2nd butt

[pete1]

Bought a seven and a half lb. butt and cut it in half. Put the 2 halves on at 9 am.

Kept temp between 225 and 250 until about 6 hours into the cook. It dropped to about 200 and I added more charcoal and it came back to 235+ The temp of the meat stalled after four and a half hours at 170 degrees on both halves. It stayed there for almost two hours.

Long story short it took about 9 hours to cook the 2 butts. That seems a bit long for butts that weighed less that 4 pounds each.

We took one off and finished it in the oven. Left the other on the smoker until it reached 210 degrees.

Both were great but the one left on the smoker was a lot more tender.

I was too aggravated to remember to take pictures.

 

[bbquzz]

Normally Pete we say "no picture, no cook," but with all the detail I'll believe you, can't speak for the others. I've had butts take 14-16 hours. One way to speed them up is when they hit that 160-170ish wrap them in aluminum foil and put them back on the cooker. Please don't tell anyone I told you that I'm liable to get strung up, some here don't believe in wrapping.

 

[Nick Prochilo]

You can cook those bad boys up at the 275 range. They will cook up much faster at that temp.

 

[Puff1]

Ahhh the puzzling butt plateau.
That's when the magic happens.
Whatcha' cookin' on?

 

[bbquzz]

You can cook those bad boys up at the 275 range. They will cook up much faster at that temp.

I wish you had told me that three years ago

 

[bigwheel]

9 hrs sounds about right to me. Good job. I usually quit cooking when they get to high 190s and it passes the poke test. Not sure I could reach 210 without foil or drying it out. Try wrapping one half at 170 and cooking the other half nekked sometime. Thats my favorite strategy. Taught to me by a nice yankee of course.

 

[Nick Prochilo]

I wish you had told me that three years ago

You never asked!

 

[pete1]

I'm using 18.5 WSM

 

[Puff1]

How are you adjusting the vents?
Leaving the top one wide open right?

 

[pete1]

Yes, I leave the top vent open and adjust the bottom.

 

[Puff1]

Did you start with a full ring of charcoal?
That plateau when the butt starts to render out is frustrating.
Just be patient. Low and slow man!

 

[pete1]

Did you start with a full ring of charcoal?
That plateau when the butt starts to render out is frustrating.
Just be patient. Low and slow man!

Yes I did start with a full ring of charcoal. The cooker temp stayed up pretty good until about 6 hours in to the cook. I added some unlit charcoal and the temp came back up. Should I have added lit coals?

 

[Bob In Fla.]

Yes I did start with a full ring of charcoal. The cooker temp stayed up pretty good until about 6 hours in to the cook. I added some unlit charcoal and the temp came back up. Should I have added lit coals?

No, not as long as you had some burning already. Kind of like a reverse Minion Method.

BOB

 

[bigwheel]

Well since the Puffster was out of pocket and the inquiry seemed to be directed at him..I give it a momentary pass..lol. Fact is I will vote the question hinges on how stinky is your charcoal? It do not bother me in the least to add raw Oazark Oak to a fire with not much remedial action required. Person start getting into risky schemes of Kingsford or Kroger brand briquettes it boils down to two options in my mind. Either burn the nasties out of it before adding...this coincide roughly to the time it quits huffing black or rainbow colored smoke..Or if a person happens to be unmotivated too heavy or drunk perhaps go ahead and throw in unhurt but be prepared to ventilate the fire box area for a while till the above described symptoms subside. That works great on bigger pits. Not an option for an R2D2. Would not add raw nasty stuff to that one. Hope this helps. lol. Thats why I am all electric.

 

[Puff1]

What Bob said. Not sure wtf BW is babbling about but I still love him in a hiney slap sort of way.
If you started with a full ring of coal it should have carried you through the whole cook. Next time load the ring and do the Minion/Larry method. Put the lit coal in with the vents wide open and let her come up to about 175* and then shut the vents75% and leave it!! She'll rise up on her own. it may take awhile but it will happen.
Never asked, you opening that lid to peek? No peeking! If you do shut the vents before you do.
Pete.....just be patient. We all have 'finished in the oven' and all those Wussums cook differently. I had 2. One cooked hot and one cooked like Nick watching videos real slow and unable to commit.

 

[bigwheel]

Well not sure what is up with the "all" stuff. Less a person happen to be running around with a turd in the pocket perhaps? It sounds vaguely plural for some reason. PS Edit: Now is this some thinly veiled implicatons that Nick enjoys watching slow mo home movies of Larry? That could be enough to make some throw up a little in the back of the mouth. Thanks.

 

[Puff1]

I knew you would catch the 'all' thing.

 

[Cliff H.]

I like to compress the lump in the charcoal ring so it will hold a maximum capacity of lump.

Fill the rig with lump. Put on a work glove and kinda press the lump down. It will break up fairly easily under your fist.

It will help to have a second grate in the bottom of the ring so you can make the holes smaller.

This will take out some air pockets and you can add more lump for a longer cook time.

 

[Max1]

We need pictures Pete!!!!

 

[Tri Tip]

Yes I did start with a full ring of charcoal. The cooker temp stayed up pretty good until about 6 hours in to the cook. I added some unlit charcoal and the temp came back up. Should I have added lit coals?

Pete sometimes (aspecially with Kingsford) your ash will build up and your temp will drop. Tap the bowl on your wsm. The ash will drop and your temps will come back up. As far as the cook that's about right. I'd leave it whole and you'll have less drying out. Cook at 275 and foil at 165 and they'll be done in about 9 hrs. Otherwise they'll take about 12-14 hrs.