Emergency Pulled Poker Help

[akronbb23]

OK lets start off with a little background before I get to my question. I know I am supposed to introduce myself and my gear in the roll call and I will get to that later but I'm in need of some immediate help.

I started 2 pork shoulders last night at 12 am. I followed the pulled pork sticky to a tee and I've done several before and they turned out excellent. At approx 8:30 this morning, my meat thermometer was reading 197 degrees (Only 8.5 hours for 2 8lb shoulders). This didn't seem right to me but I listened to my gut and pulled them off the smoker for fear of overcooking.

I proceeded to wrap them in foil and let them sit for 3 hours in a cooler. I just recently unwrapped them and attempted to pull the pork which was very difficult. Instead of continuing to pull, I wrapped them again in foil with some left over juice and stuck them in the oven at 250.

Did I do the right thing and if so will the connective tissues start to release the longer I cook it? Should I let it heat up to 205 and then put them in the cooler again?

Any help you guys can provide would be greatly appreciated.

 

[akronbb23]

By the way I my smoker temp was at 225 to 245 all night.

 

[bmudd14474]

You can take it and make chopped pork. It might not be that tender. Or do what your doing. I would check you thermometer first. Boil water and see if it gives you a good reading in the water. Also when you put the thermometer in the meat make sure your not against the bone or if your using boneless make sure you in the thickest piece of meat. If you keep it in the oven and take to 205 i would wrap and rest like normal

 

[trapper]

I have finished them in the oven like that and it worked just fine. The first thing I would do is check the accuracy of your thermometer in boiling water. I can see them not wanting to pull at 197 though, especially if they reached that temp very quickly. Taking them to 205 or even 210 and then resting should do the trick.
There are others here who have a lot more experience than me so hopefully someone else will join in.

 

[akronbb23]

Thanks for the great advice. I'm gonna let it go to 205 and rewrap. I was using a new wireless thermometer which might have been the problem. I went back to old faithful the second time.

Cheers!

 

[tld]

Thanks for the great advice. I'm gonna let it go to 205 and rewrap. I was using a new wireless thermometer which might have been the problem. I went back to old faithful the second time.

Put the new one beside old faithful and compare the 2.
Good luck!

 

[pignit]

I never trust one therm. I always check with a handheld thermometer before I make the next move. Sounds to me like you either had a problem with the thermometer or you were touching the bone with the probe. You have to be sure and not get close or hit the bone with the probe. Sounds like you salvaged the butt fine. Hard to mess them up. I take mine to 195 and foil... cover with towels and rest for 3 or 4 hours. They fall apart. My advice... don't rely on one reading especially if it seems like it may be wrong. Two 8 pound butts hitting 197 in 8.5 hours would be amazing to me. I would probably still be in a stall. Great save!

 

[tasunkawitko]

great advice here - i can't add anything to it - looks like everything is on the right track!