Just wanted to see if anyone out there has any experience with electric smokers. I got a master built smoker for Christmas and am just getting started using it. I have tried smoking 2 pork shoulder butts to make pulled pork for a graduation party and both times it seems to have taken forever. I am now at 12 hours in the smoker at 155 degrees and temp of the meat is not even at the 200 that I’m shooting for before I pull it out. I did same thing last weekend and it took 15 hours. Is it common for electric smokers to take longer than other smokers? I am using an8 pound piece of meat. Im thinking maybe that is too big for size of smoker Last weeks was super delicious but this all day process is frustrating. Any thoughts or tips would be appreciated. Going to try jerky this week. Can’t think that would take that long. Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
Good things take time. Can you adjust the temp? I have a CookShack electric and I do pork butts at 225°. And it's about a 8 hour process. The rule of thumb is one hour per pound. I will take larger roasts, 9-10 pounds, out at 8 hrs and put them in a deep hotel pan, cover with foil and cook them another hour.
You were at what is referred to as the "stall". It will stall out at that lower tempfor a few hours as the fat and membranes render and then will climb to your target temp. You'd be surprised on how long it takes a lot of people to smoke their meats. Then after smoking, wrapping in foil, then a towel and placing in a cooler for a few hours longer. I have an electric Bradley puck feeding smoker and used the Bradley forum for recipes/tips a lot. http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=7l64f9h5pmrpavsk86f7ao0ci7&#c5
Good to know. I will have to prepare better next time. Only had 6 Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
I had it set at 250 for first 5 hours or so then bumped up to 260. I think next weekend I’m going to try maybe cutting the butt in half and see if the smaller pieces cook any quicker. Really had nothing else going on that it mattered how long it took just seemed a bit extreme. Turned out really well. Super delicious and great smoky flavor. I think I’m going to enjoy this this. Maybe as I get more experienced I will have to upgrade. I did see a recipe for smoked beans that I’m going to try also. Just sounded good!! Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
I don't have any complaints with mine, had a defective element burn out during a smoke once but was taken care of. I do use an auberins dual probe PID unit to control things though. https://www.auberins.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=380
I have a masterbuilt electric smoker. I smoke pork butts at 245 for 12 hrs then finish in 300 degree oven (covered) till I hit internal temp of 198-200, normally 1-2 hrs. Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
The stall is a normal and necessary part of smoking, especially with pork butts. Cutting one into smaller chunks for quicker cook time will probably only get you drier and tougher results. It works in a crockpot, but with a crockpot you are cooking in liquid of some sort and it aides in breaking things down. With smoking you are dry cooking and using the internal juices and fats to cook from within to soften the meat. If you have to have it done quicker you would probably be better off throwing the whole butt in the smoker for 5-6 hours to get a decent bark and smoke on it, then throw it in a crockpot whole and finsih it off for 4-5 hours.
In my experience, pork butt can take anywhere from 60-90 minutes per pound to reach that magical 195 degree temp where it pulls apart. I know it's frowned upon by a lot of people, but I typically wrap my pork butt in foil after a few hours in the smoker to speed up the process. That helps a ton and is essentially the same as tossing it in the crockpot since you're using liquid to bring it up to temp quicker. I did a 10 lb butt his past weekend. Started it around 8 pm and let it smoke until shortly after midnight. I then wrapped it and went to sleep. Took it out of the smoker around 8 am, left it in the foil and tossed it in the YETI until we ate around 11 (brunch). Tasted great, was still piping hot, and had tons of juice. I cook just about everything at 225 degrees on a Masterbuilt electric smoker. Although my new Rec Tec Stampede pellet grill will be here this week. Pretty excited for that.
Sounds like what I had going on was pretty normal. Thanks for all the input guys!! I’m new at smoking meats but do believe I will enjoy it. Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
Next time you make italian beef, smoke the roast medium rare to medium and then toss inbthe crockpot with your italian seasonings. You'll never not do it again, best italian beef I've ever made
And so it shall be. Got the butt trimmed, rubbed and wrapped. Testing the smoker and PID controller. Will pull the but out of the fridge about 2:30 and then into the smoker about 4:30-5pm and won't pull it out until probably about 2pm or so tomorrow afternoon. Doing pulled pork to make sure everything working right before throwing a brisket in.
Just gave it a good slathering and letting it acclimate for about 1 1/2 hours. Putting an applejuice bath underneath of it.
See what she lools like tomorrow. Went in a little later than anticipated but the element burned out a couple hours into the test run. Luckily I have 4 spares on hand from a failure back in 2009. 1st hour at 250 no smoke(mainly to get the cabinet up to temp) Then will drop down to 225 for 4 hours with smoke Then drops down to 215 for the duration of the cook until intrrnal temp hits 197. In the event I'm not there to pull it out at that time, the temp will drop to 150 and hold until I get to it.
17 hours in and still in the stall. Has been stalled for 11-11 1/2 hours now. Should brraknin the next hour or two.
A good butt 8 hrs at 275. Then 4 hours in a roaster at 350 in water and your tunge will beet your brains out trying to get to it. We use to cater meals and we would smoke butts all night long Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
