Cooking time discrepancy

BrianP · December 2005

OK folks, I have a question I've thought about and cannot answer. I did my first Boston Butt (8.5 lbs) a number of weeks ago. I used a plate holder and placed the meat on a vrack over the drip pan all on top of the grill. My cooking time was 23 hours at 225 degrees. I used a Guru so I'm fairly confident the temperature was stable.[p]This past weekend, I did two butts (combined weight - 13.5 lbs). They wouldn't both fit on a vrack so I put a 16 inch diameter round cake pan directly on the plate holder to catch the fat drippings and placed both butts directly on the grill surface. I used the Guru again set at 225 degrees. This time the cooking time was only 15 hours.[p]Can anyone offer me any ideas as to why the cooking times are so different? I would appreciate any help as I am now not confident I can time these things accurately for my next attempt.[p]thanks,
BrianP

thirdeye · December 2005

BrianP,[p]Where did you have the pit probe?

BGEJeff · December 2005

BrianP,[p]Never have been able to figure out that time thing, I think it has something to with how much collegen is in the particular butt. Just trust in the temperatures and if your done early wrap in foil, towel and put in a cooler preheated w/boiling water.(dump the water out of the cooler just before the butt goes in)
Lots of Luck[p]Jeff

fishlessman · December 2005

BrianP,
with the vrack in the pan you had less heat circulating around the meat. when you raised the meat higher over the pan with the 2 butts the circulation was better. my cooks went from about 20 hours to 12-14 hours when i changed the setup around. you also have no vrack to clean this way, much better

BlueSmoke · December 2005

BrianP,
Don't mislead yourself when it comes to "total weight". I'm guessing that the two butts were 6.5 pounds apiece - your cooking time would be for 6.5 pounds. Think of it this way (weigh?): which would be done first, a 5 pound beef roast, or 5 pounds of beef made into kebabs?[p]Your cook time for 6.5 pounds of butt was 2.3 hours per pound; for 8.5 pounds 2.7 hours per pound. Split the difference and you have the "rule of thumb" for butt; 2.5 hours per pound.[p]HTH
Ken

Unknown · December 2005

BrianP,[p]Your two butts were smaller than your first cook. Of course they should cook in less time. A 6-3/4 pound butt is less thick as a 8-1/2 pound butt and it's more about the thickness as it is the total weight.[p]Dave

Clay Q · December 2005

BrianP,
I believe you had more heat circulating around the butts when on the grid, less heat with v rack and aluminum drip pan. Aluminum pans in close proximty to the meat can reflect/block heat keeping the bottom of the butt relatively cooler.
Clay

BrianP · December 2005

thirdeye,
Clipped onto the meat temperature probe.[p]BrianP

BrianP · December 2005

BlueSmoke,
This is brilliant - this sounds absurdly simple. So much so, I would never have thought of it. Great tip - thanks.[p]BrianP

BrianP · December 2005

ClayQ and Fishlessman,[p] This explanation along with the fact that each of the twin butts was smaller than my first one probably explains it all. Thanks, much, for helping me out with this one.[p]This group rocks.[p]BrianP

Sundown · December 2005

BrianP,
I've see a bunch of "off times" in recent years. We usually do bone in pork shoulders. Back a bit I had a 10 pounder cook in a little under 12 hours. Temp was at 250º rock solid. Last one we did was another ten poundre and it took 24 hours. I believe it's just the nature of the beast and maybe more collegan or less. Who knows? Still tastes good.

Clay Q · December 2005

BrianP,
Yes, it does! I'm jumping between the forum and my egg with sourdough bread today. Its 8 degrees out but I'm in the sun and it feels good. Any day I'm egging it's a great day. As soon as the first loaf is cool enough I'm slicing and buttering up. Ahhhhhhhh, I can hardly wait.[p]I'm in wood fired brick oven territory with my egg. Man, the egg does so much so well. And this forum- it's the best bunch of cooking fanatics in the world. I really mean it.
Have a great day,
Clay

Green Eggs and Lamb · December 2005

BrianP, I just cooked 4 butts on my XL Egg night before last. All 4 were placed on the grid over a plate sitter and 2 drip pans and cooked at 225 using a guru to regulate temp. 2 of the butts were 6.8 pounds and the other 2 were 7.1 and 7.2 pounds. One reached 200 degrees internal in 13 hours, one in 14 hours, one in 15 hours and one in 16 hours. Why such a discrepancy. The butts were nearly the same size and the heart should have been unform as all 4 were on the grid. Any thoughts by anyone.

Green Eggs and Lamb · December 2005

BrianP, The heat was also uniform. I am not sure about the heart.

Cooking time discrepancy

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