BBQ to hot. Pork Shoulder. Hi relative newbie here. I expected a low and slow pork cook. BBQ had other plans and after two 3 hours I hit 70c/158f. I’ve opted to pull it out and pop into a false cambro to fake a stall for a few hours. I plan on popping it back into the bbq later. Am I doing the right thing? Will it let me have pulled pork later??? Thanks.
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I am unsure as to what you are trying to do. When cooking low and slow (cooking at 225F) my goal is to bring the pork shoulder to an internal temperature of 200F. Then I wrap it and hold it in an ice chest for at least two hours. The cook time for a 10# pork shoulder usually takes 12-14 hours. -
I would say, no, you’re not doing the thing right. What you did doesn’t make sense. Get it back on the cooker and complete the cook. You want to take that meat to around 205F.Comment
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Welcome to the Pit. I agree you should not do it that way. I smoke low and slow the butt to the stall which is about 165 F give or take. At the stall, I put the butt with some pads of butter and a little honey or brown sugar into a foil pan cover tightly and continue to cook until 200F or so. Most important, once the butt is probe tender, take it off the heat, then you can let it rest for an hour or so in your false Cambro. Once rested, uncover the pan, I then pour the liquid in the bottom of the pan into a fat separator, pull the pork, add the nonfat liquid and a little more rub back into the pulled pork and mix it together and either serve or freeze. Remember, each piece of meat is slightly different, and times and temps may vary. Enjoy. As always, YMMVLast edited by Purc; October 19, 2025, 05:51 AM.Comment
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Your post is confusing, but that is ok, the Pit is here to assist. Good advise mentioned above. Welcome from Colorado!Comment
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What is the temperature of your smoker? You can make good pulled pork even if the temp went too high, just remove the butt and get the temperature lower, then put it back on. I usually cook mine at 275o or so, sometimes the temp will hang out a little higher but it turns out fine. I wrap at the stall and keep cooking until probe tender - about 200o - 205o or so.Comment
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Here is Meathead’s recipe. Personally I always cook pork butts at 275F, and remove from the cooker once it probes done, somewhere between 195 and 210F. Depends on the meat.
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Welcome to The Pit. When asking for help, the more info you give us, the better we can help. Cook temp is probably the most important info after what you are smoking, but more info doesn't hurt. Weight is also important, (smaller hunks of meat cook faster than larger hunks).
A small butt smoked at a higher temp will cook much faster than a large butt smoked at a lower temp. If you haven't already done it, put that butt back in your cooker and try to keep the temp between 225° and 275°. Butts are very forgiving, so don't panic if the temp goes outside that range. Make small adjustments and allow time for the temps to change. It's much quicker to raise temps than it is to lower temps, so don't panic.
Let us know how the cook turns out, and we love cook photos.
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The good part is that you didn’t ruin anything. Just put it back over low-medium heat (oven or smoker doesn’t matter) and monitor it until it is tender, usually 205° or so. If it’s bone-in, when it’s done you’ll be able to just twist and pull the bone out.
I think the confusion is that meat is “done”, ie safe, at 165°. But bbq isn’t done until it’s tender, which is that extra 40° or so.Comment
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Welcome to the Pit, from the Land of Enchantment. You have some great info here -
also, when were you wanting to eat? A question to ask is did you think the meat was going to cook to 190-200 (jiggly form) to quick, so you pulled off for a time? That stall takes some time to get through, so just another thought.
and, what temp were you cooking? The lower the fire temp, longer to get through the stall, but some like to cook hot and fast, which helps with getting through the stall a bit quicker.
Hope the pork turns out and you have a wonderful time eating the goodness!Comment
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First off, Welcome to the pit. Your question shows that you are reading some good info and are trying to improve your cooks (like all of us do on every cook). You'll find great support here as the suggestions get posted for you to consider. The good news is that you're not that far off and with a few tweaks you'll do fine. Good luck and don't forget to post the pictures...Originally posted by DemiDon View Post
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Welcome from Nebraska!
Just look at all the help that has shown up! Just another reason I call the pit HOME!
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Huskee I can hook you up with my Nigerian stock broker, Nogamuchu Answerani. To stop divorce proceedings, stalking her is always my number one recommendation. -
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Salutations from Hays, Kansas!
Good advice above. Get to cooking. The stall will happen without helping. I tend to cook my pork butts at 250-275.
Good luck on the remainder of the cook!Comment
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If it makes you feel any better, the first time I cooked a pork butt I thought I needed to take all pork to 165F. I also had heard it takes 12 to 14 hrs, so I was very confused when it hit 165 at maybe 3 or 4 hrs. I pulled it out. It was a miserably tough pork butt and I thought I overcooked it, so i took my next one off at 155-160. Repeat. I had done a very similar thing with ribs.
I was starting to think BBQ was not my bag. Turns out I was just using bad information. My really old dial meat thermometer had meats & temps printed in it and it said 165F for pork. (That's bad info on a couple levels; pork chops are overcooked at that temp, and ribs & butts and very underdone).
Thankfully the good folks above are doing for you what Meathead did for me in those days- share the key details of time and temp, and time at temp.
You'll get it!Comment
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Thanks all. Once I saw the first reply my brain woke up with a shock and robustly slapped me around the head with a pair of tongs. It was a moment of madness that I’m still trying blame others for. Embarrassed and chastened I put it back to the bbq and let it finish properly. Once served, It was well received…Originally posted by LA Pork Butt View PostComment
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