Cooking below 200

Unknown

Howdy Folks,[p]So I'm planning my first Pork Butt for this weekend. We're gonna try the famous Pulled Pork from the Recipe's section. My question is concerning the proper vent settings for the 195 to 200 degree range. I'm planning to start the cook late tonight 11 or 12 and am afraid I'm going to wake up to no fire Saturday morning. I followed the instructions for sorting and stacking the lump (large on bottom, then meadium, and small on top). I'll also be sure to situate the egg so that their is no wind through the vents for a steady temp. Any other recommendations? How long should I watch before I being somewhat safe it'll maintain overnight?[p]I really don't want a house full of people waiting on me to heat up hotdogs cause the Porks not ready.[p]Thanks,
Erin

mad max beyond eggdome

Erin,
if you are looking for an internal meat temp of 195, you will never get there with a cooking temp of 195 (well, you'll get there, but it will take a long time). . .i think most people (me included) go for a dome temp guage reading in the 225 - 230 range. . .this assumes you have your pork butt on a raised grid over inverted plate setter (or other heat barrier). . .if your butt is done too early, not a problem, just wrap it good in aluminum foil, wrap in a towel and put in a cooler. . .it will stay good an hot for a long while. . .[p]good luck[p]max

bigmikej

Erin,
I would not be too worried about keeping the temp in that range. I would shoot for a dome temp of 225-240. This accomplishes 2 things: 1) The grate temp at 225-240 is closer to 200 which is also the ideal internal pork temp for pulled pork, and 2) It is easier to maintain a fire at 225 than at 190-200.[p]My advice (having done many overnight butt cooks):[p]When using (2) 7-8 lb butts (that is how they come packaged from Costco), I usually allow myself 22-24 hours from start time of cooking to eating time. If my meat gets done early, I can wrap the butts in foil and old towels and then stuff into a clean cooler to "rest" for up to 8 hours and still be toasty to pull when your guests arrive. This also gives you a buffer if your fire should go out in the night while you are sleeping (This does happen on occaision). You would have time to re-start the fire and finish the cook. Also, the more you open the lid while cooking, the longer it will take, so no peeking! With the proper planning, butts are a hard cook to mess up.[p]Good luck!

Painter

Erin,
I think the consensus around here has been to raise the cooking temp in the 225° to 250° range. (dome)
I'ts a little more managable to maintain then the 200° range and it has a better percent of success in keeping the fire going.
Also the dome temp reads higher than the grid temp where your meat is setting.
I usually start my lump and stabilize the temp for about an hour before I add my meat. I don't touch the settings after I add the meat, although they read low.
The cold or cooler meat will lower the temp in the egg until it has time to catch up. So I don't play with the settings if I've stabilized beforehand. It will come back up to temp.
You have to trust your settings and not play with them too much. I think that's where people run into problems.
I usually go around 18 hrs. on a standard pulled pork cook, so plan your time accordingly. Easier to pull off early and wrap for a few hours than not have it done in time for anxious guests.
Plus if its done early you have more time to mingle with you guests, If that's in your best interest. lol
Bob
My take on it anyway[p]

ChefDBA

Erin,
I did 2 butts (7 to 8 pounds each) for the fourth. I used a BBQGuru for the first time (device that monitors food and grill temp with 2 seperate probes, a microprocessor and a controlled fan unit). I set the meat temp to be 200 degrees and set the grill temp to be 212 degrees. The grill temp was being taken right next to the middle of the meat (suspended between the 2 butts). The dome temp maintained a steady 230 degrees (this was from my BGE thermometer). I startd the fire and gave it half an hour of being around 230 degrees before I turned on the guru, then I waited another 30 minutes with the guru just to make sure it was levelling off (this was overkill, but it was my first time). I put the meat on, closed the dome and didn't open it until the meat reached 200 degrees (21 hours later). It finished at 12:00 pm and my guests were coming for 7:00 dinner, so I was in kind of a momentary panic and then remembered the suggestion from here about holding it in a cooler (and then remembered my alto sham days and realized it was the same thing). I wrapped them in heavy foil, layed a big towel on the bottom of the cooler, added the wrapped meat and covered the top with a big comforter from the guest room closet. (we rarely have overnight guests, and if we do, well they can have BBQ dreams)[p]The meat was perfect, the whole shoulder slid out and looked like it had been boiled, the meat was perfectly coated in warm Jell-O and everyone loved it.

fishlessman

Erin,if i was going to put the meat on at 11, i would start the fire at 9 to 9:30. the fire would be stabalized by 11 when the meat went on. i start with a higher temp, 250to 275 for the first few hours then drop to 205to 215 or so and then raise the temp after the plataue stage. by starting at 250, if the fire starts to go out in the middle of the night, it will most probably be in the better than 140 range when you get up. the meat will still be safe to eat

bburd

ChefDBA,[p]Did you use wood chunks? If so, what kind did you use and when did you put them in and where did you place them? Sorry, I know these are probably simple questions to most....thanks for your help.[p]Barbara

Louisiana Redneck

Good morning,[p] I purchased a BBQ Guru about 6 months ago, strickly for overnite cooks and I have not had one fire go out. You set the temp and that is where it stays until the meat is cooked. It sure takes a lot of worry out of the over niters. I still cook by eye during the day. Just an idea and I am not connected other than it is a great tool.[p]Louisiana Redneck

Char-Woody

bigmikej, not to rain on your parade here, but----
"I would not be too worried about keeping the temp in that range." (Below 200 in the 190 to 200 range cooking??)[p]Old Dave would have a hemmorage to read this one, and I would tend to agree with him.
I would be plenty worried as your meats are going to be sitting in the 140 degree surface temperatures much too long and a real breeding ground for bacteria and its side affect called toxins....and that is really bad stuff.
Better get that temperature to over 220 to 230 dome or even a tad higher and check your dome thermometer regularly.
Happy Q to ya stay healthy.
C~W[p]

ChefDBA

Bburd,
I did a standard full load of BGE lump, then I placed 4 (about 3 inch square) chunks of Hickory kind of layered and spaced down to the bottom of the fire pit. It worked great, it would smoke for about 2 hours, then it would just be a heat trail coming out of the top for about 3 hours, then it would start smoking again. Ended up being an unplanned way to know where the burn was approximately.

The Naked Whiz

Char-Woody,
You ain't gettin' old on us are ya? That's what bigmikej was sayin', albeit in a funny way. He was telling him to get his dome temp up in the 250 range instead of 200. Now back to Ace to get you that SKU number!
TNW

Char-Woody

The Naked Whiz,[p]Question..Erin :"My question is concerning the proper vent settings for the 195 to 200 degree range."
Answer: As I read it, "I would not be too worried about keeping the temp in that range."
Comes out as suggesting that the 195 to 200 degree range is proper.. I agree, he further qualifies his comment to a higher legitimate cooking level.[p]Yes, but remember, I was old before you guys were even youngsters…!! Looking foreward to those Ace numbers.
Thanks.
C~W

Unknown

Char-Woody,[p]"I would shoot for a dome temp of 225-240." This is what I picked up on. Maybe you overlooked this sentence.

Char-Woody

SmellyBilly, great handle...as I said, he clarified his position, but others may not absorb it that a way. Soooooo, I got my results...people are reading it right.
That, BTW is also my ballpark temperature parking zone.
For low and slow of course.
Happy Q atcha...
C~W
(And see drbbq, I ain't lonely no mo)

Caingitrite

Char-Woody,
Yes, but remember, I was old before you guys were even youngsters…!![p]I like that!
CGR