Barbecue (alt.food.barbecue) Discuss barbecue and grilling--southern style "low and slow" smoking of ribs, shoulders and briskets, as well as direct heat grilling of everything from burgers to salmon to vegetables.

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cc0112453
 
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Default Help. Pulled pork won't pull.

I'm in need of some expert help. I'm trying to get my pulled pork thing
down for an upcoming birthday party. I figured, what could be easier? I
can already do ribs, roasts and chicken. Should be a piece of cake. Wrong!
I went to the store today and picked up a three pound, boneless, pork
shoulder roast and a small sirloin tip roast just because it looked so damn
good. I put some rub on the pair and let them sit in the frig overnight.
About 11am I got them out, gave them another dose of rub and let them come
up to room temp. Meanwhile I got the charcoal going. It was a little cool
today but not bad. I had to put a blanket around the smoker to get it up to
125 where it stayed for about four hours and then began drop off slowly. It
was getting close to dinner time, the meat was already up to 145 so I
figured I'd finish it in the oven. Cranked up the gas range in the kitchen,
put the meat in and brought the beef up to 160 before removing it. The pork
was not showing any signs of coming apart so I left it in for another hour
and brought it out when it hit 175. I tried to pull it but it was more like
the beef in consistency. It didn't want to come apart. I even broke it
into smaller chunks and put it back in for another half hour but it was
still holding together. I finally gave up because everyone was getting
hungry and served it as is. Turned out to be pretty tasty but no pulled
pork sandwiches. Waaaah! Where did I go wrong?

Thanks to all who gave me advice on cutting down on the amount of smoke. I
probably used one fourth the amount of wood that I usually do for smoke.
Still pretty tasty. My wife even said it was good. Looks like the divorce
is off for a while any way.

Doug



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Edwin Pawlowski
 
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"cc0112453" > wrote in message

> The pork was not showing any signs of coming apart so I left it in for
> another hour and brought it out when it hit 175. I tried to pull it but
> it was more like the beef in consistency


It was not ready to pull. It has to go to about 185 or so., even 190.
OTOH, considering the small size, you may have dried it out. I usually cook
a 7 to 9 pound roast, picnic or butt.


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Edwin Pawlowski
 
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"cc0112453" > wrote in message

> The pork was not showing any signs of coming apart so I left it in for
> another hour and brought it out when it hit 175. I tried to pull it but
> it was more like the beef in consistency


It was not ready to pull. It has to go to about 185 or so., even 190.
OTOH, considering the small size, you may have dried it out. I usually cook
a 7 to 9 pound roast, picnic or butt.


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Pierre
 
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cc0112453 wrote:
> I'm in need of some expert help. I'm trying to get my pulled pork

thing
> down for an upcoming birthday party. I figured, what could be

easier? I
> can already do ribs, roasts and chicken. Should be a piece of cake.

Wrong!
> I went to the store today and picked up a three pound, boneless, pork


> shoulder roast and a small sirloin tip roast just because it looked

so damn
> good. I put some rub on the pair and let them sit in the frig

overnight.
> About 11am I got them out, gave them another dose of rub and let them

come
> up to room temp. Meanwhile I got the charcoal going. It was a

little cool
> today but not bad. I had to put a blanket around the smoker to get

it up to
> 125 where it stayed for about four hours and then began drop off

slowly. It
> was getting close to dinner time, the meat was already up to 145 so I


> figured I'd finish it in the oven. Cranked up the gas range in the

kitchen,
> put the meat in and brought the beef up to 160 before removing it.

The pork
> was not showing any signs of coming apart so I left it in for another

hour
> and brought it out when it hit 175. I tried to pull it but it was

more like
> the beef in consistency. It didn't want to come apart. I even broke

it
> into smaller chunks and put it back in for another half hour but it

was
> still holding together. I finally gave up because everyone was

getting
> hungry and served it as is. Turned out to be pretty tasty but no

pulled
> pork sandwiches. Waaaah! Where did I go wrong?
>

<snip>

Doug, I second the motion. 190=B0 for pulled pork. It needs to sit at
that temperature to allow the collagens which hold the meeat together
to break apart or the meat won't 'pull'.

Pierre

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Ricky
 
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"cc0112453" > wrote in message
...
> I'm in need of some expert help. I'm trying to get my pulled pork thing
> down for an upcoming birthday party. I figured, what could be easier? I
> can already do ribs, roasts and chicken. Should be a piece of cake.

Wrong!
> I went to the store today and picked up a three pound, boneless, pork
> shoulder roast


First problem - too small a piece of pork. Get a Boston Butt next time 6 to
8 pounds.

> I had to put a blanket around the smoker to get it up to
> 125 where it stayed for about four hours and then began drop off slowly.

It
> was getting close to dinner time, the meat was already up to 145 so I
> figured I'd finish it in the oven. Cranked up the gas range in the

kitchen,
> put the meat in and brought the beef up to 160 before removing it. The

pork
> was not showing any signs of coming apart so I left it in for another hour
> and brought it out when it hit 175.


You dried it out. The Boston Butt will get to 165 and sit for an hour or
more. Cook it to 195 and it will pull.




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Dave Morrison
 
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Edwin Pawlowski wrote:
> "cc0112453" > wrote in message
>
>
>> The pork was not showing any signs of coming apart so I left it in for
>>another hour and brought it out when it hit 175. I tried to pull it but
>>it was more like the beef in consistency

>
>
> It was not ready to pull. It has to go to about 185 or so., even 190.
> OTOH, considering the small size, you may have dried it out. I usually cook
> a 7 to 9 pound roast, picnic or butt.
>
>


For a small piece like that finishing it wrapped in foil will keep it
from drying out. It will also help with your over smoked flavor problem.
Dave

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Piedmont
 
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cc0112453 wrote:
> I'm in need of some expert help. I'm trying to get my pulled pork thing
> down for an upcoming birthday party. I figured, what could be easier? I
> can already do ribs, roasts and chicken. Should be a piece of cake. Wrong!
> I went to the store today and picked up a three pound, boneless, pork
> shoulder roast and a small sirloin tip roast just because it looked so damn
> good. I put some rub on the pair and let them sit in the frig overnight.
> About 11am I got them out, gave them another dose of rub and let them come
> up to room temp. Meanwhile I got the charcoal going. It was a little cool
> today but not bad. I had to put a blanket around the smoker to get it up to
> 125 where it stayed for about four hours and then began drop off slowly. It
> was getting close to dinner time, the meat was already up to 145 so I
> figured I'd finish it in the oven. Cranked up the gas range in the kitchen,
> put the meat in and brought the beef up to 160 before removing it. The pork
> was not showing any signs of coming apart so I left it in for another hour
> and brought it out when it hit 175. I tried to pull it but it was more like
> the beef in consistency. It didn't want to come apart. I even broke it
> into smaller chunks and put it back in for another half hour but it was
> still holding together. I finally gave up because everyone was getting
> hungry and served it as is. Turned out to be pretty tasty but no pulled
> pork sandwiches. Waaaah! Where did I go wrong?
>
> Thanks to all who gave me advice on cutting down on the amount of smoke. I
> probably used one fourth the amount of wood that I usually do for smoke.
> Still pretty tasty. My wife even said it was good. Looks like the divorce
> is off for a while any way.
>
> Doug
>
>
>


Hi Doug,

Simple, internal meat temperature not hot enough. Go with what Ed said,
and go and read the bbq faq!!!

--
Regards, Mike Willsey (Piedmont)

Please visit my MSN Group: "The Practical Bar B Q'r", A great barbecue
resource; Filled with links and down-loadable documents on building or
buying a cooker, recipes, and links to other great bbq sites. Free
membership to all!

http://groups.msn.com/ThePracticalBa...ewwelcome.msnw

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Lew/+Silat
 
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195' internal at least. Then wrapped in foil. Lay a towel on the bottom of
an ice chest so it wont crack from the heat. Put your butt in the chest for
up to 4 hours. You need to let the butt rest for a half hour minimum to have
it pull nicely.


Lew/+Silat


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Dana H. Myers
 
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cc0112453 wrote:
> I'm in need of some expert help. I'm trying to get my pulled pork thing
> down for an upcoming birthday party. I figured, what could be easier? I
> can already do ribs, roasts and chicken. Should be a piece of cake. Wrong!
> I went to the store today and picked up a three pound, boneless, pork
> shoulder roast and a small sirloin tip roast just because it looked so damn
> good. I put some rub on the pair and let them sit in the frig overnight.
> About 11am I got them out, gave them another dose of rub and let them come
> up to room temp. Meanwhile I got the charcoal going. It was a little cool
> today but not bad. I had to put a blanket around the smoker to get it up to
> 125 where it stayed for about four hours and then began drop off slowly. It
> was getting close to dinner time, the meat was already up to 145 so I
> figured I'd finish it in the oven. Cranked up the gas range in the kitchen,
> put the meat in and brought the beef up to 160 before removing it. The pork
> was not showing any signs of coming apart so I left it in for another hour
> and brought it out when it hit 175. I tried to pull it but it was more like
> the beef in consistency. It didn't want to come apart. I even broke it
> into smaller chunks and put it back in for another half hour but it was
> still holding together. I finally gave up because everyone was getting
> hungry and served it as is. Turned out to be pretty tasty but no pulled
> pork sandwiches. Waaaah! Where did I go wrong?


trying too hard. I used to do that. It's easy.

Fight the urge to try too hard. Get the meat out of fridge,
pat it dry, apply your rub moderately, brush with oil, cover
loosely with plastic wrap and work on your fire while the meat
comes up to near room-temp.


Cook it until it pulls. Around 190F if you use a thermometer like I
do.

Drink a lot of beer or good local Syrah while the meat cooks.

Dana
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Not that it hasn't already said but deffinatly be patient with it. I
used to take mine
off too soon but when done right you'll know as it will fall apart as
you take it off
the smoker. The thing is that pork will be stubborn and stay around
165 for a while until eventually it creeps up to 190. And as others
said try a bigger piece, 7# minimum.

Jesse



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Doug-

What everyone else has said is true. I've learned lately that Barbeque
(except for fire tending) is not for the harried cook. (e.g. no
flipping, turning, basting). Put the meat in the pit and forget it for
a while.

It's done when it's done. This takes some time, patience, a good fire,
coffee, beer and some more time (and maybe some more beer).

The meat thermometer only gets you part of the way to "done". 190
degrees internal temp might indicate it's done you won't know on
internal meat temperature alone.

Try using the fork test: when you twist it should move easily. It will
start to look like it's falling apart...because it is.

Rob

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Clay Cahill
 
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What others have said for general advice is right in general (though
the advice that 7# is a minimum hasn't been my experience... I get
'standard' results from 5# chunks of shoulder regularly), though I
have found that when using smaller cuts of pork shoulder is that often
it can be 'done' early (as in 10 to 15 degrees under 190). Your
thermometer should only be a guide and your fork should be your final
decision maker.

I've also found (from my own market) is that smaller cuts of pork
shoulder have too much fat trimmed off. When I'm cooking for just my
wife and I and we get a hankering for pulled pork, I generally put a
bit of fat back on top of the smaller cuts and band it with bacon to
keep it in place.
--
Standard Disclaimer:
My Employer gives my internet access, but I don't speak for them...
So blame me for saying something dumb, not them.

Clay Cahill 2004

"I would just like to say that after all these years of heavy drinking, bright lights and late
nights, I still don't need glasses. I drink right out of the bottle." - David Lee Roth
  #14 (permalink)   Report Post  
cc0112453
 
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I think I'm ready, but I'm not taking any chances. I'll buy a big roast and
start on it the day before so I have plenty of time to get it right. Thanks
for all of the help. I see now that it was a matter of more time in the
cooker. Didn't realize that it would take that long.

Doug


"cc0112453" > wrote in message
...
> I'm in need of some expert help. I'm trying to get my pulled pork thing
> down for an upcoming birthday party. I figured, what could be easier? I
> can already do ribs, roasts and chicken. Should be a piece of cake.
> Wrong! I went to the store today and picked up a three pound, boneless,
> pork shoulder roast and a small sirloin tip roast just because it looked
> so damn good. I put some rub on the pair and let them sit in the frig
> overnight. About 11am I got them out, gave them another dose of rub and
> let them come up to room temp. Meanwhile I got the charcoal going. It
> was a little cool today but not bad. I had to put a blanket around the
> smoker to get it up to 125 where it stayed for about four hours and then
> began drop off slowly. It was getting close to dinner time, the meat was
> already up to 145 so I figured I'd finish it in the oven. Cranked up the
> gas range in the kitchen, put the meat in and brought the beef up to 160
> before removing it. The pork was not showing any signs of coming apart so
> I left it in for another hour and brought it out when it hit 175. I tried
> to pull it but it was more like the beef in consistency. It didn't want
> to come apart. I even broke it into smaller chunks and put it back in for
> another half hour but it was still holding together. I finally gave up
> because everyone was getting hungry and served it as is. Turned out to be
> pretty tasty but no pulled pork sandwiches. Waaaah! Where did I go
> wrong?
>
> Thanks to all who gave me advice on cutting down on the amount of smoke.
> I probably used one fourth the amount of wood that I usually do for smoke.
> Still pretty tasty. My wife even said it was good. Looks like the
> divorce is off for a while any way.
>
> Doug
>
>
>



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