gonna smoke 2 bu.tts Saturday. Questions

[BIG BOB]

4 am ....... ughhhh.    lol, it will be worth it at 4-7pm!!!!

[DivotMaker]

Yep, but do all your prep tonight!  I learned to have everything laid out, smoker prepped (with wood in the box), juice pan out, ...everything except the meat...out on the counter the night before!  I even make a little checklist to lay out so I don't forget something at 4 am!

Meat
Drip pan
Wood
water pan
Maverick

Amazing how easy it is to forget one of the components that early!    One time, I forgot to poke a hole in my foil on the bottom, and didn't remember it until about an hour in (pot of coffee)!  It was not fun getting that hole in a loaded smoker!   That's why I try to do all the night before now! 

[BIG BOB]

funny you say that Tony... just did it all  I think. I have about 3oz & 1.5 oz of the cherry I bought from Steve... I plan to get up and stay with the smoker until I am confident all systems are go..... then try to catch some zzzzzzz -then about 5-6 hrs in I will switch racks from middle to bottom and vice versa so both butts get to be close to the element.... will let you know!

[DivotMaker]

Hehe...I guess great minds think alike!    Unfortunately, I learned the hard way on a couple of early morning smokes, but am much more organized now!  Can't wait to hear the results!!

[Smokster]

On a few occasions when I did an overnight smoke, I had a few local visitors come by to observe.  The little paw print were a dead giveaway.  I think they realized that my meat was off limits otherwise they may be a target for my next smoke.

[BIG BOB]

Lol...Tony. Wild game is always ok in a smoker.

well Butts went on at 4:20am, I put meat probe in at 9:20 am-big butt IT at 165, now at 10:35 172.... waiting for the stall.

my temp swings have been 215-252, but I tweeked it a bit and now I range from 220-239.

Question, now that the meat is in the 170s IT I can take the meat probe from one to another without cross-contamination right?

[BIG BOB]

IT= 180.......NO STALL YET

[Smokster]

I don't think at that temperature that cross contamination will be an issue.  And at 180 to not have a stall yet, sounds like a lucky smoke to me!

[DivotMaker]

Sorry this is kind of late - Bob, don't be worried about the high stall temp.  I usually find (on larger pork butts) that I don't hit the stall until about 185-186.  After it hits that, it will stall out, and even drop back to the 183 range for several hours.  Kind of freaked me out the first time I had one stall this high, but now I expect it.  Hope it's going ok for you!

[BIG BOB]

 :DThe first butt came out at 2:30 ....it was on bottom rack just above the fire box. Bottom burnre but very good.  The other is stalled at 174 now for 3 hours.  All is well. My wife is gonna help me out with posting pics... I made my own finishing sauce. Wifey loves it. She said the butt is her favorite of all of my cooks. Probably because while waiting I painted deck, trimmed trees, weeded ,etc....

[DivotMaker]

Good to hear, Bob!  Nice to be able to smoke meat, AND do chores around the house!

[BIG BOB]

The cooler is almost empty and a couple pals stopped by to say hey and drink a couple of my Miller Lites-ohhhh.....and try some beast!

[DivotMaker]

Sounds like a success, Bob!  Great job!