250 vs. 300 for long low-slow cooks?

Unknown

I'm a pretty experienced egger and can consistently turn out high quality pork butts and briskets with 15-20 hour cooks at 225-250 degrees. [p]I was just thinking recently about trying one at 300 degrees and seeing if the quality was noticeably different and the reduction in time might make it worth it.[p]My hypothesis is that the heavy ceramics will still keep a very moist product, and that you may even get better crust on it.[p]In addition, I always find that in cook hours 15-20 I am usually opening the vents much wider as the coals go down and I need to get the meat up to 195 degrees internal or whatever.[p]Just seems like a 300 degree cook might get to the 195 internal point a little faster and without as much adjustments and hours on the backend of the cook.[p]Was wondering if anyone had tried this approach and what the results might have been.[p]Happy Labor Day everyone![p]Best,
biker19

Jeeves

biker19,[p]good question...[p]I'd like to know as well, the better bark sounds good..[p]I'm just guessing here, but I think that the if you do go higher, you MAY subject the outer MEAT to an OVERDONE temperature.??[p]Can you send me some Portillos? (j/k)

stike

Jeeves,
you can go at "normal temps" (225-250) until thru the plateau and then bump it to 300 to speed the end of the cook.[p]although there are a couple guys here who do 300 all the way through, too. 300 is still a low temp, pretty much.[p][p]

Crawdaddy

biker19,
I've done this several times with babybacks and they came out beautifully. I was able to pull them off at just under four hours (I don't foil). Its worth a try if you can knock a couple of hours of a long cook.

Jeeves

stike,[p]Thanks - stupid questioin - How does one know when they have hit the 'plateu'... Do you watch for the temperature to stabalize for a long time while the conversion from gcollagen to gelatin is complete?[p]Need to pass that one to BBQ Guru - watch for 'plateau' characteristics, then raise the pit temp to a '2nd phase temp'[p]Better go patent that one quick![p]:)