)



    get after it and let us know how it works. I'm interested. I'm pretty sure it's those low temps that are keeping your cooks so long. A lot of peeps on here (me included) were always taught that 225 was the BBQ magic number but it is certainly not. If I remember right, Elder Ward's pulled pork gospel on Naked Whiz is at 200! God bless him(and I sure learend a lot from all those guys) but I am just not that patient. let us know it works
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Z_Eggineer
    Z_Eggineer Posts: 576
    Water conducts heat much better than air.  Moist air conducts heat better than dry air.  This is one reason why humid summers feel hotter than dry summers.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories