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Pork Shoulder temps

Howdy, hope y'all had a good holiday weekend!

Bought two boneless pork shoulders at Costco last weekend (one package) and each is about 6.5 lbs. I smoked both this week, including yesterday for a celebration with friends, holding at a 325-350 temperature. Where I run into confusion is how to get them to 200*. The best I could do on each is 180ish and that was after running 2-3 hours over the suggested/standard time. I watched my iGrill 2 stabilize at 180* and stay there for over an hour without inching up. 

One of my buddies is a chef and said the pork was good. And it had the flavor profile I wanted and over half the meat was tender enough, but I know from the pictures I have seen on this forum that I failed. Thought I would toss this out to see if anyone else has experienced this? 
BGE novice from Arlington, Texas

Comments

  • Grillmagic
    Grillmagic Posts: 1,600
    Sounds like you were still in the stall
    Charlotte, Michigan XL BGE
  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,168
    Thermo's calibrated?? 
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
  • Smokinpig
    Smokinpig Posts: 739

    From 180 until the finishing temp can take a long time even at the turbo temps. You could foil if you have to get it done by a certain time.

    LBGE Atlanta, GA


  • Thatgrimguy
    Thatgrimguy Posts: 4,722
    edited July 2014
    Patience is how it's done. You just have to wait out the stall. 2-3 hours isn't long enough even at 350.

    I've had 9lb butts drag out 18 hours at 250ish before
    XL, Small, Mini & Mini Max Green Egg, Shirley Fab Trailer, 6 gal and 2.5 gal Cajun Fryers, BlueStar 60" Range, 48" Lonestar Grillz Santa Maria, Alto Shaam 1200s, Gozney Dome, Gateway 55g Drum
  • fljoemon
    fljoemon Posts: 757
    edited July 2014
    I wrapped the butt in double layer heavy duty aluminium foil at 165 and this allowed it to reach Internal Temperature of 200 much quicker.
    LBGE & Mini
    Orlando, FL
  • tksmoke
    tksmoke Posts: 776
    I had the same experience yesterday - you just need to let it ride.  I always give it more time than I think it will take, and it frequently takes even more time than that.  I kept my temp at 350 for the entire cook, and it stalled at 170.  It was looking so promising up to that point.  Three hours from 45 degrees to 170, then 3 hours from 170 to 203.
    Santa Paula, CA
  • Lit
    Lit Posts: 9,053
    Only thing I can say is never cook to time. I did 2 Costco shoulders yesterday and the bigger one was 5-10 degrees behind the smaller one the whole cook and was pulled 45 minutes after the smaller one so it could finish. If someone tells you to cook anything to time instead of temp I would stop listening to them.
  • sofakingbald
    sofakingbald Posts: 49
    edited July 2014
    Really appreciate the feedback - good to know I'm not alone on this one. Certainly will try the foil next time when I turbo. 

    @lousubcap : yes, sir. Can't recommend the iGrill 2 more. The iOS app is fantastic. 

    @tksmoke : really does sound like we had the exact same experience. I was worried it was cooking too quickly as the temp soared to 180* in about 3 hours and then it flatlined for that last hour. Won't give up so easily next time.

    @Thatgrimguy : very interesting, did you have the whole egg filled with coal for the 19hrs, haha?! 

    @Lit : that is about the best shortcut I have learned since joining the grill game a month ago. It's never about time, always about temperature and if/when you're really locked in, look and feel. Case and point, did burgers yesterday for the first time without the iGrill 2. Just felt comfortable with the char, color, and feel. Came out as good as I can do and only took about 6 total minutes over the flame. Most cook to time recs are 10-12 minutes.
    BGE novice from Arlington, Texas

  • Mkline
    Mkline Posts: 180
    always cook to temp not time. time is only a guidline.
  • SmokeyPitt
    SmokeyPitt Posts: 10,490
    Really appreciate the feedback - good to know I'm not alone on this one. Certainly will try the foil next time when I turbo. 

    @lousubcap : yes, sir. Can't recommend the iGrill 2 more. The iOS app is fantastic. 

    @tksmoke : really does sound like we had the exact same experience. I was worried it was cooking too quickly as the temp soared to 180* in about 3 hours and then it flatlined for that last hour. Won't give up so easily next time.

    @Thatgrimguy : very interesting, did you have the whole egg filled with coal for the 19hrs, haha?! 

    @Lit : that is about the best shortcut I have learned since joining the grill game a month ago. It's never about time, always about temperature and if/when you're really locked in, look and feel. Case and point, did burgers yesterday for the first time without the iGrill 2. Just felt comfortable with the char, color, and feel. Came out as good as I can do and only took about 6 total minutes over the flame. Most cook to time recs are 10-12 minutes.
    Just to note that IMO the foil is only necessary if you are in a time crunch.  The foil can soften the bark a bit but if you are in a hurry it will speed up the cooking time.   

    Here is an interesting article on the stall and how "the crutch" can jump you through the stall:



    Which came first the chicken or the egg?  I egged the chicken and then I ate his leg. 

  • Thatgrimguy
    Thatgrimguy Posts: 4,722
    @sofakingbald I never had to add lump. I have an XL though. I started with 6 butts on that cook and it was the one straggler that drug out that long. (probably a result of not rotating the butts and just pulling them as they hit temp.)
    XL, Small, Mini & Mini Max Green Egg, Shirley Fab Trailer, 6 gal and 2.5 gal Cajun Fryers, BlueStar 60" Range, 48" Lonestar Grillz Santa Maria, Alto Shaam 1200s, Gozney Dome, Gateway 55g Drum