Pork butt 105 degrees after 4 hours?

pwalsten

I'm smoking my first pork butt and hoping that I haven't already failed.  I put my 8 lb pork butt on four hours ago (solid 250 dome temp throughout) and I have an internal temp of 105. I have read that after four hours the temp for pork needs to be a 140 or you are at risk of getting sick from it.  Please do not tell me that is the case...hubby might just put my Christmas present on the market.  He was a good sport through the chewy brisket and the off-flavored turkey but he might lose his sense of humor if he's up all night in the bathroom.  The good news is that I'm still having fun and love reading all of the great advice from fellow and experienced posters.  Thanks in advance.  

gerhardk

You will be fine.  The temperature you read about is for holding food, like in a buffet table.  The bacteria on a pork but is mostly on the surface and will be killed from the combination of heat and smoke and even your rub will kill some.  What I would not do is heat meat several times without getting the internal temperature into the safe zone as that is just asking for trouble but slow ramp in temperature is what low and slow is all about.

Gerhard

pwalsten

Whew!  Thank you so much.  I think that this one is going to be my home run.

The Cen-Tex Smoker

totally fine. keep on truckin

fishlessman

at low and slow temps most butts dont make it to 140 and it doesnt matter, the rule 40 to 140  for 4 hours is the storage air temp, if the egg is above 140 your safe. should mention they changed the 4 hour rule to 2 hours but im not changing it
)

Mickey

Also have you checked to be sure your temp gadge is working righ? Now is not the time, but after this cook you might want to check it

The Cen-Tex Smoker

fishlessman said:

at low and slow temps most butts dont make it to 140 and it doesnt matter, the rule 40 to 140  for 4 hours is the storage air temp, if the egg is above 140 your safe. should mention they changed the 4 hour rule to 2 hours but im not changing it
)

2 hrs is ridiculous (unless you are susceptible to illness which is what all that is designed for anyway). 

pwalsten

Checking the temp gage was one of the first hugs tips that I got from this forum after my event with the brisket.  It was off 35 degrees but is on track now.  Thanks again to everyone for all of the great advice.  Right now I'm at 130, dome temp is holding at 250 and feeling good!

fishlessman

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

fishlessman said:

at low and slow temps most butts dont make it to 140 and it doesnt matter, the rule 40 to 140  for 4 hours is the storage air temp, if the egg is above 140 your safe. should mention they changed the 4 hour rule to 2 hours but im not changing it
)

2 hrs is ridiculous (unless you are susceptible to illness which is what all that is designed for anyway). 

i bet it was safe at 8 so they made it 4, someone in charge said what if it goes 4.25 hours, so they made it 2, next year it will be 1

Little Steven

Then we'll be hauling our eggs to the grocery store

lousubcap

@pwalsten-having cleared that hurdle the next thing that may cause you some concern is the "stall" (evaporative cooling) that will occur somewhere around 160*F when butt temperature decides to stall (or drop) for several hours.  Perfectly normal event.  If you are going to be pressed for finish-time you can crank up the dome temp (300*f or so) to help power through the stall or check out "texas crutch" and the use of foil (which will soften your bark).  FWIW-