Hour 13 of my first smoked Butt

[Busaboyjd]

Wow! 189 degrees, is 195 the magic number where you can shake a fork at it and it falls apart? Got foil and a cooler ready for a 2 hour cool down, but these last few degrees is making me hungry!
JD

[Nate749]

13 hours!!! wow so close but wait those few degrees and foil into cooler!! get some pictures up!

[Kloogee]

I think the main message you'll hear from the experts on here is that there is no magic number. It's all about feel. Many people like to probe with a thermo and if it feels like butter, then it's ready. Others say wiggle the bone and if its ready to slide out cleanly then it's ready. I think the "usual" range most people say that happens is around the 195-205 range but is different for each hunk of meat.

Good luck!

[BBQ Bandit]

The key is probe tender - all the way to the center. If you feel resistance close to the core, needs more time on the cooker.
If there is a bone... check for wiggle like a very loose tooth.
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[Bludawg]

Grab bone it it feel loose it's done and that don't normally happen until 200-205

[IamMadMan]

Originally Posted by Kloogee

I think the main message you'll hear from the experts on here is that there is no magic number. It's all about feel. Many people like to probe with a thermo and if it feels like butter, then it's ready. Others say wiggle the bone and if its ready to slide out cleanly then it's ready. I think the "usual" range most people say that happens is around the 195-205 range but is different for each hunk of meat.

Good luck!

Well stated "Kloogee"

[Busaboyjd]

Um, 191, sooo close!

Bandit, I am using an old gas Brinkman, so I,m real hesitant to lift the lid, that cools it way down and will put me way behind... maybe. Outside temp is coming up, allmost 28 now so maybe it,ill zip on up to 195 in the next half hour or so... its all most time for some whiskey anyway.

Nate, can't seem to figure out pics without having a URL to them? But will post if I get that figured out.

[HeSmellsLikeSmoke]

As a matter of interest, what pit are you using and at what temperature?

[The_Kapn]

I understand your hesitance to open the cooker now--you are correct about the heat loss.

I would simply pull the butt at this point and put it in a pan (foil covered or not) and into the oven.
Then you can check for PROBE TENDER easily!
TEMPS don't mean squat--it is a probe test that will give you the correct donemess.

Gonna be Great Eats when you are done!!

TIM

[Kloogee]

Originally Posted by Busaboyjd

Um, 191, sooo close!

Bandit, I am using an old gas Brinkman, so I,m real hesitant to lift the lid, that cools it way down and will put me way behind... maybe. Outside temp is coming up, allmost 28 now so maybe it,ill zip on up to 195 in the next half hour or so... its all most time for some whiskey anyway.

Nate, can't seem to figure out pics without having a URL to them? But will post if I get that figured out.

I think you'll find closer to 200-205 is probably going to be closer to what you are looking for. If using a Brinkman that you'll have a hard time getting back up to temp, I personally would wait until 200 to open it and feel it. I'm sure you'll get 1000 different opinions on that though. The great thing about BBQ is that it's not a one size fits all!

If you have a smartphone, Photobucket is your friend. Makes it super simple to upload pics from your phone to their site from their app and then it gives you a link you can embed here.

Good luck finishing your cook! I'm sure it will be fantastic.

[Kloogee]

Originally Posted by The_Kapn

I understand your hesitance to open the cooker now--you are correct about the heat loss.

I would simply pull the butt at this point and put it in a pan (foil covered or not) and into the oven.
Then you can check for PROBE TENDER easily!
TEMPS don't mean squat--it is a probe test that will give you the correct donemess.

Gonna be Great Eats when you are done!!

TIM

I know it's just me and my stubbornness, but that seems a bit like cheating. I know it's not, and it won't change the flavor profile at all, so it is a very reasonable recommendation. But it's still cheating.

[Bludawg]

Originally Posted by Kloogee

I know it's just me and my stubbornness, but that seems a bit like cheating. I know it's not, and it won't change the flavor profile at all, so it is a very reasonable recommendation. But it's still cheating.

AH a man of principles.... I'm not alone yea haw!

[landarc]

I have cooked on gassers, they will lose temperature when you open them, but, they have these cool dial thingies, you can use it to dial in the fire. So, open, test by wiggling the bone, then close and pump the heat up a little. You will be fine. Do not go by internal, it will mislead you almost every time. You have to learn to go by feel.

I also use a pull method, I just reach in, grab the but and tear it a bit, if it tears easily, then I pull and wrap. Feel, not internal temperature.

[The_Kapn]

Originally Posted by Kloogee

I know it's just me and my stubbornness, but that seems a bit like cheating. I know it's not, and it won't change the flavor profile at all, so it is a very reasonable recommendation. But it's still cheating.

Originally Posted by Bludawg

AH a man of principles.... I'm not alone yea haw!

These guys are right!
I lost my head for minute and forgot that someone else's principles are far more important than good BBQ results.

Please forgive me.

Good Luck.

TIM

[ButtBurner]

all butts are different, I go by feel. My last one was pulled at 190f

and I just last week bought a Maverick, it reads 10f hotter than my engineering grade unit reads.

just go by feel

heres a pic. The top temp on the Fluke is the probe thats right next to the Maverick on my pit. This was yesterday before lighting my pit. I knew the temp was not 36f, so I pulled out my trusty Fluke to verify

just pointing out you cant trust that completely.