Cooking to Fast ? ? ? - - - Help ! !

FlaParrotHead

Maybe it is the BONELESS butts (I think my last one was bone in) but these two (2) 6 lb butts seem to be "slow cooking" too fast. The dome temp has stayed about 225 or so for since I put them on the egg but the internal temp is already at 130 on one and 140 on the other and they have only been cooking for about 2 1/2 hours. They are directly on the cooking gate with a platesetter and drip pan beneath them. I am trying to bring the internal temp down to 200 even - - but I am worried that they are cooking too fast. [p]I know that the last 25 degrees or so - from 175 to 200 can and should be long and slow - - BUT still - I want to make sure that I have the right temp and cook for the Sunday pulling.[p]HELP ! ! ! We need our Eastern NC Pulled Pork to help Tampa win tomorrow. . . <g>[p]Thanks, -bill

RRP

FlaParrotHead,
just a few ideas...
1) have you calibrated your dome thermometer lately?
2) the term "turbo butt" comes up here time to time and what may be happening to you is this - something about the individual piece of meat just simply cooks faster than normal butts
3) do have a good ice chest and towels handy in case these guys do in fact get done early you can always wrap them in foil and then tightly in towels and then into the chest and they will stay warm for 6 hours easily.
4) ready to stay up for a while tonight to see these babies through in case 2) is correct?[p]

FlaParrotHead

RRP,[p]The dome thermometer is calibrated (I actually pull it and check it every so often). [p]I have missed the posts about "turbo-butts" but it sounds like what I may have. Although I still think part of the problem may be the cut and being boneless. The cuts look very teder and lean.[p]The cooler(s) are not a problem - we boat so we have many. Can someone please (re)post the foil and towel practice. I need to get it right and make sure that I do not "loose" these butts as we are all looking forward to picking some pork on Sunday. [p]Should we simply pick it early (as soon as it reaches 200) or should we cooler it for some time. What does the foil/towel/cooler treatment buy us.[p]Hopefully even with "turbo-butts" things can still turn out great (like everything does on the egg).[p]Staying up will not be a problem - pleanty of beverages - the net connection is always up - and it is a Saturday.[p]Thanks for any and all suggestions - - I know we are not the first for this one.[p]-Bill

Unknown

FlaParrotHead,
When I have cooked boston butts they do the same thing.
That is they get to 130-140 pretty fast and then stall at around 150-165 and stay in that range for hours and hours before creeping on up to the 200 degree range.It sounds like there on track for a 20-24 hour cook. Keep your dome temp in the 225-250 range. Even if the meat is done early you can wrap it in foil and it will stay hot for 2-3 hours.
Good luck [p]Gary J

FlaParrotHead

Gary J,[p]Thanks - That is what I am expecting/hoping but since my past cooks have always STARTED at 11pm or midnight (even with bone in) maybe I just never noticed how quickly they got to the 140/150 temp (since I was out by then). Since I am planning this pick for noon (or so) Sunday - I started it about 6 hours earlier than a dinner pick would have started.[p]Hopefully you have nailed it . . otherwise I will be ready with the foil and towels.[p]-b

RRP

FlaParrotHead,
I use the foil/towels/chest all the time for many cooks so I don't have to worry this or that isn't done when supper is "scheduled"...really there is nothing to it - just wrap whatever meat tightly in foil and then wrap with a towel and then another towel etc etc. Key is to select a cooler that will be full with the meat, towels etc - air is the enemy you want to avoid. I always place one towel on top and then seal it down.
My cooler is a "Coleman Personal 16" probably many years old which works very well, but new age plastics are probably better, but I don't mess with the proven stuff!

nikkig

FlaParrotHead,
Our butts usually come off around noon for dinner eating. We put them in coolers until dinner time and have never had a cold butt. We fill a cooler up with hot water and let it sit for a bit, then dump it out. Wrap your butts in heavy duty foil, and place in the coolers. They should stay hot for several hours. I've never used the towel method, so I don't know if that helps any. I have also heard of some who wrap in foil then newspaper. Maybe someone else will chime in with their thoughts.[p]~nikki

FlaParrotHead

Well Folks - Thanks and keep the foil/towel/cooler suggestions coming - I still may need them. I have brought the egg down to 200 even and the meat seems to have settled at about 145 and is holding there.[p]I think that part of the issue may just be that since my butt cooks have usually been in the dead of the night, I have not noticed the fast rise to 140+ temp then the looonnngggg hold time in the 145-150 range. I was really worried that the boneless vs. bone-in was causing the "turbo-cook" as someone mentioned. [p]It may still be a problem - but with the egg holding at 200 and the meat holding at 145 - I think that I may be on the way toward a good pick, but then anything can happen over night.[p]I still am not 100% confortable with leaving everything alone until 7-8am - - so we will see.[p]Thanks and keep the ideas flowing, if not for me - for the next overnighter.[p]-b

Stogie

FlaParrotHead,[p]Sounds like your cooker temps are much too low. If you are reading 200º at the dome, your butts will never get done. That means your grate level is probably only 180-190º...impossible to get the meat over 200º when the surrounding environment is only 180º.[p]As usualy, my advice is to measure your temps at the meat level, dome temps can be VERY misleading.[p]Stogie

Gandolf

RRP,
How 'bout 7 or 8 hours?

FlaParrotHead

Well Folks - They weren't "turbo butts" afterall. Once the internal temp of the two butts reached 145 or so (after only about 2-3 hours) things settled down and the cook went on as expected. I guees never being awake for that portion put me a bit on edge. They must have held in the 145-150 range for a good 4 or 5 hours before starting to climb again (ever so slowly). [p]18 hours later with the best fire I have had to date - we pulled about 7 pounds of prime pickings. With only about 1 or 2 pounds left after the troops left, it looks like the next low/slow cook will not be too far away.