More "Pullable" Pulled Pork?

[Doc Ox]

I'm a rookie at smoking, but I've been using my Model 2 since Christmas with good success.  The recipes and advice from everyone on this forum have made all the difference.  Having heard the horror stories from other people about getting up at all hours of the night to babysit their smokers from other manufacturers, I was a bit unsure how much I would enjoy the art of smoking.  But now I find myself wanting to smoke everything ( ), and recommending Smokin-It to family and friends at every opportunity.  I've smoked a variety of things so far, including wings, ribs, salmon, pork shoulder, ham, and all have received rave reviews from the family.  Salmon is by far the wife's favorite.  I'm hoping to give pulled pork another try this upcoming Memorial Day weekend, but I need some advice from the experts....

My first try at pulled pork produced delicious results, but we were a little disappointed that it didn't "pull" as easily as other methods (e.g., slow-cooker).  Instead, we had to cut the pork off the bone and then into smaller pieces.  Here's a concise summary of my steps:

-Purchased a 2.75lb shoulder
-Used the popular brining method posted by DivotMaker on this forum
-After brining, rinsed it, patted it dry, applied yellow mustard and then coated it with Famous Dave's Rib Rub
-Used a single 4.4oz Maple block in the smoker
-Poured a 16oz bottle of lager into two small aluminum pans and placed them in the smoker for moisture
-Set the Model 2 set-point to 190deg (didn't pre-heat)
-Intended on using the "2hrs/pound" rule-of-thumb, but didn't get back in time to remove it at 6hrs, so it actually smoked for 7hrs
-Removed it, double-wrapped it in foil and a towel, and placed it in a cooler for 2hrs to allow it to "rest"

Any ideas on what I did (or didn't do) to make it not so "pullable"?  Smoke too long?  Too high of a temperature?

Side note: I realize the best way to smoke meat is to monitor the temperature directly with a wireless thermometer (e.g., Maverick), but I don't have one yet.  The wife says that it's a Father's Day gift and I'm not allowed to buy one. :

Thank you for any advice you may have.  I can't wait to try again this weekend!

 

[Grampy]

Doc:
I have a couple of questions. First, are you sure that your shoulder was only 2.75 lbs? That is awfully small to be a pork shoulder. Secondly, you said "set the Model 2 set-point to 190 degrees?" You should be smoking pork butts/shoulders at 225-235 degrees. Time wise, 2 hours per lb is a good guideline but given your cut of meat was only 2.75 lbs and your temp was low, that would lead to the less than desirable results that you experienced. Smaller cuts of meat can actually take longer to smoke than larger cuts. Also, you don't necessarily need a wireless thermometer, but you do at least need a good instant read thermometer to know what temperature you are at. Cuts like brisket and pork butts need to go by temp and not by so much by time. So to answer your question, I would say your temp was too low (if set at 190) and your time was not long enough.   

 

[old sarge]

Jimmy hammered it. Keep on smokin!

 

[LarryD]

Grampy is all over this one...  feel free to use time as a rough plan, but be sure you're using a probe to properly monitor the internal meat temperature as the real authority.  When it's done it will just fall apart.  I have to be careful to grab a butt with both hands and compress it a little when I take it out or risk it falling apart on the move.  I don't 'pull' it so much as just pull off chunks and rub them between my fingers.

I personally only let it rest for an hour... I like to pull it while it's still pretty hot.  I have a pair of gloves that protect my hands and keep it from being too hot to handle.

 

[DivotMaker]

Doc, not much to add, except the cut...  If you want "real" pulled pork (what you'll find at any reputable BBQ shop), you need to be smoking a bone-in Boston butt cut of pork shoulder.  Not a Picnic roast, or anything else called a pork shoulder...only a Boston butt!  You will definitely not find one of these under 3 lbs, either!  Find a Boston butt at least 7+ lbs to smoke right.  The cut of meat makes the biggest difference in what you trying to achieve.  When you do smoke one of these, smoke it at 225, and be sure to go off of internal temp with a remote thermometer until it hits about 190.  You can't guess...use a thermometer.

 

[SconnieQ]

Those small shoulder cuts never turn out good. And can take 3 hours per pound or more. Anything under 5 pounds, I would wrap in foil at around 160 to try and keep it moist. But the best thing to do is avoid the small cuts (anything under 8 pounds) all together. They just don't seem to have the right meat/fat ratio, and if they come from the picnic, they are not going to pull well at all.

The problem with an instant read thermometer is that you are constantly opening the door to take a reading. This behavior can go on for hours, and goes against the lazy-q lifestyle. A remote thermometer is what you want. Since you have to wait until Father's day, if you get a butt that is 8 pounds or more, you can expect that it will take approximately 1.25 to 2 hours per pound. 1.5 hour per pound most likely. You can go by feel, and it should feel like it's going to just fall apart when you try to move it. A thermometer will be a lot easier once you have it. What the final temperature should be varies widely here, but 190 would be the minimum for pulling. Some people go all the way to 205. I like 195-200 myself. Butt is pretty forgiving on the high end, but not very good if it is undercooked.

 

[prudentsmoker]

+1 on the 195-200 finish temperature. Makes it easier to pull.

 

[DivotMaker]

+1 on the 195-200 finish temperature. Makes it easier to pull.

I politely disagree.    I tested temps on butts from 188-205.  What I have found is that once the stall is done, and the temp starts climbing, the real cooking/tenderizing is done.  When temps climb above 195, there is noticeable drying without any appreciable difference in the "pullability" of the butt.  But, especially for brined butts, that 190-195 range is gold...super moist and tender, every time.  Just my opinion, though.  Everyone is entitled to their own opinions/preferences, too!  That's the cool thing about this hobby...NO wrong answers! ;D

 

[SmokedGouda]

Hey there Doc

2.75 sounds very small for the Boston butt. I picked one up earlier this week at 9.83 lbs and started brining it on Wed. I like to set the smoker around 225-235 and smoke to 190-195, then I wrap it and stick in a cooler until we’re ready to eat. This is my 4th butt since having the SI2 and have never had any issues with the meat being dry or tough to pull. I’ve never done one without brining, but with the results I’ve gotten I see no reason to change that. The bone just slides right out every time too.

I also prefer the EQ brine since that’s the easiest way to get repeat results.

I started a post for my MDW smoke, which is very similar to some of the other butts I’ve smoked with just a few minor tweaks to the rub:
https://www.smokinitforums.com/index.php?topic=6995.0