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What the heck did I do wrong....pulled pork.....

FSUScotsman
FSUScotsman Posts: 754
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
question 5497....

I started the fire tonight and got it going and steady with a thermometer reading of about 275. That was about 7PM. It's indirect with the plate setter. I've had a little bit of fluctuation up to about 320 or so but not for long as I've kept good track of it.

My problem is that I just checked the temp on the meat and it's already up to between 190 and 200!!!! WHAAAATTTTT????????????? How did it get that high that fast?

I've done this before and NEVER had one finish that fast and I'm not even sure it's going to make a good pulled pork at this point. It smells great but I'm just clueless.

Ron

Comments

  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
    I have been watching the posts on pulled pork and some have cooked real fast and some slowly.

    If the post time is the zone as your 7pm that would be a 4 hour cook.

    On the cook I posted below the cook took 11 hours, however, when I did the cut of meat, same size meat last week it took about 5 hours.

    What cut of meat? How much weight? Is your dome thermometer calibrated? Did you by chance take the meat reading close to the bone or close to one edge of the meat?

    GG
  • Celtic Wolf
    Celtic Wolf Posts: 9,773
    Check the placement of the probe. Sounds like it's up against the bone or in a fat pocket.
  • Panhandle Smoker
    Panhandle Smoker Posts: 3,018
    WOW! talk about a turbo but. What temp do you usually smoke butts? I shoot for 225-250. I wouldnt think at 300 they would be done in 3 hours. How big is the butt?
  • Bob V
    Bob V Posts: 195
    Yeah - need more information. If it is bone-in it will cook faster; if it was brined (sometimes they are brined before you buy them) it will cook faster.

    My guess, like others, is that the probe is too close to the bone or too far in the meat - like all the way in.

    200 should be done, but by that time the outside should be almost falling apart to where you can take a fork and literally separate a chunk of meat.

    Let us know -

    Bob V
  • FSUScotsman
    FSUScotsman Posts: 754
    The cut was a shoulder just over five pounds. No, the thermometer isn't calibrated. I took several readings.
  • FSUScotsman
    FSUScotsman Posts: 754
    It's not brined and I didn't use a probe, I just checked on it after the few hours. I'm glad that I did!!!

    It is bone in though.

    I do think I'm going to go ahead and pull it off the fire now. I don't want it to dry out!!

    I'll let you all know how it tastes in a little while.
  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
    By all means if the meat is at 200° and it is fork tender then pull the meat.

    Take time to calibrate the dome thermometer. You should check the calibration on a regular basis. I cook a lot and try to check the dome thermometers once a quarter.

    GG
  • FSUScotsman
    FSUScotsman Posts: 754
    I took it off and pulled it. This shoulder turned out as good as any other one that I've ever done, just a heck of a lot faster. I'm glad that I didn't put it on right before I went to bed and forget about it till in the morning!!!

    I've never calibrated a thermometer before, how do I do it?
  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
    Find the altitude of where you cook. Use the boiling point calculator above, under the cookbook tab and find the boiling point for your altitude. A rough number is to take off 1/2 degree for every 500' of altitude.

    You will need a 7/16" wrench or something that will turn the nut on the back of your thermometer. Get a small pan of boiling water. Take your thermometer and put it in the boiling water. Watch the needle and if the reading is wrong (all of my thermometers were off and some way off calibration) adjust the nut on the back of the thermometer. Recheck the reading, adjust if necessary then recheck.

    I believe some instructions come with the new eggs.

    All in all pretty simple.

    I cooked an 8# boston but at 370°, apx 400° dome. It took about 6.5 hours to finish. Excellent results.

    GG
  • Chef Boyaree
    Chef Boyaree Posts: 150
    I had a pulled pork come out way too fast last weekend so took it off, wrapped in aluminum foil, and put in oven set to 160 degrees for a couple of hours then moved it to a warmed cooler for another couple of hours before I pulled it. Turned out fantastic, as have all other butts I've cooked. Seems like all pulled pork stories are similar in that regardless of the catastrophe along the way, the end product is fantastic. Pork shoulder is such a forgiving, fatty meat that it's always nice when pulled.... only thing that changes is how crisped the burnt ends are and how big they get... the longer the cook, the bigger and crisper the ends... just don't undercook!
  • Sundown
    Sundown Posts: 2,980
    First, like Celtic Wolf suggests, check your temperature probe and make sure it's not against the bone or in a fat pocket.

    The other pretty good chance is you purchased "enhanced meat". Injected with up to a 10% solution of salt water and other chemicals to make your meat taste better. IMHO it also effects the way the meat cooks leading to these turbo cooks we have been experiencing the last few years.

    You have to look very carefully to find the notice the meat has been enhanced. If you're on a low or no salt diet you have a problem because, in a chicken there can be as much as 500mg of additional salt!

    Bought my last pork shoulders from a real butcher and asked for real meat not injected. He smiled broadly and brought out a shoulder that he had just separated from the pig.

    I believe the enhanced meats drastically change the way meat cooks especially in a ceramic cooker.

    My 2¢ worth
  • Firetruck
    Firetruck Posts: 2,679
    I've never heard of so many butts cooking so fast. My friend did some a few weeks ago and his were fast. I'm doing one right now and if it cooks fast too, I think we may safely say "global warming" is the culprit. :huh: :laugh:
  • Big'un
    Big'un Posts: 5,909
    You've got a turbo butt! No, not personally! Sometimes you get a tough pig and that will happen. it will pull but it tends to be tougher. It happens sometimes.
  • FSUScotsman
    FSUScotsman Posts: 754
    Everyone is great....and funny. I checked the label, it was Publix meat and not injected. I try not to get adulterated meat as I do have to watch my salt....at least a little. I'm almost at sea level so my calibration should be pretty easy.

    To change the subject just a little. I think the thermometer is on it's last legs anyway. Is there a good brand that I should look for as a replacement? I have a large and a small egg and both have been used well now.
  • Canugghead
    Canugghead Posts: 11,452
    tel tru is highly recommended by forum members, get one of the $19 2.5" stem ones.
    http://www.teltru.com/barbecue.asp
    canuckland
  • FSUScotsman
    FSUScotsman Posts: 754
    OH THAT'S GREAT!!! Thanks!!!