Messed up my first pork butt on the smoker this weekend

[va_rider]

Well, I grabbed a pork butt and threw it on the smoker yesterday morning. Yesterday afternoon, it was reading an IT of ~200, so I opened the door to check it out. I moved the probe into 6 or 7 different spots, and got the same readings all around the butt.

I knew it wasn't done though. But, like a dummy, I trusted the ET-733 (with brand new probes). The outer bits pulled just fine, but the inner meat was the consistency of pork chops. It was nice and juicy, but the bone didn't pull out cleanly, and I had to chop up the middle of it, as it wouldn't pull.

I should have known better, but I didn't trust my gut, and trusted my equipment (Maverick) instead.

I've come to the conclusion that I just can't trust the Maverick. I think that my new plan of attack from here on out will be to insert the maverick probes, and when they say the meat is done, go back and check with my Chefalarm.

It drives me nuts because I've had great success with other smokers in the past with pork butts, and I knew it wasn't right. My trust level on the Maverick is at an all time low. I trust my ChefAlarm entirely, but the convenience of the remote monitoring on the Maverick makes me keep using it. I'll be looking for a replacement for the Maverick ASAP though. Something that allows for remote monitoring, but something built like my ChefAlarm.

TL;DR - Don't trust your probes. Trust your gut. I knew it wasn't right, and had sub-par meat because of it.

 

[SuperDave]

Probe temperature readings may lie but probe tension doesn't.  If the probe doesn't slide in & out like butter, it isn't done, regardless of the reading. 

 

[shomesmoke]

Aaron,  I'm with you on the Maverick I have 3 of them and the accuracy is to not be trusted. I have tried the boiling water and the ice bath test, one time they might be 10 degrees high the next time that much low.

Many guys on the forum use them without any problems, I never use mine anymore, meat is to expensive to trust to sub par thermo.

ThermoWorks has a line of good quality and accurate units. They dont have the remote monitering of the Maverick, they do have a unit that works with your I phone for remote monitering but it is pretty expensive. I highly recommend them and there customer support is second to none.

 

[jcboxlot]

Maybe this should be a new post, but just curious on those that have maverick problems.

I at least "think" mine works ok. 

When you start a cook is the temp off (up or down) from what you think it should be?  Meaning if you probe out of the refrigerator the start temp should be 40 deg or so give or take? 

Or do you think the probes are "bad" while the food is cooking?  If that makes sense.

I'd think if you start a cook out of the fridge and if the reading is 60 degrees, then yes a problem.

 

[bigbassnutt]

I usually have a few degrees difference from the Maverick to the Auber at the start of a cook but usually right on at the end. I assume this is just because I have the probes in different parts of the meat but would agree it should be the same right out of the fridge.

 

[DivotMaker]

I only have experience with one Maverick - a 2+ year old 732.  I have tested it against my Auber, and another remote single-probe thermo I have, and it's always been within a degree or two of the others.  Maybe their manufacturing, or quality, has changed, but I've had great luck with mine.

 

[drains]

I cooked a whole chicken in my #3 Sunday and my maverick 733 read 157 after 3.5 hours. I said to myself that's not right it should be done by now. Well I took my food thermometer and opened the door and read the breast and thigh and they both read 156. Finished it in the oven. I must have gotten one of the good ones. I haven't had any problems....yet. By the way the bird was tender and juicy and Smokey. I used 2 oz cherry wood chips.