7/30/2017 – Smoked an approximately 7 lb pork butt in heavy smoke as the Amazen tray burned up in 4 hours. I had lit both ends and left it to flame too long so it had a lot of pellets burning. Decided to see how it would turn out with the heavy smoke. It had a very dark bark that was attractive and tasted good. No ashy taste and worth trying again.

5:30 AM – Butt did not need any trimming so, with it wet from being rinsed, I shook on plenty of Stubb’s Hot Pork Rub after diamond cutting the thin fat cap. Before putting it in the MES I shook on a good bit of cracked black pepper.

6:15 AM – MES is preheated and a full load of pecan pellets burning on both ends with one slot black and smoking about 1/3 the length as I let it flame too long. So, there was a lot of smoke that flowed out of the upper vent heavier than normal; i.e. easily visible. Ambient temp was 85-95 and humidity was about 60%.

~ 10:30-11:00 – Pellets had burned out so pulled and reloaded 1.5 slots. Once it was smoking on the one end put into the MES and had the usual hard-to-see white wisp of smoke from the top vent. Meat is dark brown to mahogany and looked good

~12:00 – Inserted Chefworks probe and IT is 156.

~2:00 – MES set at 250 has kept the temp at the meat grate in the 235-250 range. IT is now 265. Pulled, wrapped in foil and put into the convection oven set at 275.

~5:00 – IT is 198 and for some reason I thought that was high enough and pulled it. Tender but not falling apart. Kelley and Piper had dropped in (Olivia napping) and agreed it was great.

Next time – Try the Amazen Tube to get heavier smoke in the first four hours. I am not sure the second 3 hours with lite smoke made much difference.