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GeekWithGuns
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Location: Round Rock, TX Joined: Thu Mar 5, 2015 Posts: 3899
Real Name: Dave
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Just curious what internal temperature most folks on here are cooking to before pulling pork shoulder off the smoker.
I use a target temp of around 203 degrees. Only because the first articles I read on smoking pulled pork recommended that as a temperature at which collagens and connective tissues break down. However, I've also read of other folks calling it a day at much lower temperatures.
Pulled pork seems pretty forgiving to me so interested to see what other people are cooking to.
As an aside I have started to wrap my finished pork shoulders in foil after they come off. Then they get wrapped in a beach towel and go into a big cooler to stay warm till company arrives.
_________________ There are dead horses yet to be slain.... - NWGunner
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Sun Oct 29, 2017 7:01 am |
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KeystoneCowboy
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Location: Burlington Joined: Wed Aug 22, 2012 Posts: 5999
Real Name: Kyle
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GeekWithGuns wrote: Just curious what internal temperature most folks on here are cooking to before pulling pork shoulder off the smoker.
I use a target temp of around 203 degrees. Only because the first articles I read on smoking pulled pork recommended that as a temperature at which collagens and connective tissues break down. However, I've also read of other folks calling it a day at much lower temperatures.
Pulled pork seems pretty forgiving to me so interested to see what other people are cooking to.
As an aside I have started to wrap my finished pork shoulders in foil after they come off. Then they get wrapped in a beach towel and go into a big cooler to stay warm till company arrives. I smoke my butts, shoulders should work the same, just less fatty, to about 200 deg. Can barely get them out of tbe smoker in one piece. Then either wrap them (i use a hotbox, so no wrapping needed), or hotbox them for a bit. Then I pull them, and add a "mop" or "finishing sauce" to the meat before I serve. Very good, tender, moist pulled pork. One of the things I am pretty proud of and is always asked for when I'm smoking for a crowd.
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Sun Oct 29, 2017 7:30 am |
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Massivedesign
Site Admin
Location: Olympia, WA Joined: Fri Mar 11, 2011 Posts: 38307
Real Name: Dan
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I pull between 195 and 205. For me it’s not the temp but how the pork probes, it should be like butter.
And I agree, sometimes she falls apart when you try and take her out.
Have 2 shoulders on right now, currently riding the stall.
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Sun Oct 29, 2017 7:39 am |
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Old Growth
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Location: Nisqually Valley Joined: Wed Oct 5, 2016 Posts: 4834
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Gotta get it over 200 at the end or you will be PULLING pork, not just watching it fall apart while ya stir it.
If needed, wrapit up in foil and hit the oven at the end to get it over the "stall"
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Sun Oct 29, 2017 10:17 am |
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lamrith
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Location: Tacoma/Puyallup Joined: Tue May 8, 2012 Posts: 4340
Real Name: Larry
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205 is the sweet spot. At that temp it will completely fall apart on you.
TIP - Even if you do not foil, put it in a pan after you hit stall. you will not be able to pick it up or get it from the smoke in one piece if you leave it just on the grates. Plus the juisec you capture are very useful for adding moisture to any left overs.
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Sun Oct 29, 2017 10:49 am |
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golddigger14s
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Location: Faxon, OK Joined: Sat Mar 19, 2011 Posts: 17818
Real Name: Chuck
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What is this "stall" you refer to? Also what temp for the smoker itself?
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Sun Oct 29, 2017 12:47 pm |
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NWGunner
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Location: South Seattle Joined: Thu May 2, 2013 Posts: 12475
Real Name: Steve
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golddigger14s wrote: What is this "stall" you refer to? Also what temp for the smoker itself? When smoking meats, especially pork shoulder & such, the temperature slowly rises & rises over time. At a certain point, it 'stalls', and seems stuck for quite awhile at the same temperature. Folks new to BBQing will start opening the smoker a lot to check, which is the worst thing to do. I read somewhere that the stall is where the intermuscular fat has liquified, and the stall is that liquid cooking off. Don't know if that's true, but it let's me appreciate the stall & be less frustrated As far as temps, low & slow is usually 225-250, though 'hot & fast' is catching on. Cooking at higher temps for shorter periods of time.
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Sun Oct 29, 2017 12:56 pm |
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GeekWithGuns
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Location: Round Rock, TX Joined: Thu Mar 5, 2015 Posts: 3899
Real Name: Dave
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Hey Chuck yeah the grill temperature is whole other poll lol. Short story is NWGunner is on the money. Traditional slow cooked BBQ is grill temp around 225 degrees. On charcoal grills it's inevitable the temperature fluctuates quite a bit and you have to adjust the air flow vents from time to time. Today on my cook it ranged anywhere from 225 to 300 but I try to keep it around 225-250 for the most part. There's a lot of folks who turn out good BBQ at temps around 250-275 which cuts down the cooking time quite a bit.
The stall is basically a long period of time where the internal temp of a large cut of meat (pork shoulder or brisket) 'stalls out' at around 160-170 degrees and hovers there for several hours. This can cause some stress if you have company arriving at a particular time. You can just cook through the stall with patience or there's a couple ways to cut down the cooking time and power through the stall.
The first technique is raising the cooking/grill temp from 225 to around 250-275. The second technique is pulling off the pork shoulder when the internal temp starts to stall, wrap it tightly in foil, then back on the grill till it reaches the desired internal temperature.
_________________ There are dead horses yet to be slain.... - NWGunner
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Sun Oct 29, 2017 4:21 pm |
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NWGunner
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Location: South Seattle Joined: Thu May 2, 2013 Posts: 12475
Real Name: Steve
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Great info, Geek I started to say stall is around 160-170, but didn't 'cause I thought someone would argue that it's at 175 or something
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Sun Oct 29, 2017 5:22 pm |
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lamrith
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Location: Tacoma/Puyallup Joined: Tue May 8, 2012 Posts: 4340
Real Name: Larry
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GeekWithGuns wrote: The first technique is raising the cooking/grill temp from 225 to around 250-275. The second technique is pulling off the pork shoulder when the internal temp starts to stall, wrap it tightly in foil, then back on the grill till it reaches the desired internal temperature. Some also do a combination depending on thier schedule and needs for when the cook is done. Hot Fast Bourbon pulled pork.I typically do his format for the end of my cooks when I am pressed for time. It turns out very well. I put it in a foil lasagna pan and use apple juice.
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Sun Oct 29, 2017 5:33 pm |
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NWGunner
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Location: South Seattle Joined: Thu May 2, 2013 Posts: 12475
Real Name: Steve
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lamrith wrote: GeekWithGuns wrote: The first technique is raising the cooking/grill temp from 225 to around 250-275. The second technique is pulling off the pork shoulder when the internal temp starts to stall, wrap it tightly in foil, then back on the grill till it reaches the desired internal temperature. Some also do a combination depending on thier schedule and needs for when the cook is done. Hot Fast Bourbon pulled pork.I typically do his format for the end of my cooks when I am pressed for time. It turns out very well. I put it in a foil lasagna pan and use apple juice. Good call. That's one of the 'hot & fast ' methods I mentioned earlier. Guys like Myron Mixon are doing it .& talking about it on tv a lot, though not when they do competition BBQ. There are several ways to do it, including starting at 325, or even 350.
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Sun Oct 29, 2017 5:42 pm |
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