My butt is taking a LONG time...

MeAndTheDog · August 2012

I started my first Boston butt cook yesterday 1:40pm, grate temp was 260. As the sun went down the temp followed staying around 220. The temp stayed around 220 until midnight. I checked it @ 5:00am and the temp had fallen to 185. I got the temp back up to 230 internal temp was 160 @ 8:30 am. Internal temp was rising. Now the grate is at 210 and the internal is 180 12:30. In another hour this 7.5 lb butt will have been on for a solid 24 hours. Should i just let it ride or scrap this hunk of meat? I don't know if this butt is going to be alright or a trip to the emergency room for my guests!

stike · August 2012

scrap it? it can't dry out if it isn't overcooked. and it can't be overcooked until it's cooked. and it still ain't cooked. see?

bump dome to 300 and pull at 195 if you want. i have taken them off at 185 and managed (with a little more effort than normal) to pull/shred them

nolaegghead · August 2012

It will be safe to eat. You've been cooking it at a low temperature, especially in the second half of the cook, and prolonged the stall - the evaporative cooling effect. I'd crank up the heat and bring it up to at least 190 and try some. Maybe even foil it to speed it up. If it tastes good, serve it.

lousubcap · August 2012

And here's the second bit of great news-you did a 24 hr cook with no lump reload. Enjoy-

Eggucated · August 2012

You have to love a 24 hour butt! I had one take that long as well, I think I kept the grate temp around 185. It came out pretty awesome, and no one got sick. I still don't know why that particular butt took so long, but because it did I now have a PartyQ!

stike · August 2012

@eggucated, it took that long because your grate temp was 185 :)
trying to get something to 190 or better in an environment that is a close to that or cooler will drag out the cook.

i used to go 225, and even then it would make for about 32 hours a pound. 225 dome starts out close to 185 at grate.

MeAndTheDog · August 2012

After stoking the fire one good time I was able to raise the grate temp to 290 and pulled the butt 1.5 hours @196. I was told it was good. It was all gone by the time I went to fix a plate!

BYS1981 · August 2012

stike said:
@eggucated, it took that long because your grate temp was 185 :)
trying to get something to 190 or better in an environment that is a close to that or cooler will drag out the cook.

i used to go 225, and even then it would make for about 32 hours a pound. 225 dome starts out close to 185 at grate.

damn, 32 hours a pound? That is a long cook.

stike · August 2012

I only cooked half pounders

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My butt is taking a LONG time...

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