# Bad Start Butt Cook



## Cliff H. (Sep 22, 2007)

I attempted to put two butts on the wsm last night around 9:00.  I got everything fired up and went in to rub the butts down while the smoker came up to temp.  180 came real quick.  I shut the vents down to 1/2.  Before I could finish the prep work the smoker was already at 210 so I shut the vents down to 1/4.  The jump from 210 to 260 was almost seamless.  I shut all the vents off.  The temps stabalized at 270.  

At this point I decided to change the clay dish heat sink in the wsm pan to a pound of sand in a brinkman pan. I got that done and the temps stabalized below 250 very soon.  

Then I ran into all kinds of issues trying to get my probe wires threaded thru the grate while the RO lump and hickory were burning like a forest fire down below.  I had to alternate leaving the lid on for 30 sec to lower the temps and then removing it to work for 30 sec until the flames reached the grate.

I even dumped the butt loaded grate into the water pan because I didn't have it positioned good on one of the brackets.

Things are looking up this am.  Butts are at 170.  The smokeer has been holding between 230 and 260 all night.


----------



## wittdog (Sep 22, 2007)

Way to rebound Cliff..you gotta watch when using lump the temps tend to spike quick...but go back to normal if the lid wasn't off for to long


----------



## Green Hornet (Sep 22, 2007)

Sounds like everthing is under control now. Get some pics up dude!


----------



## Nick Prochilo (Sep 22, 2007)

Good rebound Cliff. Next time take the time up front to prep the WSM!


----------



## Cliff H. (Sep 22, 2007)

In my quest for the perfect mod to control temps I tried the clay saucer last week on a brisket.  I started with sand in a wsm pan, then made a base from  four golfball size foil balls.  I then placed a 14" clay saucer on top of those.  That was kind of a modified piedmont pan and it worked ok.  I was trying the clay saucer by itself on this cook and I don't think it works so good.

Once I replaced it with sand,  everything went back to normal.


----------



## Bruce B (Sep 22, 2007)

Cliff,

Butts are very tolerant of temp spikes and cooks at a little higher than normal temps for a while. I always have my meat prepped and and everything set up when I fire up the WSM. Once I put some lit coals in the WSM (Minion Method) I assemble the cooker, put the meat on and start monitoring the temp rise.

Also with butts I'm not that concerned with internal meat temps until much later in the cook. I place a therm probe in one top vent and shoot to hold that  at or around 250. Yours will be fine, you really have to try hard to screw up a couple of butts in a WSM.


----------



## Cliff H. (Sep 22, 2007)

Bruce B said:
			
		

> Cliff,
> 
> Butts are very tolerant of temp spikes and cooks at a little higher than normal temps for a while. I always have my meat prepped and and everything set up when I fire up the WSM. Once I put some lit coals in the WSM (Minion Method) I assemble the cooker, put the meat on and start monitoring the temp rise.
> 
> Also with butts I'm not that concerned with internal meat temps until much later in the cook. I place a therm probe in one top vent and shoot to hold that  at or around 250. Yours will be fine, *you really have to try hard to screw up a couple of butts in a WSM*.



I was in the running last night.


----------



## Cliff H. (Sep 22, 2007)

The temps went down rather early on this cook.  I needed to throw some unlit lump and stir the coals a little.  I decided to add Rancher instead of RO so I could keep the heavy smoke to a minimum.  This seemed to have worked out well.


----------



## Bill The Grill Guy (Sep 22, 2007)

Pics MAN, we want PICS!


----------



## LarryWolfe (Sep 22, 2007)

Good rebound Cliff! 

FWIW, when I cook on the WSM's I always load the meat onto a cold assembled cooker, then dump the lit coals into a steel bowl and scoop them onto the center of the unlit coals/wood chunks with a metal spoon.  Put the door on with all vents 100% open until the dome temp hits 190* then I shut the bottom three vents down to a little less than a 1/4 open.  The temps will initially drop but then slowly but steadily climb to 250-260 dome temp and stay there.  Try this sometime, because everytime you're opening or disassembling the cooker you're adding oxygen thus feeding the fire and giving you constant heat spikes.


----------



## Cliff H. (Sep 22, 2007)

Since I didn't get a pic in last night, I will break with better judgment and take one now.

Butts are at 175


----------



## Bill The Grill Guy (Sep 22, 2007)

Cliff H. said:
			
		

> Since I didn't get a pic in last night, I will break with better judgment and take one now.
> 
> Butts are at 175



Your a good man sir.  Good looking bark you have there.


----------



## KyBlueBBQ (Sep 22, 2007)

If I didnt have one to cook today, I think I'd be over knockin on your door holdin a couple of buns!


----------



## wittdog (Sep 22, 2007)

Looks good...wish I was making something other than sausage today...


----------



## Green Hornet (Sep 22, 2007)

Not a thing to worry about there!
Perfect!


----------



## Diva Q (Sep 22, 2007)

good looking butts


----------



## Puff1 (Sep 22, 2007)

Great catch Cliff  
Let's see some pics of those sammies you posted the other day 8)


----------



## Cliff H. (Sep 22, 2007)

Sorry about the quality.

Consider this a test.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdcobdSjInQ


----------



## KyBlueBBQ (Sep 22, 2007)

Two thumbs up.  I got one resting... yours Looked like it pulled really easy


----------



## Cliff H. (Sep 22, 2007)

I had enough fire for a yard bird.


----------



## Bruce B (Sep 23, 2007)

Great job Cliff! I was gonna say your butt looks good but thought better of that comment.


----------



## john a (Sep 23, 2007)

When life hands you lemons make lemonade. Great job Cliff.


----------



## Bill The Grill Guy (Sep 23, 2007)

Bravo, what a finish.


----------



## Unity (Sep 23, 2007)

Mmm, fresh-pulled butt always makes me want a nice bark sample. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





--John  8) 
(Or two. )


----------



## Puff1 (Sep 23, 2007)

Cliff that pork looked fantastic!


----------



## ScottyDaQ (Sep 24, 2007)

Great job Cliff !


----------



## Chiles (Sep 24, 2007)

Just what I like, a story with a happy ending.  Looks good!!

-Chiles


----------

