First cook on rec-tec.. disappointing

[Srl135]

I haven’t had it long so there is a learning curve on my end I’m sure, but I decided to try an overnight cook for a pork butt. I have a wireless controller with alarms to alert me if anything happened overnight, no upset conditions. The grill ran at the set temp overnight just fine with stable temps, but...

I had a pork butt on for 12 hours at 250 (set point and RT displayed actual temp, but actual temp using my probe on grates hovered around 215) and internal temp of meat only got to 153 when I caved and moved it to the oven to finish.

I had had no visible smoke at any point even using extreme smoke setting. I am using cookin’ pellets 100% hardwood pellets.

The temp outside was around 10 degrees overnight, but I would have thought the grill could still manage that.

I cleaned the grill and vacuumed ashes prior to starting this cook.

Any ideas or advice?

[jgreen]

I don't have a rec tec, but on my unit the Smoke is better with a set point of around 225 than at 250. You might try a start there and then maybe go to 275 as it sounds like your grill temp is a bit cool.

[Srl135]

The grill temp said it was 250, but the grill probe is higher in the cooking chamber than the one I clipped on the grates just above the drip tray. Makes sense that the location difference would show a difference in temp

[Spinaker]

DWCowles owns a REC TEC, I am sure he can chime in and hep you out.

[smokenoob]

how big was the butt?

[Srl135]

10lbs

[jfmorris]

I don’t own a pellet smoker, but have been researching them, and everything I read indicates you need to be in the 175 to 225 range to have any appreciable smoke. 250 on the PID controller probably won’t give you the smoke you desire. Even then it will be lighter than you are used to in charcoal or wood.

My experience smoking unwrapped 10 pound Boston butts at 225 is that it takes 16-18 hours, and last time they were in a stall in the 150-160 range for about 5 hours. Then another stall around 180. You just gotta be patient for low and slow. The larger the butt the longer the stall too I think, having smoked from 1 to 84 butts at once. I don’t recommend smoking 84 butts by yourself on 3 smokers, but that’s a story for another day.

I will bet that the low temperatures outside did lead to a larger dome to grate temperature difference than normal, affecting the cook. I see larger vertical gradients in my smokers when it’s cold outside.

[PBCDad]

I am reading this post for the first time. Has your 84-butts-at-once story been told? I'd be interested in hearing it.

[jfmorris]

To make a long story short - my daughter was a high school cheerleader. Boston Butt fundraiser. Me, two rented trailer reverse flow smokers and my small offset sitting out all night with a dog at the school. Pickup load of firewood and charcoal. All the other dads and moms went home at 10PM. Cops did come through to checkout all the smoke at 3AM and ask for samples of pork!

[jfmorris]

Also, I did not smoke a butt for myself even for several years after that experience.

[Max Good]

That's weird. Call REC TEC. Something may be malfunctioning.

[Srl135]

I called RT support this morning before they were open and opted to do some trouble shooting on my end before leaving a message. To my surprise, they just called me because they saw my number as a missed call and wanted to check in and see what’s up.

So the resolution is a combo of outside temperature and a stubborn pork butt. The pork butt has been in the oven now for 3 hours at 250 and still isn’t done so we are at 16 hours cook time...

The cold weather also meant that the grill had to really burn the pellets to maintain temperature which resulted in minimal smoke and couldn’t let them smolder. Makes sense.

The cold weather affected the internal temp in that much of the chamber heat was being lost through the skin of the grill and not absorbing into the meat. A welding blanket was recommended to drape over it all to help insulate it a little more.

I cleaned up the grill and ran it at 225 for the heck of it while on the phone with them and got great smoke at that temperature. Live and learn.

Thanks for everyone’s input!

[EdF]

Guess you're going to need to run another experiment soon!

[PJBowmaster]

Srl135 Sometimes you can get a Butt that's just difficult. I had one like that this past Fall. And it drove me crazy. You start to question everything you know. The lesson I learned is to stick to the plan and be patient. Cheers!!

[randy.56]

SLR,---------I have the 680, 10 degrees it struggles to keep up temp, Cook time is much longer, 35 -40 does a nice job, extreme wind not too good, 225 works best on extreme smoke not 250. Will 10 degrees stop me from cooking NO! If ya want more smoke get a smoke tube. Sorry your first cook did not turn out as expected, keep up the testing, you will love it soon.
Today Supper bowl Sunday, I;m cooking a 8 lb rib roast trimed all fat off and silver skin, dry brined 30 hours with kosher salt, tied that baby up with butcher string. Check out meatheads recipe, Mouth is watering and have not started the pellet grill yet.
Rec tec has great customer support, as you found out.

If you would have been cooking your butt at 40 degrees + your results would have been as you expected.
Smoke on!

[Jerod Broussard]

[Srl135]

haha, i was on the verge of buying one when i was frustrated! Might just go with a welding blanket because that would cover the entire grill, not just the front.

[Greatplainsbrewer]

Rec Tec 680 here. SLR I think you're on the right track. Butts can take that long. As far as the smoke, off the top of my head I think the extreme smoke only works at or below 225F. Haven't tried to smoke anything when its 10F but I know its always been a challenge to grill when its that cold- Weber kettle needs extra charcoal.

The other thing you might consider is adjusting your feed rate.

I really like my 680 I just haven't tried it during the winter.

[Rod]

I have the opposite problem in the summer of it running too hot in 100+ degrees. I also use smoke tubes. I now wrap butts when they hit the stall.

[Srl135]

i typically foil them once they stall, but was attempting to avoid it this cook since it was mainly an experiment. All turned out well, and I learned some good info about the grill. Also learned what a stubborn pork butt is!

[JakeT]

Stick with it man. I've had my RT-680 for 3 years now and use it on average around 3-4 nights a week...its pretty much become my oven. I had an issue with my feed rate during the summer a couple years ago and ended up speaking with the owner, who walked me through the reprogramming of the computer. Their customer service cant be topped, not to mention you can't get better bang for your buck in a pellet smoker than the RecTec.

As far as the smoke goes, if you feel like you want more smoke flavor, I have the a-maze-n-tube which works great. Just fill it with the same pellets you're using for the grill and light it with your mapp gas torch, get it smoking and put it inside with the meat. Works like a charm!

Keep with it and good luck, im sure youll grow to love your rectec!

[Srl135]

Thank you! I ended up getting a smoke tube and a welding blanket so I've solved my issues. The customer service was a big help during that time, and I've continued to learn the grill. Each cook gets better!

[JakeT]

Great to hear Srl135