My first smoke is kilin' me

2 pork butts. Total of 13lbs. Been smoking since 8am (8 hours so far). Temp rose to 160 somewhere around the 6th hour... it's been hovering at 162 degrees since then.... It's liking watching water boil. I've seen all the posts and they say that this stall period at 160 degrees is common, but none say how long it lasts....

I have had stalls for over 2-3 hours, but never one the same.

Its a bit like the first time you use Sat Nav, your sure there its wrong... But if you trust it implicitly eventually it gets you there.

Try not to judge the next butts against this one, it will probably be different.

Adie, weren't you telling us how crap your Bimmer's Sat Nav is at the weekend and that it never gets you to the right place?

Anyway, I appreciate what you're saying about the stall, it's a killer. I reckon the worst is when it starts dropping as well, you can lose four degrees while it's stalling from the water that comes out of the rendering fat. But trust in the smoker mate, it will climb and it's so worth the wait

Well I grew impatient (and hungry) so I pulled them off the smoker put 'em in a pan and finished them on the grill (still indirect but at around 300F). I got the internal temp to 175 and got impatient <again>. Took them off, let them sit for 30 mins and proceeded to eat. It pulled ok but I think it would have been easier had I went low and slow to 180-185. As for eating it was great... If it improves I may stop eating anything else....

This weekend I'm going to try a brisket and a butt together.... and will plan for 12+ hours low and slow the whole way.