Put the pork on @ 10pm last night its 6am now and the internal temp is @ 180 lid temp holding @ 250 it was about a 8lb shoulder. I forgot to get some juice to baste is that going to be alright? If anyones up should I let it go some more and wait til it hits 190 before wrapping in foil? thanks kizer
180 after 8 hours pork shoulder
- Thread starter kizer
- Start date
Luke and Bethany
TVWBB Fan
I don't know if it's too late or not, but I would let it get to about 185 and then foil. It'll keep cooking for a bit after you wrap it, and I would think as long as you wrap it tight and stick it in a cooler with some hot towels or something it'll be fine to let rest for a couple of hours.
K Kruger
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
If the meat didn't cook long enough to render substantial connective tissue/fat, it will be sliceable but not pullable. If the meat was not soft and the bone loose or loosening when you removed it, there is no way of knowing now what texture the pork will have when you unwrap it. You'll see at that point.
Scott Piccolo
TVWBB Member
It sounds like the meat was just hitting the "plateau" where it really renders a lot of the internal fat. I usually cook butts between 235 and 260 (where ever the WSM wants to lock in the temp) for around 15 hours. It is normal for the meat to hit a temp and then fall some or hold steady for awhile before finally climbing to the low 190's when I pull it off and wrap in foil to rest. Also, you should check the temp of the meat in several places as it will not be consistant throughout due to fat and connective tissue. Usually you want the meat between 190 and 195 on average (checked in several places) for pulled pork or around 180 to 185 for sliced or chopped pork. Hopefully, it turned out great for you.
LarryR
TVWBB Diamond Member
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Well @ 5am it was a little over 180 @ 6am 180 exactly and now @ 7:30am its down @ 160. So I pulled it and wrapped it in foil and a towel in a cooler. Hopefully its all good! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Are you saying it dropped 20 + degrees between 5:00 and 7:30 a.m. while still on the WSM and running @ 250 lid? My guess is you moved your temp probe and found the 160 reading. My experience is similar to Scott's, I do my butts at 225 grate (235-240 lid) and they consistently take just over 2 hours per pound.
As Kevin said, use temp as a guide to start looking for soft meat and "movable" bone. I've had butts done in the 180s and some not until 200.
Regarding basting, I've basted in the past and not found a discernible difference in my butts. Now I just let them go and if I'm around mid cook I'll flip them, if not I don't worry about it and they turn out just fine. Some swear by basting, others don't, YMMV.
Are you saying it dropped 20 + degrees between 5:00 and 7:30 a.m. while still on the WSM and running @ 250 lid? My guess is you moved your temp probe and found the 160 reading. My experience is similar to Scott's, I do my butts at 225 grate (235-240 lid) and they consistently take just over 2 hours per pound.
As Kevin said, use temp as a guide to start looking for soft meat and "movable" bone. I've had butts done in the 180s and some not until 200.
Regarding basting, I've basted in the past and not found a discernible difference in my butts. Now I just let them go and if I'm around mid cook I'll flip them, if not I don't worry about it and they turn out just fine. Some swear by basting, others don't, YMMV.
Dave/G
TVWBB Emerald Member
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by kizer:
Put the pork on @ 10pm last night its 6am now and the internal temp is @ 180 lid temp holding @ 250 it was about a 8lb shoulder. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Seems to me that after 8 hours and you were at 180* and the cooker at 250*, you were on the right path but you had a ways to go yet. Do I sense a little Kizer anxiousness to get at his pulled pork? Can't blame you.
For what it's worth, I did 2 butts, about 7 lbs each the other day. Cooked in the 260-285* range, the butts came up to 195* in about 9-10 hours. Best butts I've done so far. The best part was that I had to leave the house for 6 hours, so whatever the WSM was going to do I wasn't going to be there to see it and fret over it. The pork pulled like butter after an hour rest.
As far as basting goes, in my limited experience I find it a waste of time and effort. The juice dribbles off the meat into the water pan and you disturb the WSM when you lift the lid. There is plenty of fat in butts, they won't be dry
Dave
Put the pork on @ 10pm last night its 6am now and the internal temp is @ 180 lid temp holding @ 250 it was about a 8lb shoulder. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Seems to me that after 8 hours and you were at 180* and the cooker at 250*, you were on the right path but you had a ways to go yet. Do I sense a little Kizer anxiousness to get at his pulled pork? Can't blame you.
For what it's worth, I did 2 butts, about 7 lbs each the other day. Cooked in the 260-285* range, the butts came up to 195* in about 9-10 hours. Best butts I've done so far. The best part was that I had to leave the house for 6 hours, so whatever the WSM was going to do I wasn't going to be there to see it and fret over it. The pork pulled like butter after an hour rest.
As far as basting goes, in my limited experience I find it a waste of time and effort. The juice dribbles off the meat into the water pan and you disturb the WSM when you lift the lid. There is plenty of fat in butts, they won't be dry
Dave
I thank all of you for your help. I pulled it @ 7:30 am let it rest for 2 hours and it was pulling great. Very tastey. My guess is when I crashed out last night @ 12am the lid temp is was running about 375. I closed the vents a little and propped the door open a little with a beer cap. I live @ 6900ft and have a hard time keeping temps up so I usually get them pretty high to start. It was also recomended to my to use sand in the pan and open the door a little. It felt like it cooked awful fast, but it turned great. So who knows what was up. Any ideas?