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First Butt

Edemitch
Edemitch Posts: 196
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
So I get up early this morning to check things out and the temp is right were I left it, at 250. Great, right? Wrong. The Butt is already at 190! On an impulse I flick the thermometer with my finger and it jumps to 300. Who knows what it really went to over night. I've closed down the Daisy wheel most of the way. The bottom barn door was already only open about 14 inch and I closed that down to about an 18. What do you guys think? Can I save this or has it just cooked waaaaay to fast.

Comments

  • Edemitch
    Edemitch Posts: 196
    I think my thermometer is totally pooched. The temp on the thermometer hasn't budged and the meat temp has dropped 4 degrees. Can you explain how that happened? I opened things back up a little until I could see small tendrils of smoke coming back out the Daisywheel. Meat temp has stabilized. Still keeping my fingers crossed!

  • EdeMitch,
    i'm not a butt expert, heheh, but you'll be ok. faster is not bad. 300 is not bad.[p]i've got a butt sittin at 199 right now, whooohoooo! butt for breakfast!

  • Edemitch
    Edemitch Posts: 196
    Thanks for the encouragement. First try, so I'm a little paranoid

  • EdeMitch,
    this is my first overnighter and first bigg butts, so i'm right there with you. mine are getting done earlier than expected also.[p]i'm cheating a little cause i have a guru. it's in ramp mode and 225 at the grid right now.

  • thirdeye
    thirdeye Posts: 7,428
    EdeMitch,[p]Relax. Butts take higher temp coooks well. One thing though, since you cooked it faster you should let it rest longer. This will allow ample time for everything to equalize. When it is done to your liking, wrap in foil and hold in a dry cooler for a couple of hours.[p]~thirdeye~

    Happy Trails
    ~thirdeye~

    Barbecue is not rocket surgery
  • thirdeye, When you say a "dry cooler", could you please explain what you mean? Is there ice in there or is the purpose just to seal it from the outside air during the cool down process?[p]Thank you, Rascal

  • thirdeye
    thirdeye Posts: 7,428
    Rascal,[p]Yeah, that's it. It's the insulating properties you are taking advantage of. A cooler works both ways, keeping hot things hot or cold things cold. Things will stay warm in a cooler for several hours.[p]For resting an hour or two, I put some newspaper in the bottom just in case the foil should leak. For keeping things hot a long time I crumple up newspaper for more insulation or wrap in some old towels.[p]~thirdeye~
    Happy Trails
    ~thirdeye~

    Barbecue is not rocket surgery
  • Big'un
    Big'un Posts: 5,909
    EdeMitch,
    I think you are still in good shape..butts can be pretty forgiving. Time in the cooler will be well spent.[p] I've gotten away from using those "analog" therometers and started using a digital instead. The digital thermometer's probe fits in the hole just as well and I can see the large display while I'm swimming in the pool. It also has a dual use for checking the meat temp. For Father's day, the wife and kids got me a digital thermometers with a remote pager and monitor. So if a wind storm picks up outside I can monitor from my bedroom. The only issue is the digital thermometer I have, only goes up to about 392 degrees...but most of my cooks are at a far less temp anyway. After I stabilize the pit(same temp for 25 mins.), I merely turn it off to save the batteries. Hope this helps for next time.
    Big'un

  • thirdeye, Thank you![p]Rascal