I don't want to pull pork

Brian

I am not interested in pulling pork and I would assume that is the only reason I would cook it to 200 degrees - correct? I want to cook a picnic today and carve it up as a roast - say 170 degrees internal temp. If I slow cook this at 250 degrees with smoke (couple of hours) am I going to have a edible product or is a butt or picnic primarily used for pulling and/or 200 degree cooking? Guidence appreciated. Brian

YB

Brian,
I would cook it at 350 degrees until you reach an internal temp of 145 to 150,let it rest for 30 minutes...carve and serve.
Larry

Smokey

Brian,[p]I think the picnic is just to cheap piece of meat to serve as a roast. The tenderloin will do great. Original BBQ used meat not suitable for other uses, smoked it slowly to break down the connective tissue. I'd recommend a better cut of pork, but if you try it, please post the results![p]

Sundown

Brian,
I've never heard of soomone doing wat you propose. The butt and shoulder are TOUGH pieces of meat and that's why the long slow cook. To break down the collegans (sp)and tissues that connect everything. Should be interesting. Keep us posted. And, good luck.

Nature Boy

Brian,
I understand you can get great sliced pork from that cut...though I have not done it yet. You need to cook as you would for pulling, but pull of earlier....at around 180 internal. Rest, and slice. You still need to cook through the plateau, and that tough meat needs a good long cook to be tender. You could probably get away with cooking it at 275.[p]Some idears anywho!
Enjoy
Chris

Unknown

Brian, Sorry this isn't what you want to hear, but the times I have tried slicing a picnic, I have not been happy with the results.[p]There are not many choice slices in the picnic portion of the shoulder as compared to the butt portion. There is a lot of bone in the picnic too and this makes getting decent sized slices even more difficult. The target temp for slicing ranges from 170-180F. [p]The picnic does make for some good pulled pork, but IMHO the butt is the better choice for sliced pork. Since you plan on spending the time to get the meat past the plateau stage when the cologen is breaking down, you might as well spend a few more hours cooking andfinish it off at 195F+ and pull the meat. [p]Beers to you,[p]JDB

Unknown

Brian,[p]No, you don't have to pull it. Instead break it into hunks. The meat simply falls apart. Serve it that way. You will make many friends. So cook it the distance and go for the butt!!!