Bull Excessive cook times

[llbts1]

I started a cook at 4 am Saturday morning. I was hoping to eat at 6 or 7 pm Saturday night. I had a 14 lb packer brisket that I trimmed down and a 9 plus pound pork butt. The brisket took 20 hours to get to 201, and the butt took 24 hours to hit 190. I started at 225 and at the 8 hour mark bumped to 250. Everything came out good, but the time seemed excessive to me. I had checked and calibrated my probes and internal grill temp so I felt confident in that. I used the RT brand pellets. Are pellet smokers just a slower cook? I came from a stick burner and then a Camp Chef Smoke vault. They seemed to cook faster at the same temps. Maybe I had to much meat on the smoker, I don't know.
Any ideas or thoughts are appreciated.
Thank you

 

[BretM]

Every piece of meat is different, but yes, I've noticed my Bull takes longer than my homemade stick burner.

As for butts, I cook them a little hotter...265 all the way through now. I feel I get plenty of smoke (I use a 6" tube in addition) and I get a better bark with a little more texture to it and it cuts down on the cook time.

 

[llbts1]

Thanks for the info. I will give 265 a shot next time. I was trying to keep it low to get maximum smoke. I hadn't planned on spending that much time though.

 

[bfletcher]

Hi IIbts. If those two hunks of meat took 20 and 24 hours I would seriously consider finding some other means of verifying your 225f-250f pit temp if I were in your shoes. Yeah, one cut may take longer than another but for two in a row to require those times... I'd begin to question the integrity of my pit temp readings. By the way, what reqtec smoker are you using?

 

[llbts1]

I'm using the RT 700. I did verify the pit temp several weeks ago with a Weber I Grill that I had used for several years. It was within 1 degree of what the RT showed. Its very confusing to me.

Thanks for the responses.