Welcome to the EGGhead Forum - a great place to visit and packed with tips and EGGspert advice! You can also join the conversation and get more information and amazing kamado recipes by following Big Green Egg to Experience our World of Flavor™ at:
Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Pinterest  |  Youtube  |  Vimeo
Share your photos by tagging us and using the hashtag #BigGreenEgg.

Want to see how the EGG is made? Click to Watch

Not reaching correct temperture on the BGE for Pulled Pork.

Mooseally
Mooseally Posts: 18
I'm looking for advise on cooking a pork shoulder on the BGE, l have cooked two already and have not been successful in both, it never reached the meat temp of 195F (for pulled pork) on them both it only reached the temp of 165F/169F, taking the first one off after 24hrs and the second one of after 18hrs. The first pork shoulder had the bone on it and was very moist, but for the second one l got the bone removed which turned out very dry and very disappointing. What am l doing wrong? Any advise would be very much appreciated.
Large BGE & Minimax.
«1

Comments

  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    What temp are you cooking at? how much lump are you putting in? Have you cleaned your ash out?

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

  • Mooseally
    Mooseally Posts: 18
    Hi Steve, Cooking temp at 225F, lumpwood piled up to rim of fire box and fire ring. Ash removed each time l use the BGE. I forgot to mention weight on pork shoulder was 6 lb.
    Large BGE & Minimax.
  • DMW
    DMW Posts: 13,832
    Mooseally said:

    Hi Steve, Cooking temp at 225F, lumpwood piled up to rim of fire box and fire ring. Ash removed each time l use the BGE. I forgot to mention weight on pork shoulder was 6 lb.

    If 225* was your dome temp, its too low, bump to 250*.
    They/Them
    Morgantown, PA

    XL BGE - S BGE - KJ Jr - HB Legacy - BS Pizza Oven - 30" Firepit - King Kooker Fryer -  PR72T - WSJ - BS 17" Griddle - XXL BGE  - BS SS36" Griddle - 2 Burner Gasser - Pellet Smoker
  • Mooseally
    Mooseally Posts: 18
    Thank you for that info DMW, much appreciated!
    Large BGE & Minimax.
  • henapple
    henapple Posts: 16,025
    6 lbs at 18 hours? Probably overdone. Have you calibrated all thermos?
    Green egg, dead animal and alcohol. The "Boro".. TN 
  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    Mooseally said:
    Hi Steve, Cooking temp at 225F, lumpwood piled up to rim of fire box and fire ring. Ash removed each time l use the BGE. I forgot to mention weight on pork shoulder was 6 lb.
    You don't need to clean ash every time. I'm overdoing it if I clean it in 15 cooks. That said  you should so it before a low and slow. 225 should be hot enough. If you have a thermapen, pull your dome thermo out and stick the thermapen in the hole. That should give you an accurate reading. Re-install the dome thermo and calibrate to what the thermapen read.

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

  • henapple
    henapple Posts: 16,025
    I cleaned mine out today
    Green egg, dead animal and alcohol. The "Boro".. TN 
  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    Mine are worse than that. Is it stable if you stack it?

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

  • Mooseally
    Mooseally Posts: 18
    henapple said:
    6 lbs at 18 hours? Probably overdone. Have you calibrated all thermos?
    Hi henapple Thanks for that, how long would you suggest l cook it for? I did calibrate the dome temp once before and mentioned this to the store owner l bought the BGE from and he told me l never have to calibrate it. So now l'm confused! I do have a Thermopen and l think l will use this for reading the dome temperture.
    Large BGE & Minimax.
  • Mooseally
    Mooseally Posts: 18
    edited March 2014
    You don't need to clean ash every time. I'm overdoing it if I clean it in 15 cooks. That said  you should so it before a low and slow. 225 should be hot enough. If you have a thermapen, pull your dome thermo out and stick the thermapen in the hole. That should give you an accurate reading. Re-install the dome thermo and calibrate to what the thermapen read.

    Mooseally said:
    Hi Steve, Cooking temp at 225F, lumpwood piled up to rim of fire box and fire ring. Ash removed each time l use the BGE. I forgot to mention weight on pork shoulder was 6 lb.
    You don't need to clean ash every time. I'm overdoing it if I clean it in 15 cooks. That said  you should so it before a low and slow. 225 should be hot enough. If you have a thermapen, pull your dome thermo out and stick the thermapen in the hole. That should give you an accurate reading. Re-install the dome thermo and calibrate to what the thermapen read.

    Steve, That is great info, yes l do have a Thermapen and will do that. Thanks!
    Large BGE & Minimax.
  • henapple
    henapple Posts: 16,025
    You will need to calibrate it...I do every now and then. I'm not sure why he told you that. I'd check it. Usually, even at 225 a butt is around 2 hrs per lb. Do you have a maverick?
    Green egg, dead animal and alcohol. The "Boro".. TN 
  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    Checkin' it ain't the same as calibratin' it. All this crap got started when BGE was using a cheap adz thermo. I haven't had to touch a Tel Tru

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

  • SkinnyV
    SkinnyV Posts: 3,404
    You have to wait, I did a few that I had to chop but when they hit the 195 ...they pull and are so much better.
    Get your temp squared away and you will be fine.
    Seattle, WA
  • Mooseally
    Mooseally Posts: 18
    henapple said:
    You will need to calibrate it...I do every now and then. I'm not sure why he told you that. I'd check it. Usually, even at 225 a butt is around 2 hrs per lb. Do you have a maverick?
    No l don't have a Maverick!
    Large BGE & Minimax.
  • Mooseally
    Mooseally Posts: 18
    Checkin' it ain't the same as calibratin' it. All this crap got started when BGE was using a cheap adz thermo. I haven't had to touch a Tel Tru

    Are the Tel Tru's already calibrated, l am going to look for one of these on Ebay!
    Large BGE & Minimax.
  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    I assumed you already had one. BGE switched to them around 6 years ago. It should have the Tel-Tru logo on the face unless your egg is older.

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

  • Mooseally
    Mooseally Posts: 18
    I assumed you already had one. BGE switched to them around 6 years ago. It should have the Tel-Tru logo on the face unless your egg is older.

    Great, l just noticed l have the Tel Tru thermo, have a question though, does the dial(arm) look correct to you and would l be correct is saying after calibration the dial should be at 50?
    Large BGE & Minimax.
  • DMW
    DMW Posts: 13,832
    It won't be at 50*C unless its a very hot day or there is still fire in the egg. Boil some water on the stove at put the thermo probe in the boiling water. It should read 100*C. If it doesn't use the nut on the back to adjust.
    They/Them
    Morgantown, PA

    XL BGE - S BGE - KJ Jr - HB Legacy - BS Pizza Oven - 30" Firepit - King Kooker Fryer -  PR72T - WSJ - BS 17" Griddle - XXL BGE  - BS SS36" Griddle - 2 Burner Gasser - Pellet Smoker
  • Skiddymarker
    Skiddymarker Posts: 8,522
    edited March 2014
    No question if you have a 6 pound piece of meat with a 250º dome temp, it will be over 200º IT within 8 hours maximum. I'd think the issue is temp not being correct. My Tel-tru was off after the first cook, but has been rock solid since. 
    Make sure the probe is clean and that it is not touching the meat. 
    50ºC (122ºF) is much more than a hot day - it is downright life threatening, at least to us Canucks.  

    Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!
  • pretzelb
    pretzelb Posts: 158
    This sounds like the exact same issue I had with my brisket. My dome is about 30 higher than my grate. So I was cooking at 190 or 200. I bought a Thermaworks dual probe that measures grate and meat. Now I know when I'm cooking at 250 by the grate temp. Working good so far.

    My advice would be save up and buy a pit controller some day. I regret the thermometer I bought. It works great and solves the problem but for more money I could also let the controller do the work.
    XL egg owner, home brewer, jogger, coffee roaster, gamer 
  • Mooseally
    Mooseally Posts: 18
    DMW said:
    It won't be at 50*C unless its a very hot day or there is still fire in the egg. Boil some water on the stove at put the thermo probe in the boiling water. It should read 100*C. If it doesn't use the nut on the back to adjust.

    Thanks DMW for that, I had to smile re hot day, been from Ireland we don't get many hot days.
    Large BGE & Minimax.
  • Mooseally
    Mooseally Posts: 18
    No question if you have a 6 pound piece of meat with a 250º dome temp, it will be over 200º IT within 8 hours maximum. I'd think the issue is temp not being correct. My Tel-tru was off after the first cook, but has been rock solid since. 
    Make sure the probe is clean and that it is not touching the meat. 
    50ºC (122ºF) is much more than a hot day - it is downright life threatening, at least to us Canucks.  


    Thanks Skiddymarker for the info, it all helps with me solving my problem!
    Large BGE & Minimax.
  • Mooseally
    Mooseally Posts: 18
    pretzelb said:
    This sounds like the exact same issue I had with my brisket. My dome is about 30 higher than my grate. So I was cooking at 190 or 200. I bought a Thermaworks dual probe that measures grate and meat. Now I know when I'm cooking at 250 by the grate temp. Working good so far. My advice would be save up and buy a pit controller some day. I regret the thermometer I bought. It works great and solves the problem but for more money I could also let the controller do the work.

    This will be my fourth time calibrating the Tel Tru dome thermo, and l use the Polder probe thermo for the meat. I would consider in the future investing in the pit controller. This will be my fourth time calibrating the Tel Tru dome thermo, and l use the Polder probe thermo for the meat. I would consider in the future investing in the pit controller, though alot more expensive here in Ireland!!
    Large BGE & Minimax.
  • You want the temperature of the PIT at the meat level to be 225.  I use a STOKER and set the pit probe on the grill.  Load up the lump charcoal, set it for 225 and leave it.  I have cooked many pork shoulders and they always come out excellent.  The stoker is worth the investment.  I have cooked 3 shoulders at one time in my large BGE and found that each one cooks a little differently.  Depends on the fat content. 
  • I have had to calibrate all 3 of my tru tel thermometers.
  • Mooseally
    Mooseally Posts: 18
    edited March 2014
    After reading all your comments with some suggestions of investing in a Stoker or a CyberQ wifi, I would be very interested in purchasing one of these, but after doing some research online, l discovered there are no dealers here in Ireland/England, l could purchase from America but the power adapter would be different to here. Any suggestions how to get around this would be very much appreciated!
    Large BGE & Minimax.
  • DMW
    DMW Posts: 13,832
    edited March 2014
    If your concern is the difference between dome and grid temp, just assume 25* lower at grid. If you want a temp controller, most all of the "wall warts" that ship with these things will accept 110v or 220v AC as input. All you need is cheap travel "prong" adapters. Confirm the input voltage range of the power supplies from respective manufacturers before ordering but I think all you would need would be a cheap prong adapter.

    You could also opt for the BBQ Guru PartyQ, which operates off AA cell batteries.
    They/Them
    Morgantown, PA

    XL BGE - S BGE - KJ Jr - HB Legacy - BS Pizza Oven - 30" Firepit - King Kooker Fryer -  PR72T - WSJ - BS 17" Griddle - XXL BGE  - BS SS36" Griddle - 2 Burner Gasser - Pellet Smoker
  • cortguitarman
    cortguitarman Posts: 2,061
    Your dealer doesn't know what he is talking about. The Tel True thermometers are good but need tweaking now and again.
    Mark Annville, PA
  • GeorgeS
    GeorgeS Posts: 955
    After hearing you guys talk so much about how far out the Tel True can be I checked mine before doing my Boston Butts this weekend and it was off by 40 degree's! Glad I checked before my low and slow.
    Bristow Virginia XL&Mini One of the best feelings in life is watching other people enjoy the food I cooked!
  • TheShaytoon
    TheShaytoon Posts: 420
    Mooseally said:
    After reading all your comments with some suggestions of investing in a Stoker or a CyberQ wifi, I would be very interested in purchasing one of these, but after doing some research online, l discovered there are no dealers here in Ireland/England, l could purchase from America but the power adapter would be different to here. Any suggestions how to get around this would be very much appreciated!
    It's 12V and I think 2amp power requirement.  You should be able to find a power adapter to bring down to that level.  That is for the CyberQ that I use.

    I have a very hard time engaging in passive relaxation. Twitter.Instagram.
    Dallas, TX