I can\'t figure this out

Big'un

We cooked a pork butt last night. The cook was pretty normal except when the roast just started to enter the plateau(159F), the egg temp dropped(150F). My son attempted to crank it back up, but by that time, the meat had dropped to about 140F, and I was almost home from work. We decided to finish it in the oven, and the finish was uneventful. I started the recook,roast at 120F,then cooked at 275 convect, and I pulled it at 190F. After a quick rest, I started to pull it apart, and it was tough in some places. I mean almost gristly; I've never had one like that before.

Is the pork roast from a rogue disagreeable pig who didn't care about self image and led a wild lifestyle of drinking and cohorting with easy sows? Or did I do something wrong and push it through the plateau too quickly?

I welcome your comments. Thanks

Broc

Although pork isn't graded, like beef, sometimes pork loin can be "grainy." I'm not knowledgeable to know just why [probably feed, exercise, etc] -- maybe someone closer to the pig could answer for us.

In mainland Europe, pigs are specialty fed and maintained in pens which don't even allow for them to move about -- sometimes not even to be able to turn/roll over... ...all in order to provide a "better" table meat.

There oughta be a law... :ermm:

~ B

Mr. & Mrs Potatohead

Well...
There can certainly be a difference in pork with one roast / cut being better (more tender) than another! No matter the cook.
OTOH, I wonder if the finish may have been too fast (especially after the cool down) resulting in a tougher meat. Seems the reason we go low and slow is to produce“fall apart” tenderness and I’m thinking that a disruption to the process has an out come.
We have had that out come upon occasion, with a higher cook temp. even if done with a long cook.

Big'un

It was started at 8:00 pm and finished at 10:00am. Granted, there was an unwanted two hour delay in there.

Celtic Wolf

If it as a Pork Loin Roast and not a Pork Butt you over cooked it..

Pork Loin and Loin Roast are good to go at 145..

Car Wash Mike

Is the pork roast from a rogue disagreeable pig who didn't care about self image and led a wild lifestyle of drinking and cohorting with easy sows?

Look at his sig line. LOL :woohoo: :ohmy:

Mike

Grandpas Grub

Big'un,

I am no expert here, only an idea. I have had what you described when I was testing a hot fast cook. I was talking with thirdeye about the different textures.

It seems if the platue is completed too quickly all the fat and collagen did not completely break down.

I do pork at 145° if slicing and 195° - 200° if pulling.

GG

Celtic Wolf

I sure hope you don't take a Pork Roast to 195..

Pork Roast are on the butt end of the loin.. They don't have as much fat as the Butt and a hair more then the loin.

195 is way over cooked for a Pork Roast.

Big'un

Sorry Pete, pork butt.

Big'un

Now that's not very nice to say about Chubby raising the pig. Just think of how bad the pig would feel. :woohoo:

Big'un

It was still a ten hour cook, but I'm thinking the same thing about rushing through the plateau. Or I got an old piggy part. :blink:

Celtic Wolf

Well Dayum get your cuts right HAHAHAH

Well upon re-reading your original post you used both terms. Be consistent there beau!! :woohoo:

Sooo.. Let me ask this what does "tough in places" mean? At 190 you wouldn't get the tough muscle in the middle tender enough. 195-200 might get that muscle tender.

JLOCKHART29

OK Don't everyone laugh but I was a manager of two 500 sow farrowing units for Tyson Foods for 7 years. "Making bacon just like family" :laugh:
Pork, along with chicken, is the most tightly controled meat on US tables today. By controled I mean the animals are feed the same, raised the same and slaughtered the same across the nation. I dare say that less than 5% of the pork on your grocery shelfs was raised by an independent. The vast magarity is from a big company such as Tyson did. The mass slaughter houses have a certain size that they want and anything larger or smaller is penelized. Used to be 230 lbs but not sure now. Threw genetics of F2 F3 crosses they have been able to produce a uniform product that will reach the standard size all at the same size on the finnishing floor. All this is possable because pork, like chicken, can be raised in small houses with big returns. Cattle on the other hand need much biger area to raise and the cost of land/equipment is to much for the gains for companys so people like me raise the cattle and then the "company" finnishes them out. As such there is much greater diversity in quilaty of beef than that of pork or chicken. HOWEVER Even wih carefull genetics and animal husbandry practices a pig is still a pig and meat quility will vary. OK I'm tired and ready to crash for the day. Class will resume at 4:00 am. Spelling optional! :laugh:

emilluca

What was the color of the flesh before you cooked it? I find the light color flesh pork is more tender and the darker color tends to have more flavor but tough in places at times.
E

Bacchus

Maybe the key is that the egg temp dropped well below where it needed to be, and this interrupted the flow of the cook.......?
Or maybe I am a rogue pig with no idea.

Big'un

Thanks, I'm thinking that I got a piggy part that just wasn't up to snuff. I guess I'll find out if I(hopefully never) ever have a mishap like yesterday morn again. Thanks again.

Big'un

That does seem kinda mean...and tasty.

Big'un

It was darker meat. I hadn't ever made that connection; I'll start taking notice.

Big'un

Haha. You me both..That's why I posted this question.

Big'un

I've always pulled at 192F as that has always produced the juiciest PP, IMHO. There were some muscles that were just not willing to let go of each other, but they were also gristly. Does that help to muddy the water? :silly: