My first butt (long winded)

Mr. Hyde

While Tonia has done quite a few butts, I have chosen to sleep through this experience. Well last night, since she is hanging out, and learning from the pros in Plant City, I finally broke down and cooked a couple of 6-8 lb'ers in our medium. Rubbed em with some of Wil's G'rilla rub, and put them on last night. Cus I was skeered, I loaded that bad boy way up with fresh lump, and started cooking about 7 last night. [p]For some reason, it was a bear to keep it below about 250, and so I had both the vents almost completely closed. All was doing well, and I fell asleep in front of the tube about 11. When I woke up at 2AM, I glanced at the Maverick, and it showed a dome temp of 145, and a meat temp of 125. I said "Uh-Oh" (okay that might not have been the exact words that I used). I was concerned about having the meat temp still so low, for so many hours, and was pondering whether to throw the meat in the trash, when I realized that I was looking at the probes wrong. Actually the meat temp was the 145, the dome temp was 125! Opened it back up, kinda blew some air into the bottom, and the temp started creeping back up...whew! But that put a nix on ever sleeping again...it is hard to do with one eye glued to a thermometer.[p]I planned for it to be ready in time for lunch, but I guess because the egg was hotter than normal, it got done early, the smaller one was done about 7 am (12 hours on one butt, an additional hour for the second one). I put it in foil in the cooler until I couldn't stand it any longer, and had pork for breakfast about 10:00. [p]Man was that good! Now how am I going to polish off the other 15 lbs of this stuff?

Nature Boy

Mr. Hyde,
Sounds like a nice little adventure, and a successful one in the end! Hard to kill those butts it seems. Cooking at 250 (or even 275 dome) is actually a good range for cooking butts, and even briskets. So maybe your temp problem wasn't really a problem. Glad you got your fire restarted easily without needing to dismantle everything![p]Yeah, getting a good long solid sleep is a recipe for trouble. Mine went on at 10pm last night, and I set the alarm for 3. Got up and the temp was 290. Tapped the vents and right back in bed. Checked again at 6 am cruising along at 250, and I knocked out another hour and a half sleep. Not too much effort to get up for a couple quick checks, and you just might save the day if there is a problem.[p]I just put mine in the cooler for the guys party this afternoon. 201 and into the foil with some chicken broth. 4 hours or so til we crack it open. About 13 hours for a 7 pounder. It took all my willpower not to break off a chunk before foiling it. This one has a heavy dose of swamp venom. The guys don't mind a little kick.[p]Enjoy gorging yourself with juicy pork.
Beers!
Chris

char buddy

Mr. Hyde,[p]
Dude - two questions.[p]you coming to the eggfest again?[p]I thought you had a guru...

Cornfed

Mr. Hyde,[p]So your butt is long winded? Too much beer and BBQ sometimes makes that happen...[p]Heeee,
Cornfed

Mr. Hyde

char buddy ,
We will be there with Cosmopolitons. No, I don't have a guru, but this morning I was wishing I did!

Smoke 'n Things

Mr. Hyde,
Stuff the leftovers in quart freezer bags and put in the freezer. Pulled Pork warms up in the microwave real well. Also, try the pulled pork enchiladas receipe in the BGE receipe section, it is very good. I always try to keep some pulled pork in the freezer for a rainy day. I also once made portion of the meat part of the enchilada receipe and stuffed it into jalapenos peppers and cooked indirect with a Chile Grill. Good stuff.[p]By the way, I will see you in March at the Florida Eggfest. My wife and I have a cabin reserved.[p]bye,
Dave Howd
Smoke 'n Things

Gfw

<p />Smoke 'n Things, great advice. With just my wife and I, we always make enough to freeze and later reheat in the microware. Generally just leave in the same bag, thaw and nuke for about 7 minutes at 30% power.[p]And for leftovers, I also agree with the enchilada suggestion. First time I made was in 2000 - great stuff. And if you are heating up a little chili, toss in some left over pulled pork :~}

[ul][li]Enchiladas [/ul]

HighMedLow

Gfw, Would really like to try the leftovers in an Enchiladas recipe, but the link gives me a page not found...[p]HML

Gfw

HighMedLow, try agin - just clicked and apear to be linking - if not, goto http://bbq.yyyz.net look in the left menu for Mexican.[p]

HighMedLow

Gfw,
OK, got there... Very nice pictoral recipe, and thanks. I am looking forward to making the dinner.[p]HML