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Emergency! Temp dropping on Pork Butt?

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hugewineo
hugewineo Posts: 49
in EggHead Forum
OK this is weird.  I have an 8 lb butt that I wrapped to 190 then pulled out of foil to firm up bark a bit before taking off at 200.  So this thing goes up in temp to about 194, then slowly drops and its now at 185!!.  I have tried it 3 different spots all with the same results.  How am I dropped temp near the end of the cook?  What should I do?  Seems like the butt is more or less done.  There is a little give in some spots, other spots are like butter...
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  • Hungry Joe
    Hungry Joe Posts: 1,567
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    Sounds like a stall, is your thermometer calibrated?  Just be patient. Bump up the dome temp if you are in a hurry.
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  • hugewineo
    hugewineo Posts: 49
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    thermometer works, tested with another just to be sure.  Never heard of a stall at 185, little late in the game!  Oh well, its at 189 now and im running at 275.  I'm trying not to blacken the bark too bad so I don't want to go much higher.  Tenting the butt with foil now to see if that helps... sheesh, I need to have this bad boy off the grill in a half hour
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  • yzzi
    yzzi Posts: 1,843
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    I've had a couple stall that high. They were boneless so I don't know if that could be a factor. I think each one is different.
    Dunedin, FL
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  • Mattman3969
    Mattman3969 Posts: 10,457
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    Open the vents up and let it eat some lump. At this stage even if you crank it it to 350 it ain't gonna hurt the bark. Most of my butts are cooked at 325-350 straight through.
    My guess is when you took the foil off it lost some juices and caused the temp drop, but I could be way wrong

    -----------------------------------------

    analyze adapt overcome

    2008 -Large BGE. 2013- Small BGE and 2015 - Mini. Henderson, Ky.
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  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,888
    edited September 2013
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    Mattman3969 said:
    Open the vents up and let it eat some lump. At this stage even if you crank it it to 350 it ain't gonna hurt the bark. Most of my butts are cooked at 325-350 straight through. My guess is when you took the foil off it lost some juices and caused the temp drop, but I could be way wrong
    I agree with you - if it was boneless then juices drained which were holding the heat. BTW I too prefer the 325 to 350 turbo approach from start to finish. The bark won't blacken unless it has a rub with a high concentration of sugar.
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
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  • Mattman3969
    Mattman3969 Posts: 10,457
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    @RRP - do you foil or bare back the entire cook?

    -----------------------------------------

    analyze adapt overcome

    2008 -Large BGE. 2013- Small BGE and 2015 - Mini. Henderson, Ky.
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  • Chubbs
    Chubbs Posts: 6,929
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    Evaporative cooling. Patience
    Columbia, SC --- LBGE 2011 -- MINI BGE 2013
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  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,888
    edited September 2013
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    When I am doing a turbo I run the internal up to 160 bare back and then tightly foil with HD foil. Then when it hits from 198 to 202 I remove the foiled butt off the egg, but leave the foil on. Just be careful as that grease will burn you badly! BTW the wide range from 198 to 202 depends on how long it will be that it stays in the wrap and cooler before pulling it.
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
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  • jaydub58
    jaydub58 Posts: 2,167
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    Bone-in, boneless, that can have an influence.  A bone will help transmit heat into the butt, but without that help, you sure can run into a late stall.

    I have.   You're okay.

    John in the Willamette Valley of Oregon
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