First pork butt done

Finished my second smoke ever today. A 9 lb pork butt. Took a little over 13 hours but it was worth it!

I learned some things I'd like to share for other beginners.

1. Make sure your pellet hopper is full at the start of the cook and keep checking it. My grill ran out of pellets about 3 hours in and I filled it back up but afterward the temperature started to spike and wouldn't come back down. I understand why, but regularly checking on your hopper's pellet level will ensure your grill doesn't run out.

2. For a first time cooking a new cut of meat I would suggest starting with a smaller size. This was my first pork butt to cook and at 9 pounds it was on the bigger side for pork butts. It took way longer than I expected. A 5 to 7 pounder would have been a much shorter cook time. As someone new to smoking and new to pellet grills I don't have the patience that comes with experience so it's really hard to wait for a long cook.

3. Don't be afraid to ask questions. This community is great and can help calm your nerves if something doesn't go as planned. I was convinced I ruined the cook so many times throughout the 13+ hour cook time. Asking questions helped me keep my sanity. No matter how many videos you watch and tutorials you read, your experience will probably be different and that's ok.