tough chicken wings and pulled pork does'nt pull apart like you see

[bloaky]

just looking for some suggestions on smoking wings , I cook them at around 220 until they are done and even though they are great tasting ,I find the skin rubbery (if that's a word). any suggestions? Also my pulled pork is cooked low and slow with a thermometer showing the temperature cooked. the pork shoulder roast is usually around 5-6 lbs. I find that the pork doesn't pull apart in nice shreds and is more on the tougher side. I'm using an electric Bradley smoker with water bowl, cooking at 220-230 until thermometer says cooked. any suggestions?

[tailfeathers]

What temp are you taking your pork to when you say it's "cooked"? I usually go to at least 190 then give it the fork test. Every hunk of pig will be just a little different it seems like. When you think you are getting close push a fork in and give it a twist. If it turns easily your pork should shred nicely. If meat resists the fork twist it needs more time. As for the rubbery skin on chicken, you won't get crispy skin at the low temps a Bradley operates at. Just crisp it up in a hot grill, oven broiler or whatever.


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[bloaky]

I usually take it out between 170 - 180. I've got this in my head that the longer you leave it in the smoker , the tougher and drier the meat will be. So the longer the better will keep the meat moist and pull apart better ?

[tailfeathers]

I usually take it out between 170 - 180. I've got this in my head that the longer you leave it in the smoker , the tougher and drier the meat will be. So the longer the better will keep the meat moist and pull apart better ?

If you want pulled pork you will have to go to a higher IT (internal temp) than that. 170-180 would be ok for slicing like a roast but it won't shred at those temps. I've never had an issue with the meat being to dry. The "bark" on the outside will be pretty dry but when you pull the meat and mix in the bark it's fine. I usually make a vinegar based sauce and add it to the meat after pulling which also makes it nice and moist.


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[tailfeathers]

And remember that even at higher temps some pigs are just tougher than others. One might pull nicely at 190 where the next is stubborn at 200. The fork test never lies!!!


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[Ka Honu]

As to the chicken skin, it will not crisp at the low temps we use for smoking. The "work-around" is to smoke until it's almost done (or has enough smoke for your taste) and then finish it in an oven, grill or other cooker over 300^o to crisp the skin.

[bloaky]

Thanks fellow smokers for your advise , can't wait for it to warm up , minus 10 f is a little to cold to go out and play with the smoker.

[tailfeathers]

I heard that! I'm in South Dakota and it's been brutal this winter.


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[ragweed]

They're forecasting wind chills of -30* F for tonight and tomorrow morning here in SE Nebraska!  My Gosh!  What's it gonna be like "up north"?

[tailfeathers]

Can't wait to find out.


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[Wildcat]

I usually take it out between 170 - 180. I've got this in my head that the longer you leave it in the smoker , the tougher and drier the meat will be. So the longer the better will keep the meat moist and pull apart better ?

I know this is a little late but I smoke/cook my butts at an average of 205 f cabinet temp. If I take my meat to 190 to 205 I generally have difficulty picking it up without it falling apart. Sometimes it actually turns up a little mushy as well. With the fork test and at the cooking temps I smoke at, most times I can stop the cooking at around 170 to 180 and it will turn out perfect. The higher cabinet temp you cook at with butts, the higher finish temp you will need. It is all about the time spent in the stall stage.