Half pig smoke fail!

[Rockinova]

I'm so disappointed and confused. I started a half kunekune pig (160lb live weight, so the half is maybe 60 lb of pig) at 6 this morning and the temp was steady 225-250 for 9 hours flipping it every 3 hours. Smoke was solid and steady. At 9 hrs cook time I brought the temp up to 300. Friends were over at that point, three hours later, it was still at the stall. So thankfully I had cooked the head separately and served that. Now it has been on for 16 hrs and still hasn't hit 200 internal... it's a very fatty pig, which is the only thing i can figure (fat being an insulator). Everyone brought sides which is good, so people didn't leave hungry but they did leave without eating any of that half pig. So bummed. Anyone have any thoughts, suggestions or similar experiences with small high fat pigs?
Mods, if this is the wrong place, please move this post.

 

[chilerelleno]

Higher Cooking Temp
You had all the smoke flavor you were gonna get at 2-3 hours.
You simply needed to increase your cooking temp earlier and power through.
60lbs is a lot, it takes time and temp to bring all that meat and bone mass to temp.

Low - Medium temp = more time.
High temp = less time.

That and possibly crutching that half of beast.
Yep, break out that industrial sized roll of aluminum foil or butcher paper, some gloves and wrap it up.
Crutching can decrease your cooking times significantly.

I'd been at 375°- 400° or higher to finish that pig after 2-3 hours of smoke.
6+ hours at 375° - 400° might not have had it done in the shoulder and ham, but a whole lot closer to it.

Time
Give yourself more time, lots more time.
Time for meat to rest, to cool off enough to be pulled, chopped or sliced before serving.
Large pieces of hot meat will hold for an easy 3-4 hours in a warm cooler, especially if wrapped in foil or in covered trays.

Live and learn.