Pulled Pork on a Traeger Question

[flatbroke]

I have 2 bone in shoulders waiting for my break in smoke on the Traeger Texas I got. I have the Digital thermometer but have not installed it yet, so I will be using the 3 speed switch that came on the unit.

I plan on smoking them on the Medium setting but an not sure how high that goes, during the season process i found out that high was 450 degrees according to the gauge on the lid.

How long do you anticipate the Butts will take to finish for pulling? I just need to make sure I start early enough to finish about noon.

 

[pineywoods]

Mike I would try to get the smoker at 225-250 and then figure about 1.5 hours per lb. You'll have to get a thermometer in the meat to get the proper temps but thats a ballpark figure on time and don't forget to add the resting in the cooler time to that

 

[flatbroke]

Yes I agree Jerry but I dont know what temp Med runs at and the only other lower temp I have right now is Smoke and that didnt get much over 125 today.

 

[pineywoods]

Got an oven thermometer that you can put in there and check it or a digital remote?

 

[flatbroke]

yes I have the Redi Check. I don't want to start the thing to check tonight and was hoping somebody could tell me what the Medium setting runs at. I did a search but couldn't come up with anything. None of the paper work that came with the unit stated either. I guess I will fire it up at 3 am and have the meat on by 3:45 give or take a few and find out tomorrow. should be plenty of time. For Some reason I got a feeling Medium is going to be in the hi 200's.

 

[jagerviking]

On my traeger, medium was around 275-300 as I remember. I went and installed the digital controll right away. I did smoke some babybacks when I first got it, and used the smoke setting, it ran in the range of 170-190 for temps.

 

[flatbroke]

Thanks Jagervking. Mine is setting at 300* on the medium setting. I have the 225 digital thermometer sitting in the garage. I am debating on getting a digital 225 with the 180 setting too.

 

[ddave]

180° is really not very useful. It's too high for jerky and too low for everything else. On pork shoulders and briskets you usually go to 190° to 200° internal meat temp anyway so a 180° chamber temp ain't gonna get you there. I beleive the general consensus is that smoking below 225° just prolongs the process without any real benefit and adds to the possiblility of really drying out the meat. It seems odd to me that on a stock Treager, none of the three settings are in the generally accepted zone of 225° to 250°

Dave

 

[flatbroke]

I agree with ya DDave as I just finished my first smoke on mine. I wanted to try the stock unit first and see if I liked it. The medium setting was holding tight at 300* when I finished, way too high for my liking.

I am going to install the 225* digital therm. I have in the garage today. 2 pork butts finished at 10:00 am and I started them at 5:00 am. They both weighed about 4.62 pounds.

They are wrapped in towels and waiting to be pulled.

 

[liberty]

where i think so ddave is giving the right idea.... 190 to 200 degree angle will be helpful