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Woke up to 325!! - Help?

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Gator
Gator Posts: 27
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
I started my first butt last night. I went to bed and the egg was about 240. I woke up this morning and it was 325! I've nearly got the thing shut down and I can't get it below 275.

I calibrated the thermometer before doing this (could have screwed that up.....), so I think the dome temp is right.

Internal meat temp is about 195.

Have I completely screwed my butt? Any ideas as to how the temp got so high? (I followed Elder Ward advice on fire building - up to ring, large pieces on bottom, etc.)
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Comments

  • Gator
    Gator Posts: 27
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    Nevermind. I just noticed I'm not the only one with this problem today.
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  • Mainegg
    Mainegg Posts: 7,787
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    it will take it awhile to come down, you will be fine I bet :)
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  • Gator
    Gator Posts: 27
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    Thanks for the encouragement. I can't believe I stayed up to 1:30 getting it dialed in and it climbed in my sleep like that.... Live and learn.
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  • EddieMac
    EddieMac Posts: 423
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    No worries...You have NO issue....Tough to ruin a Boston Butt...Remember that 325 dome is 300 (or less) at the grid....You're fine...

    I constantly tell people to forget about 225 low-n-slow smoking with the BGE...it's a sexy smoking temp and it sounds good when you're bragging to buddies...But the beauty of the BGE is that it allows for a higher smoking temp while keeping the meat moist and tender....I routinely smoke pork shoulders at dome temps of 27-300...and they come out great every time....

    No worries....

    Eddiemac
    Ft. Pierce, FL
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  • Hitch
    Hitch Posts: 402
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    I agree totally with EddieMac....
    When are you serving? I would take the butts off, double foil them and put them in the oven at 200 till you are a couple of hours from eating. Wrap em in towels...cooler...then start pullin when you are ready. The egg has done its job at this point.
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  • Big'un
    Big'un Posts: 5,909
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    Dude, you are fine. Just pull it,foil, and stick in a cooler for up to four hours. It'll fall apart when you go to pull it later. I can't wait to see the pics! Nice job!
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  • Frank from Houma
    Frank from Houma Posts: 5,755
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    If you are at 195, it's time to take em off. You could let it go to 205 but take em off then double foil with some apple juice or 50/50 apple juice and apple cider vinegar, and put them in an ice chest. Cover with a couple towels. Put your thermometer in after foiling just to make sure you stay over 140 before serving.
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  • Frank from Houma
    Frank from Houma Posts: 5,755
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    You type faster than me Big'un - but most peeps do. :lol:
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  • Gator
    Gator Posts: 27
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    Thanks again folks. Dinner is at 3 today, so that leaves 7 hours. I probably need to pull it and reheat?
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  • Gator
    Gator Posts: 27
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    I went ahead and pulled it, pulled it, and bagged it. It came out awesome. No time for pics though, we're taking my daughter to a parade. Maybe next time.

    I remember some propaganda in the box when I got my egg, "your failures on a Big Green Egg will be greater than your successes on a regular grill..."

    They're right. I've messed up at least two cooks that turned out great.
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  • Celtic Wolf
    Celtic Wolf Posts: 9,773
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    Actually it's not just a "sexy smoking temp" The purpose of that temp is to allow the fat and collagen to properly break done.

    You can cook it faster if you want, but I prefer to let the fat and collagen to render out.
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  • Celtic Wolf
    Celtic Wolf Posts: 9,773
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    Do what Big'un said, but in the future let your egg stabilize before you put the meat in and leave the vents alone after you do. Make sure everything but the met is in the egg as it's coming up to temp.

    Playing with the vents after you put the meat in because it dropped leads to the problem you described.

    The dome is going to drop for a bit because you just put a cold mass of meat or worse a cold plate setter in the egg.
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  • civil eggineer
    civil eggineer Posts: 1,547
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    Celtic Wolf's advice was right on. You have to remember when you put the meat in you have a huge heat sink that is cold. You can stabilize the egg temp but as the meat slowly warms so will the egg temps as less heat is being absorbed by the meat. If you get everything stabilized before the meat it will eventually get back to temps as it cooks. Clear as mud? ;)
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  • Doug in Eggmonton
    Doug in Eggmonton Posts: 1,999
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    Your butt will be fine. Pull anytime between now and 205 wrap in foil with a little of one of warmed apple juice, coke, stock or even salted, sweetened water in the worst case). If you have 5 hours or less wrap it in towels and put it in the cooler. More than 5 hours what I found worked great in exactly the same situation you are in is put it in a low (150-175) oven and it will stay moist and warm for a very long time.

    Doug.
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  • Gator
    Gator Posts: 27
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    Thanks for the advice. That makes a ton of sense, and is exactly what I did. I put the meat in after the egg was heated and stabilized based on that.
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