Oh my butt! Questions!

MissingToof · September 2012

Put my 11lb butt on last night about 10:30pm, after the temp stabilized at 200, went to bed at 11:30, Egg chugging along. Got up at 6:30am, and very little heat in the Egg. Took temp of butt and its at 100 degrees..... Restarted the egg, and currently (7:00am) Egg temp back at 200. I feel confident that the butt did not reach, agree? The meat will still be ok to eat when it's done? OK to keep temp at my original number (200), should I put a little more, or less heat? Thanks in advance!

hrchdog · September 2012

200 dome temp is gonna be less at grate level, I do mine at 250 grate level temp. I would be leary of this butt spending that much time in the danger zone, it may have never gotten above 140 in that seven hour period.

GLW · September 2012

Same thing happened to me twice.

I cook at 220 looking for an internal temp of 195. Pull and tent for an hour.

Most important, invest in a party Q. Never has happened since!!

gdenby · September 2012

Hmmm, if you were working in food service, you would be obliged to pitch the butt. The guidelines has been revised somewhat, but the older statement was maximum 4 hours for uncooked food between 40 & 140 F, and only 2 hours for cooked in the same range. Because you don't know how long the Egg temperature was under 140, it would be not be considered safe.

Is it safe? Was it a bone in butt? If so, the outside was sanitized shortly after the meat went into the Egg. Not very likely it was re-contaminated in the Egg. If its bone out, there is a chance the interior was contaminated, and was no where near the 126 it takes to bring pathogen growth to a halt (altho they are not dead at that point.)

Myself, if its bone in, I would risk it. Bone out, no.

And I would not serve it to toddlers or elders, or anyone else with a weak immune system.

For future reference, have a higher dome temperature for overnighters. Lots of people report fires going out w. dome temps of 225 and lower. Stay up for about 2 hours after putting the food in. Get up once in the middle of the night for a quick check if you don't have a remote thermometer/alarm.

Usually, butts need to get to the 195 - 205 range to be pullable. However, w. a dome temperature of 200, while it will eventually cook, you might be looking at 3 hours a pound. If you continue, consider upping the dome temp to 275.

MissingToof · September 2012

I decided to cut into the meat, it's just a little pink in the center.... I'm thinking its still ok to eat. What say you?

gdenby · September 2012

Here's the most basic maxim. "When in doubt, throw it out."

For something done right, there shouldn't be any question. Got a dog or cat(s)?

I'm saying this from the perspective of someone who knows they have had food poisoning (Stuff kept in a fridge that was too warm for 2 days.) Projectile vomiting and 24 hours sharing 1 toilet w. my wife and kid was something i will not go thru again.

mb99zz · September 2012

+1 from a food poisoning victim.....nothing is worth risking that wonderful experience again.

Mickey · September 2012

3 times: bad butter in theater popcorn, once on Key West conch chowder, last from fried rice in Asian place. Yes you remember them well (over 65 years) and if it was a $1000 hunk of meat I would toss it. No question about it.

jimreed777 · September 2012

Very, very hard to keep the egg stabilized under 225 - 230 grate for me without my fire being out by morning. I have tried 205 twice and both times the Maverick woke me up and I had to torch the lump again and re-stabilize.

for my MBGE:

Get a good fire going...slowly close down over the next hour, then once stabilized for 30 minutes,

6 screen squares

Daisy half open

Settles at 230 grate overnight

Works every time for me

As far as the butt is concerned, I did not stay in a holiday Inn last night. I am not going to throw in my 2 cents without any appreciable knowledge on the subject.

I have, unfortunately, had food poisoning twice. I never have any problem remembering how many times, and the memories are seared into my mind.

:-&

MissingToof · September 2012

Well, I decided to toss it.... $9.00 just not worth the risk for the fam and friends. Just ran down to the grocery and picked up a 8lb butt... I also brined a 4lb last night... Injected both, rubbed down, and put them on at 8:45am. Looks like plenty of lump left, even after the cook last night. Refreshed the hickory.... Sitting on the patio, 4th cup of coffee in hand, smoke in the air, GameDay about to come on the TV out here, and waiting on the rain to arrive in Mississippi. Thanks for the advice guys!

R2Egg2Q · September 2012

I also would have tossed it. Sounds like you've recovered well.

QDude · September 2012

On your next butt I suggest going to 250-275 dome temp. There is nothing magical about 200-225. Pork butts come out great at temps in the 275-300 degree range.

DonWW · October 2012

MissingToof said:

Well, I decided to toss it.... $9.00 just not worth the risk for the fam and friends.

Good call. Lose the battle - win the war.

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Oh my butt! Questions!

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