Hey guys I have been cooking on my WSM for a few years now and I always see that magic number 190 for pulled pork. My question is do many of you pull the pork off the cooker at 190 or maybe at 180 and rest to 190? I find I like to pull at around 178 and rest for 1/2 hour and results are perfect.I'm from Canada and maybe the meat we get up here may be smaller or something but whenever I kept the meat on past 185 it always turned out really dry. Maybe this should be clarified for new cooks on this sight.
pulled pork question?
- Thread starter Stu B.
- Start date
Brian Collins
New member
i have been cooking butts for the past 2 years that come from canada. they are tyson brand sold at wally world they are in a cryovac and says inhanced for tenderness with a 4% solution.
i dont know what the solution is, but never had a problem with them.
one thing you did not mention is if you inject your butts.
i inject mine with chicken broth to try to have a more natural meat taste. alot of people inject with ciders and fruit juice. i find that injecting them is a big help to keeping them moist when done. to me it also seems to help cook them faster.
as far as the temp goes when taking it off the smoker...i shoot for 195 to 200. i have even pulled some off at 205 when i was not paying attention or was just lazy to check on it. after i pull the meat off the smoker i wrap it in foil and a cotton bath towl and toss it in a cooler and rest for 1 hour. i never check the temp after i take it off the smoker after it rests.
sometime i get some burt ends, or some tuff dry meat at a thinner part of the cut of meat. but most of the time no probs at all. i like a little dry at the edge of the meat...but not too dry.
i would start injecting them and see if that makes up for the loss of it not being moist.
also try to get butts that have plenty of good fat marbeling and a good fat cap. trim the fat cap down to 1/4 inch thick and try not to cut any of the fat cap off to expose any of the meat.
i dont know what the solution is, but never had a problem with them.
one thing you did not mention is if you inject your butts.
i inject mine with chicken broth to try to have a more natural meat taste. alot of people inject with ciders and fruit juice. i find that injecting them is a big help to keeping them moist when done. to me it also seems to help cook them faster.
as far as the temp goes when taking it off the smoker...i shoot for 195 to 200. i have even pulled some off at 205 when i was not paying attention or was just lazy to check on it. after i pull the meat off the smoker i wrap it in foil and a cotton bath towl and toss it in a cooler and rest for 1 hour. i never check the temp after i take it off the smoker after it rests.
sometime i get some burt ends, or some tuff dry meat at a thinner part of the cut of meat. but most of the time no probs at all. i like a little dry at the edge of the meat...but not too dry.
i would start injecting them and see if that makes up for the loss of it not being moist.
also try to get butts that have plenty of good fat marbeling and a good fat cap. trim the fat cap down to 1/4 inch thick and try not to cut any of the fat cap off to expose any of the meat.
injection i think doesn't really matter to this question. No I don't inject but may try inthe future. The question is really do you pull at 190 or to achieve 190. If you are pulling at 195-200 you are i assume resting thus attaining 205-210 internal. Am I wrong. I have found that pulling that late just ends up in drier meat. Try pulling at around 178 and see what happens.
Brian Collins
New member
i cook until it hits 195 to 200 internal. pull off and rest. whatever the temp is in 1 hr i dont know,i never check it when i pull it. i start pulling and eating in 1 hour.
the longer it rest i am sure would make it more moist. but since i inject i usually never have any probs with my butts being moist.
the longer it rest i am sure would make it more moist. but since i inject i usually never have any probs with my butts being moist.
Hi Stu,
Have you checked your thermometer? You can measure the temperature of a pot of boiling water to see where it reads. I found that one of mine was reading almost 20 Deg F low!
I have pulled butts before they reach the magic temperature and they were a little more work to pull apart, but the flavor was there. If you are happy with the results you get when your temp reads 178 then go with it!
Have you checked your thermometer? You can measure the temperature of a pot of boiling water to see where it reads. I found that one of mine was reading almost 20 Deg F low!
I have pulled butts before they reach the magic temperature and they were a little more work to pull apart, but the flavor was there. If you are happy with the results you get when your temp reads 178 then go with it!
Andy Beers
TVWBB Diamond Member
I have pulled off at 180 and rested for an hour before if I just ran out of time on a cook.The meat tasted OK but it didn't pull apart like it should and was more chewey and rubbery than at 195.People did not like it nearly as well as my pulled pork done properly.Just my 2 cents
I usually pull them off around 180, wrap in foil, wrap in bath towels, and let them sit until it is time to eat. Sometimes they sit for an hour, sometimes they sit for up to 6 hours. The meat has always been moist and tender and I have never had any trouble pulling. I do wrap the butts in saran wrap and inject them the night before though.
How much will the internal temperature rise once they are pulled off the smoker and wrapped?
How much will the internal temperature rise once they are pulled off the smoker and wrapped?
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">The Virtual Weber Bulletin Board Hop To Forum Categories Barbecuing pulled pork question? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
That's the million dollar question isn't it some say up to ten degrees. That is the whole point of my question pull at 180 to reach 190 or pull at 190 to reach 200. I find pulling at the higher temps leaves the meat dry but I don't inject so maybe that helps.
That's the million dollar question isn't it some say up to ten degrees. That is the whole point of my question pull at 180 to reach 190 or pull at 190 to reach 200. I find pulling at the higher temps leaves the meat dry but I don't inject so maybe that helps.
I cook my butts at 225 and foil around the 12 hour mark, internal temps. are usually 165 to 170 at this time. I take them off when internal temps. are 198-200 then let them rest in a cooler 2-4 hours. I don't see the need to inject because of the high fat content of a butt, can't say that I have ever had one that was dry. I have taken off at 190 or so but found the higher temps. make for easier pulling and more tender meat.
Michael G. (Canada Mike)
TVWBB All-Star
One of the things you'll notice on this board is that an awful lot of people will tell you not to worry about temp as much as consistency. When the probe goes in very easy, then it's ready. Personally, when it comes to butts I also use temperature, and i like 190, but the ease of putting the probe in is the final tell. Remember, too to test the temp at a couple of places and each butt independently.
Just some advice from a fellow Canuck.
Just some advice from a fellow Canuck.
Jim Kennedy
TVWBB Member
I'll say this as well, it depends on the meat. If you're using a commercial piece of meat that's been enhanced with anything, you don't really know. I don't use anything that's been enhanced in any way. I learned my lesson the hard way.
The market I buy my meat is all fresh and really nice. I like to let mine go to over 200 but honestly, a good pork butt is really forgiving. There's enough moisture I like to let as much cook down as possible and I'm still left with really nice flavorful pork with plenty of moisture.
A leaner cut of fresh meat is less forgiving, but pork butt is almost fool proof.
The market I buy my meat is all fresh and really nice. I like to let mine go to over 200 but honestly, a good pork butt is really forgiving. There's enough moisture I like to let as much cook down as possible and I'm still left with really nice flavorful pork with plenty of moisture.
A leaner cut of fresh meat is less forgiving, but pork butt is almost fool proof.
Michael Cowley
New member
I always inject and always pull at 203* and let rest at least one hour.
Paul Vogler
New member
Although I am rather new to the science of the Q. I have also noted that two pieces of meat do not cook the same. So, I start probing my butts and briskets at say 190 degrees. I looking for the ice pick I use to feel like I am probing air. That is when I pull it off of the smoker. Tender brisket and pork pulls that just shreds to fiber. Might pull your pork butts with just a wee bit of resistance if you like your pulled pork with chunks.