"Nonnymus" wrote in message
...
TomD wrote:


-Rig behaved normally
-Size of cut was normal for past experiences
-Handling was normal (Letting come to room temp, rub, etc.)
-Pit Temps and Ambient temps were normal compared to past experiences)
-The Internal Temp you removed the cut at was normal

I would take a hard look at the temp probes. My thinking is, if all
else being equal and it took a long time to cook and came out
overcooked, then I would look at the temp probe in the meat. Check it
against a thermocouple or boiling water, or another probe. Also if
battery powered I would swap those out as well.

Just some thoughts off the top of my head.

Thanks to all for the comments. I'll check the probes and will let you
know if they were off.

And all the other stuff considered, here's something I saved from a recent
post here although apologies that I only saved the text and can't recall who
did it, so it was one of you who gets credit, ok? ...... We'll just say
whoever wrote it is a genius and if you wrote it you're a pretty fart
smeller indeed.
=======================

One other question: when the temperature stabilized (and actually
dropped for a bit) I'm guessing that some tissue is breaking down and
that the chemical reaction requires energy (in the form of heat), thus
explaining why the internal temperature actually dropped and would not
increase for a time. Is that correct?

That is usually the case. As the collagen breaks down into liquid around the
probe, it produces a temperature drop until the liquid reaches the same
temperature as the meat.
About that temperature "PLATEAU". That's what we call it when a
piece of meat hangs at one temperature for a period of time. With
pork it generally occurs between 160° and 170° and is usually quite
pronounced. A two hour hang is not unusual, especially when cooking
at the lower end 200° of the BBQ temperature range. It is caused by
a standard law of physics. That is "huge amounts of energy are consumed
or released in the conversion of matter from one state to another." We're
talking about solid to liquid or liquid to gas or vice versa. Solid to
liquid
absorbs huge amounts of heat. Liquid to solid releases huge amounts of
heat. It's the basis for every refrigerator and air conditioner on the
planet.
=======================

So on that basis if your temperature seems to plateau or drop suspiciously
for any length of time perhaps its a good idea to reposition the probe. Also
if I have hit 185 and gotten stuck or dropped, I won't let it run too much
longer after that no matter what the probe says. That way it doesn't get
overcooked and I can usually pull part or all of the butt regardless.

MartyB in KC