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First Pork Butt - Progress Report #2 - confused...

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OttawaEgg
OttawaEgg Posts: 283
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
7:10 am...

More coffee...

Dome holding at 240..

Piggy now at 165 - I guess its plateau'd?

Looks to me like it should be done around noonish?

Seems a bit too soon - piggy went on at 1240am. So far that's about 6 1/2 hours.

SOOOoo... I'm a bit confooozed...

Everything I read said 2 hours / pound. With an 8 lb piggy, that's about 16 hours - which is why I put it on just after midnight, to be ready to eat around 6-ish.

Did I do something wrong?

Is 240 too high for the dome?

Is 1 1/2 hrs per pound more like it? After reading naked whiz taking over 16 hours for an 8 pounder... I AM confused!
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  • Gandolf
    Gandolf Posts: 906
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    I think you're doing just fine. Can take a long time through plateau and to reach 200. Enjoy
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  • OttawaEgg
    OttawaEgg Posts: 283
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    Thanks for the re-assurance.

    Guess I'm just a nervous nelly! :woohoo:
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  • Chasb
    Chasb Posts: 54
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    I typically end up closer to 1.5/1.6 hrs per pound on most of my butt cooks.

    You didn't do anything wrong, 240 isn't too high but it can go lower, I shoot for 210/220. Doesn't sound like yours will take 16 hours.

    Have fun
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  • FL Smoker
    FL Smoker Posts: 4
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    Your doing fine, I have cooked alot of pork, some take 1.25 hrs, some up to 2 hrs per pound. if it is done early< wrap in foil and put in a cooler.
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  • RGBHV
    RGBHV Posts: 1,318
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    Tim:

    Stop checking your voice mail...

    If it's ready to pull earlier than expected, wrap it in towels and put it in a cooler.

    It's Father's day - how can you go wrong!

    Michael
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  • OttawaEgg
    OttawaEgg Posts: 283
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    LOL :laugh:

    You guys are great!

    The blessed sow is now at 170, so I closed the vent just a touch.

    Also got foil, towels and acooler ready. Wifie thinks I'm looney, but then she always does! :woohoo:

    :side:
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  • Sundown
    Sundown Posts: 2,980
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    I've had a plateau take 6+ hours to get through so, sit tight and stop worrying.

    Do not stand and watch the dome thermometer! It'll drive you nuts.
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  • OttawaEgg
    OttawaEgg Posts: 283
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    OK... I'm behaving myself! LOL :P

    My remote "sow-sensor" sez piggy now at 174 - holding steady.

    I'm in no rush - we're not eating until 5-6ish.

    B)
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  • RU Eggsperienced
    RU Eggsperienced Posts: 1,527
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    I wrap mine in foil towels and put in a cooler for hours as explained... Actually I think it is better if you let it rest for about 2 hrs using that method. Relax, Don't worry, enjoy..
    Cheers.....Jerry


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  • Crimsongator
    Crimsongator Posts: 5,797
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    Ingest less caffeine :-)

    The 2hr/lb is a rule of thumb, but all thumbs have different rules :silly:
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  • OttawaEgg
    OttawaEgg Posts: 283
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    Crimsongator wrote:
    Ingest less caffeine :-)

    I'll be into some crown royal about 1-ish :evil:
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  • Bob V
    Bob V Posts: 195
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    OttawaEgg -

    Sundown's advice is good - stop watching the thermometer!

    There have been numerous discussions in the past on the variability of the time it takes to cook butts. Much of this seems to come down to the variability in the amount of fat in the butt. Unfortunately, there is no good, quantifiable way to know.

    I used to strive for 225 dome for long slow cooks until others pointed out the 30-50 degree difference between the dome thermometer and the grill. That difference does even out over time, but there is still a good 20 degrees. If you get a Maverick (recommended highly for long slow cooks) you'll be able to take your mind off the time of the cook by charting the time and temp differences between the grill and the dome. Now I'll start the butt just after the fire starts to burn clear, maybe 150, for the "smoking stage", and let the temp rise very very gradually up to 250 dome.

    The time in plateau is a mystery that depends on how long it takes for the fat to render. It takes just as long as it takes. Once the plateau is finished, though, you can bump the temp up to 350 to finish it off if you are in a hurry.

    Looks like you're all set up, though. Just take it off at 200, wrap it in foil and put it in the cooler. It will still be steaming when you bring it out to shred it for dinner at 6pm.

    Let us hear how it comes out.

    Bob V
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  • ric3677
    ric3677 Posts: 278
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    I have kept Butts warm for 6 hours by warming some bricks in the oven and wrapping some foil around them and putting them under the foil wrapped (dbl) Butts and towels and blankets. They were still to hot to handle by the bare skin.

    I wouldn't worry.

    Rick in Mt.
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