Tough Pork!

guzzleone · May 31, 2010, 11:30:08 AM

Hi fellow slow cookers,
I just tried to cook pulled pork (3 8 lb pieces) for the first time in my digital 6 rack and after smoking 4 hours then cooking an additional 20 hours my pork is still tough! What am I doing wrong?

My method:
Dry rub, marinate overnight
Smoke 4 hours with 2/3 Hickory, 1/3 Apple
Cook at 225 for 20 more hours checking for tenderness regularly

I finally gave up and moved the pork to my oven wrapped in foil for 5 hours and it finally got tender.

Any advise would be appreciated.

guzzleone · May 31, 2010, 11:32:23 AM

Oh yeah, one more thing...
What does FTC and OBS mean?

classicrockgriller · May 31, 2010, 11:37:42 AM

IMO, If you didn't get to an IT of 190'sh it is gonna be tough.

The fact that you finished 5 more hours in the oven and it was tender says it didn't

stay in the smoker long enough.

Do you have an probe for checking IT?

24 lbs of tough butt could go close to the 24 hr mark or more.

OBS = Original Bradley Smoker

FTC = Foil/Towel/Cooler

When product reaches close to your desired IT you can take it and wrap in DBL foil,

the wrap in a towel or two, then place in like an igloo cooler to hold the heat.

KyNola · May 31, 2010, 11:48:14 AM

I think CRG diagnosed the problem exactly right. I've had butts go 26 hours before and I know guys on here have had them go longer than that. If you don't have a thermometer to accurately gauge the internal temp of the meat, you need to invest in one. With butts, the internal temp(known as IT) is crucial to having nice tender butts.

KyNola

guzzleone · May 31, 2010, 12:45:52 PM

Thanks for the info!

classicrockgriller · May 31, 2010, 12:48:20 PM

Sorry guzzleone, Where are my Manners?

W E L C O M E TO THE FORUM ! !

Up In Smoke · May 31, 2010, 01:02:06 PM

Welcome guzzleone,
I have had 18 lbs of butts take 29 hours at 225 to reach an IT of 195.
some butts are tougher than others :D

DTAggie · May 31, 2010, 02:06:43 PM

Welcome Guzzle. I am suprised it took that long. You sue temp was 225*

Sorce · May 31, 2010, 02:10:30 PM

Welcome.

I just did 2 butts, the first one hit 195 at about the 18 hour mark the second took 4 more hours to get to 195. If you don't have a thermometer to check the IT I highly recommend it. I've had the maverick since before I got the smoker, even cooking in the oven it takes all the guess work out of it and the meat lets you know when it's done.

BuyLowSellHigh · May 31, 2010, 04:37:52 PM

Howdy from TX Guzz... and Welcome!

I don't think you did anything wrong. It's just a matter of getting used to your new equipment and how to best use it. I have a six rack too and am fairly new to the Bradley scene. Based on my limited experience here are my thoughts:

1. 3 8# butts is a load - not excessive, but it is a load. I would expect 24 hrs with good temp control for 3 8 lb butts.

2. How did you set / determine 225 °F tower temp? If you are relying on the installed thermistor, the actual temp inside the tower was probably lower by 15-25 °F. A PID can help here.

3. Internal temp (IT) is the key - if you don't already have a good thermometer that lets you monitor internal temp from outside you will probably want to invest i one.

4. Did you rotate the racks at all during the cook ? All the heat comes from below. When you start putting big hunks of meat in the tower you introduce barriers to heat transfer from bottom to top. Rotating helps even this out. The alternative is to pull at intervals - lowest filed rack first, then higher racks at later intervals.

Listen to the Experts here and you won't go wrong. This is the best, most helpful forum I have ever encountered.

RAF128 · May 31, 2010, 08:20:46 PM

Quote from: BuyLowSellHigh on May 31, 2010, 04:37:52 PM
2. How did you set / determine 225 °F tower temp? If you are relying on the installed thermistor, the actual temp inside the tower was probably lower by 15-25 °F. A PID can help here.

That's the answer right there. You can't go by what the digital says for the temp in the tower.

hal4uk · May 31, 2010, 08:46:54 PM

Welcome to the forum, Guzzle!

There are a lot of factors to consider...
(most have been mentioned already)

Butts are just done - when they're done...
Cooked two yesterday (started the night before)...
Checked BOTH with a Thermapen (one was in front of the other, and had a Guru probe in it).
BOTH checked in near 200F.

The first one pulled like butter. Absolutely amazing.
The other was an indignant PIA...
Back in the smoker for four more hours --- Then, it was fantastic.
Butts just have a mind of their own.