temp

[fieldsken1]

i have a instant read thermo. when i cook pork shoulder it says cook for 6-8 hours or untill the internal temp is 190. After about 4 hours the internal temp is 190. Whats up with that?? this also happens with other meats. I am using a traeger

its a 10 pound shoulder and cooking it at 250 degress

why is the temp getting to where it should be, way ahead of the cooking time??

 

[KLF]

Are you talking surface temp, or internal temp?

190 internal is waaaay too high, especially for pork. It will be tough as rubber and no flavor.

 

[fieldsken1]

Are you talking surface temp, or internal temp?

190 internal is waaaay too high, especially for pork. It will be tough as rubber and no flavor.

if you read it again it says internal was 190.

i took it off and it was juicy and friggin tender as hell

 

[JohnVee]

190 pork shoulder (butt) is correct. If you hit that in 4 hours at 250, then I'd wager either the 250 wasn't a correct read or you were cooking it over direct heat.

Have you tested the thermometer in boiling water?

--john

 

[fieldsken1]

190 pork shoulder (butt) is correct. If you hit that in 4 hours at 250, then I'd wager either the 250 wasn't a correct read or you were cooking it over direct heat.

Have you tested the thermometer in boiling water?

--john

its a traeger so its indirect heat. now as far as the 250 goes the temp will very between lets say 230 to 270. i dont know any smoker that will stay at 250 without changing some. but i could be wrong.

 

[KLF]

190 pork shoulder (butt) is correct.

Really? I never go over 145-150, but I'm usually doing tenderloins. Must be because it's a leaner cut.

 

[JohnVee]

KLF,
Yes, tenderloin is very different due to the low fat content. 190-200 for shoulder is used because the collagen and connective tissue begins to break down about 185-ish. Aim lower if you want to slice the meat instead of pulling it. 160 is still technically "done" but it's a texture thing with this cut.

Ken,
Every piece of meat is different, it could just be that. I was thinking that it could also have been the shape. Shoulders are kinda strange sometimes and you might get a sloppy cut that lays kind of flat. That will cook faster than one in a tight, compact shape. Use butchers twine to tie a sloppy cut into a tight, uniform package - it will cook more consistently and take longer to temp.

Also, I'm not familiar with your cooker (I tried to look it up but the internet was busy!) but where on the rack you place the meat in relation to where the heat is or enters the cooker body can have a big impact on cook time. Even on cookers with an offset smoke/heat chamber. You might just have to go to a lower temp if you want a longer cook time since you say it happens on other meats, too. But the end result is all that matters. Keep us posted.

--john

 

[fieldsken1]

well i ate
it and it was friggin great and nobody got sick. so i guess it was done

it was a 10 pound with 8% solution

 

[NorCalDoug]

traegers are a pellet-type smoker.
they produce a quality product and have quite a loyal following.

As John said, there are different factors that determine how quickly different cuts cook...it could be that you got a slightly "flatter" shoulder? dunno. but...as long as the internal temp was correct, you should be good.

I've been using my smoker for several months now and am still working out some of the kinks as far as the temperature gauge goes...I'm 99% sure that it's reading 25 degrees lower than the actual temp based on my testing...so I adjust for that when I smoke.

having said this...4 hours seems mighty quick for a pork shoulder, but as long as you were able to pull it apart fine, that's all that really matters.

FWIW, I usually smoke my shoulders at 225 degrees (which means the temp gauge on my smoker reads 200)...but I don't think 25 degrees would cut the cooking time in half.

 

[myquestoyota]

I have one of those remote thermometers in my smoker that work really well. Reads the temp inside the smoker as well as having a probe in the meat. The receiver is the size of a cell phone and I can take it with me when I walk away. That way I can monitor the smoker and the meat without repeatedly opening the door.