Im a recent purchaser of my very first pellet smoker. I did one pork butt and found out about “the stall”, which sat in the 150-160 range for a LONG time. This was at 225 and 250. Today, I have went between 250 and 300, which the internet claimed was acceptable so its gotta be true. I also read the stall would occur but so far all ive seen is a slow down in the 180’s, but definitely seeing progress. Ive read about a late or second stall in the 190’s, not there yet so unsure if that will happen. You guys that have done this a bunch, is this stall something you see every time or is it a complete mystery?

Some meats do this more so than others. Too much moisture in the meat and the evaporative cooling effect sets in until enough moisture has burned off. Theres a few ways to beat it if your in a hurry like wrapping it with pink butchers paper or aluminum foil. Or use the hot and fast methods.

From my lil experience, when I notice it I’ll turn the heat up an push through the stall. An one you’ve pushed through turn heat back down. Say your cooking at 250F I’ll turn it up to 300-325F to push through an then back down to 250F

Well, turns out i mustve shoved the thermometer too far into the meat. I just flipped it and stuck two different ones in. In the 150’s. Im in the stall!! Thought i mightve beat it but guess not.

You can always wrap in foil or butcher paper. I just let it go at 225 till its done my self

L learned about it last year when I bought my first wood smoker. After 13 hrs it went in the oven to finish.

Brisket and pork butt stall almost every time. Just don’t ever get in a hurry. How long has it been going? I’d figure 12 hours or more on a big one. I put them in a turkey bag at 160. Raising the temp won’t hurt anything just don’t go crazy. It’s a learning process for sure.

I'm to the point I start pork butts and brisket about sundown the day before I want to eat it. Works great! Low and slow on my electric smoker. 230 degrees

that stall is why I never promise to bring hot, fresh out of the smoker pork butt or brisket to an event...you just can't be sure when it'll be done.

Amen to that. nothing I hate worse, than people asking when it’ll be done.
I’ll be done when it’s done an rested. If you are hungry get a snack!

Yep.

Wrap it up and put it in a cooler and it will stay hot for hours. Which is nice as it gives you time to work on sides or drinks

Learning process? Or acceptance?🙂

All the numbers was a smiley face. Im still waiting for this thing to come to temp! I think itll be a bit.

Its amazing how each piece cooks so much different.

The old pit masters down here put shoulder to bed the night before and let it cook all night.

Back goin well into the 180’s on 2 therms. So we shall see

Good deal hope it turns out well. I bet it will be great!!

X2 The last brisket I did was 17 hours.

Right at 10 hours. 197 and 205 on the therms. Im pulling when the low one is 202.

The stall is very easy to overcome. I allow myself 17 hours for any 10# pork butt. Many are done in the 13-15 hour range, but if you are eating at a certain time, get it done early!

You can wrap in foil whenever it is done (205 or so for me) and then wrap in a towel. Place in any cooler and it will hold over 155 for hours. I did one last Thursday, took it off at 207, wrapped in towel and placed in cheap cooler at 330pm. Took it out at 7:15pm and it was sitting at 169°, perfect!

Turning the temperature up is a solution, and if you have hungry people sitting around, you gotta do it. But, they turn out way better in my opinion when you cook em at 225 or so for the full amount of time.