My pulled pork sucks!

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Daggs

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So I'm having people over on the 4th and they want pulled pork.so I tried again today and only half of it was pullable. Smoker ran between 260-300 all day. foiled around 170 only because I ran an errand and that's where it was when I got home. The next time I checked it the it was pushing 200 and probed like butter in the few spots I probed. Rested it for a little over an hour with apple juice in the foil. I'm thinking longer but who knows, the bone came out clean so I'm at a loss! The flavor of the bit that I could pull was very good. It's kind of a waste though
66358E6B-8778-4A00-9829-80D10D9D5233-2137-0000017D031CF406.jpg
 
I'm no expert but I do believe that sometimes a piece of meat just won't cook right. Don't give up. Plus I am always too hard on myself so maybe there is some of that going on also.

It looks really good.
 
I typically like to rest my butts for 3-4hrs in a cooler. Even though I am able to pull the bone relatively quick, it still prefers a longer rest to have everything break down
 
I know there are a few muscles in there so I'm gonna do like you all say. Cook longer rest longer and turn it into a pin cushin...
 
I would chop that thing up like chopped beef and no one would know the wiser....
 
To me, those look like frozen butts; that were still a bit frozen when you started. Use fresh meat; not frozen, bone-in butts. As others said, let 'em rest in foil for a few hours before pulling...

> Smoker ran between 260-300 all day.

Also, where are you monitoring the temps? If on the outside thermometer, you're making a mistake. Monitor it on the surface; the cooking surface. Use an oven thermometer if you have to. I have 8 of them plus 2 Maverick's... My external mounted therms are notoriously 50 degrees off; on one offset it's high, on the other it's low...
 
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I'm kinda wondering also if the center was still froze. I Farked up a 10 pounder last week that way
 
The butts were not frozen. I bought them Friday, they sat on the warmer side of the fridge that was set at 42. They were pulled from the fridge around 8 this morning and put on the smoker around 10:30-11ish. I had a maverick on top of the grate rather then under. They did rest for close to an hour which I'm seeing is not enough. As for being frozen I assure you they were not frozen when I pulled them from the fridge. I'm chalking them up to not enough rest and not in the cooker long enough.
I appreciate all the advice
 
The nice thing about pulled pork is you can still "fix" it. Add sauce cover bake in oven (low heat 225) for a few hours on low it will still be good.
 
Daggs said:
So I'm having people over on the 4th and they want pulled pork.so I tried again today and only half of it was pullable. Smoker ran between 260-300 all day. foiled around 170 only because I ran an errand and that's where it was when I got home. The next time I checked it the it was pushing 200 and probed like butter in the few spots I probed. Rested it for a little over an hour with apple juice in the foil. I'm thinking longer but who knows, the bone came out clean so I'm at a loss! The flavor of the bit that I could pull was very good. It's kind of a waste though
66358E6B-8778-4A00-9829-80D10D9D5233-2137-0000017D031CF406.jpg
Click to expand...

Sometimes when you pop the probe in you end up close to the bone or in a pocket of fat, both of which will give you higher readings than the rest of the butt. Take readings from a few points.

But yeah, in the end sometimes you will have to chop some of it.
 
A few things. Are you sure your meat thermometer is reading correct? Yes there are different muscles that can break down at different times. Pull the part that's cooked and recook the rest. Third outta the hundreds of shoulders and butts I have cooked I had two that just wouldn't pull. Every hog is different. Good luck
 
I usually pull butts at 203 then foil and into a cooler for 2-4 hrs. Someone suggested probing in different spots, especially away from the bone.
You can also wrap in foil, with your liquid of choice when the color gets to what you are looking for. Sometimes I wrap between 160-170 but I mainly let it go unwrapped for the entire cook.
You could also take the piece that was not pullable and wrap and put back on the smoker. Chopping is another alternative.
 
Whoa! Your fridge is set at 42? With the +/- tolerance of most refrigerator thermostats your pushing the north side of 45° for a good while. Then you pulled them out and let them set on the counter for for two or more hours. Even though most all pork is trichinosis free. And your cooking to higher temp your just plain pushing your luck. Not just with the pork but everything in your fridge. Remind me to never eat at your house. Get that fridge going at somewhere around 38° or 36°.
 
I'm curious. How many hours did you have it on. (I saw where you said "all day", but then you said you got it on around 10:30 or 11:00.)
 
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