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Pork Butts taking forever

mvnole
mvnole Posts: 54
in EggHead Forum
I put 2 eight pounders on last night.  Use the same set up I always use, indirect at 225 and it usually takes 11-12 hours.  I am at 17 hours and only just started moving out of the stall.  I am finally to 168 degrees.  The flame boss is working fine.  Ran home at lunch and the themapen was right on temperature.  I am going to kick it up to 300 degrees.  Any concern with the time it has taken to get to where I am? 
LBGE 
FWB, FL
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Comments

  • saluki2007
    saluki2007 Posts: 6,354
    That seems a little long, but at the low of a temperature anything is possible.  Crank her up to 300 and you will be fine.
    Large and Small BGE
    Central, IL

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  • StillH2OEgger
    StillH2OEgger Posts: 3,902
    I do mine at about 250 degrees and rarely are they done in under 12 hours. My guess is having two big hunks of cold meat in there at a relatively low temp (225) it will take a little longer, but it seems odd that you would see that much of a difference. Your others finished earlier, but at 225 I would generally plan on two hours per pound based on a guide someone posted on here some time ago that I still refer to.
    Stillwater, MN
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  • mvnole
    mvnole Posts: 54
    Thanks for the input.  Cranked it to 300 and seeing some movement in the temperature.  Backyard smells like BBQ heaven.  
    LBGE 
    FWB, FL
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  • THEBuckeye
    THEBuckeye Posts: 4,232
    250 - then crank it up as needed to remove at desired time. 

    That or Turbo - 350. Takes less time, get great results.
    New Albany, Ohio 

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  • Homebrewguy
    Homebrewguy Posts: 158
    StillH2OEgger said:
    I do mine at about 250 degrees and rarely are they done in under 12 hours. My guess is having two big hunks of cold meat in there at a relatively low temp (225) it will take a little longer, but it seems odd that you would see that much of a difference. Your others finished earlier, but at 225 I would generally plan on two hours per pound based on a guide someone posted on here some time ago that I still refer to.
    Mine have never taken 2 hours per pound at 225F. They usually take a bit more than 90 minutes per pound.
    LBGE & Masterbuilt 30" Stainless Electric Digital Smokehouse w/Cold Smoker
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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    Lately, I START at 300-320°. Used to start at 250°, now I get a good night's sleep and put the butt on about 10 AM. Dinner at 5:30 or 6.

    Never even tried 225°. When you want to pull at 205° meat temp, it's gonna take a month of Sundays to get there when the smoker temp is only 20° higher than target meat temp.

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • northGAcock
    northGAcock Posts: 15,173
    Mine seem to take longer in muggy / humid air. Not sure if that is helpful information.....and don't know what science would have to say about that.
    Ellijay GA with a Medium & MiniMax

    Well, I married me a wife, she's been trouble all my life,
    Run me out in the cold rain and snow
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  • OhioEgger
    OhioEgger Posts: 994
    I've had the same problem (18 hours for a fairly small butt) and finally figured out that 225 is just a poor place to start. Switched to 275 (I also use the FlameBoss 200) and it made all the difference. Many here use an even higher temperature and also have great results.

    I started out using 225 based on Meathead's recommendations, but it was a poor decision for me.
    Cincinnati, Ohio. Large BGE since 2011. Still learning.
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  • fishepa
    fishepa Posts: 211
    Agree with the others, I usually run anywhere between 275-300.
    War Damn Eagle!
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  • SmokeyPitt
    SmokeyPitt Posts: 10,490
    edited June 2017
    I agree that in the egg 225 is just too low. I think with other types of cookers there is more air movement so there is more convection at the same temp. On the egg, 225 will really drag out a cook. 

    No concern at all about the amount of time it has cooked so far. I think you made the right move to crank it up and finish it. 

    If you are in a hurry you can also wrap them in foil to push them over the finish line. This will soften the bark a little though. 

    Which came first the chicken or the egg?  I egged the chicken and then I ate his leg. 

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  • SaintJohnsEgger
    SaintJohnsEgger Posts: 1,826
    This is the graph of my cook last Friday. Two very cold 9lb Butts went on at 8:01AM Friday morning at 225*. The first one came off at 10:14PM (that's the dip in pit temp) with an internal temp of 203*. The second one was puled at 2:15 AM Saturay morning with an internal temp of 190*.

    I think part of my problem was the two huge cold hunks of meat just took time to start getting up to temp.

    https://myflameboss.com/cooks/104842?historical=1

    Marshall in Beautiful Fruit Cove, FL.
    MiniMax 04/17
    Unofficial BGE MiniMax Evangelist
    Facebook Big Green Egg MiniMax Owners Group


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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    northGAcock said:
    Mine seem to take longer in muggy / humid air. 
    @ northGAcock... Dude, you live in Cola! You are screwed! :lol:

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • northGAcock
    northGAcock Posts: 15,173
    Carolina Q said:
    northGAcock said:
    Mine seem to take longer in muggy / humid air. 
    @ northGAcock... Dude, you live in Cola! You are screwed! :lol:
    So true.....I don't do many butts in the hot summer months though. It rides heavy on me during those months when I am sporting my speedo. =)
    Ellijay GA with a Medium & MiniMax

    Well, I married me a wife, she's been trouble all my life,
    Run me out in the cold rain and snow
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