On 1-Sep-2008, Nonnymus > wrote:

> I bought a couple pork shoulders at Costco and decided to do an
> overnight smoke with them in the Bradley. They weighed a total of 16+#
> and there was no bone to pull the heat into the center of the 2 shoulders.
>
> They went into the Bradley at 5:00p last night at 225f and the digital
> target temp of the Pitboss set at 185f. This AM, I fully expected to
> see the smoker shut down and the shoulders ready to take out for one of
> my classic breakfasts. I even got the hoagie rolls out and told Mrs.
> Nonny to get ready.
>
> I never even checked the remote read internal temp, but when I went
> outside, I saw that the Bradley was STILL COOKING. That was 15 HOURS!
> The hood temperature was precisely 225f by a temperature probe and
> also the Pitboss's clip-on rack probe. Likewise the meat's temperature
> by 2 different probes in 2 different points was 167f. The blasted thing
> hadn't even started to ramp the temperature.
>
> I've been cooking butts for a little while, now, and have never
> experienced this before. 3 hours LATER, internals were just > 171f. I
> peeked inside and all seems good- the Mr. Brown was incredible, but
> don't tell Mrs. Nonny- she was eating leftover Chinese for breakfast.
> <grin>
>
> 1) What in the world happened? is it the lack of bone to conduct heat
> inside, coupled with a lot of collagen?
>
> 2) Have any of you had a mysterious "failure to cook" like this happen?
> Since the temp finally broke > 170f, I assume that the collagen is
> finally liquified. Right?
>
> 3) At what point do I pull the 2 shoulders out and call them ready?
>
> Nonny

Well welcome to the club Nonny. I'm surprised that you're surprised.
I've been surprised in both directions. I no longer spend any time
trying to figure out what happened. It's done when it's done and that's
that. Oh yeh, pull them when they reach your target temperature. The
meat is just messing with your mind. You haven't made a mistake, (yet).

--
Brick(Youth is wasted on young people)