I’ve done a number of overnight smokes on pork butts. I always turn on my alarms and usual set a 4-5am alarm o my phone just to check in.
Today I woke up at 7:45am to see that my pit temp was 82 and my meat temp had dropped to 145.
There was still a good amount of fuel in the basket but the fire was definitely out. Anyone got some explanation that’s going to make me feel better about trashing a 9lb bone-in?
by ploughing
13 Comments
Check the bottom of the fire basket? Is it all clogged up with small pieces? Only time I’ve had this happen was due to that, that was maybe my 3rd overnight cook after I got mine
My probes have an alarm set if the temps hit below a threshold temp. I got mine set 190. Gives me a chance to increase airflow or check my coals if something looks out of place
145 is still food safe
Not ruined at all. Fire it up and finish the cook. Meat at 145 is totally safe- by any standard. Chin up- all is not lost. Refire and finish it up
You’re out of the danger zone and pork butt is really forgiving. Just finish it off
Re Fire! You’re good to go
Spark that baby up. It’s not ruined, just a slight delay.
Oven at oven at 250 and foil it.
It’s fine. Carry on.
What app/ probe are you using?
I love using my egg genius. But I got drunk one night, but was still functioning enough to remember to put the pork shoulder on. Got the egg going, pork prepared, egg genius running sweet. Put the pork on and just before I went to bed….. completely shut the top vent killing the fire completely. Doh.
How cold is it where you are? That looks like a pretty steep drop for an egg, especially since it was riding the set temp very well for a while with no huge spikes to suggest it was getting too much air. Also, what kind of charcoal (assuming it all was gone by the time you woke up)?
I have had this happen before on a brisket, finished it in the morning in the oven and it wasn’t bad. It might have been a tad more dry than if it had not happened but we finished it no problem.
I noticed my problem was too much fuel where air flow is restricted combined with not getting coals lit close to the bottom. You might make sure that you light toward the back and not close to the front. In my opinion this causes the fan to run a little more to keep the embers in the back lit rather than having only the front lit.