meat temp.

chuckhen

So I tried to smoke a pork butt last week(6.25 lbs.) temp was steady at 225 for like 10 hrs and meat temp would not go above 170. Any suggestions? thx.

tulocay

Bump the temp up. 250-300, especially near the end to get through the stall.

nolaegghead

Put your dome thermometer in some boiling water and look for 100C. 

Cook at 250 or higher, at least through the stall.  It should have eventually reached your dome temp so if that was accurate, you just didn't wait long enough.  The stall is between 160 and 180 or so.  Expect 2 hours a pound at 225.

HogHeaven

The stall is what drives us all crazy... You have guest coming over and your butt or brisket is not progressing as you thought it should. Welcome to BBQ. I will gaurantee you this has happened to every person who has decided to try to cook butts and briskets low and slow. Thank god for faux combos. Whenever you want the facts... Ask Meathead, he is the master of grilling, smoking, BBQ science... Here is the scientific facts on THE STALL. http://amazingribs.com/tips_and_technique/the_stall.html

chuckhen

Thanks. Now to add to my confusion, of course I'm looking at different recipes, and the internal temps are all over the board. From 145 to 200??? What gives?

SmokeyPitt

chuckhen said:

Thanks. Now to add to my confusion, of course I'm looking at different recipes, and the internal temps are all over the board. From 145 to 200??? What gives?

As others stated you probably just hit the stall.  Definitely consider bumping that temp up if you want to push through it faster. 

Pork is safe to eat at 145 degrees.  When you cook most BBQ (fatty cuts), you actually cook it way beyond the poing of being safe so all the fat melts.  You could slice up a pork butt at 145 but it would be really fatty still.  At 200, you can pull the pork. The fat melts and adds moisture to the meat. 

Another example- pork loin and tenderloin are lean so you cook those to 145ish and then slice and eat.  

fishlessman

chuckhen said:

Thanks. Now to add to my confusion, of course I'm looking at different recipes, and the internal temps are all over the board. From 145 to 200??? What gives?

you have to be careful of the source, 145 is standard for a loin roast, 180 for a butt sliced or chopped, 195 or higher for pullable

Rusty Rooster

Your dome temp is likely hotter than your grid temp.  Possibly by 15-20, 205 grid will never get a butt to 200 in a timely fashion.  As has been stated, bump your temp 250-275 and you will see no difference in quality but a huge difference in cooking time.