Is pork safe to eat being wrapped raw?

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karlH

Newbie
Original poster
May 21, 2022
6
7
I am trying to do a Hawaiian pulled pork style sandwich. I wrapped the entire raw pork shoulder in banana leaves and put it on the smoker at 200. It’s now been 4 and a half hours roughly and it has reached 145. If I continue on to 170ish will my pork still be safe to eat? Beginner here obviously but read about the 4 hour rule as well as it needed to be exposed before wrapping. What are your guy’s thoughts? Will it be safe to eat? Or start over?
 
Yes that's perfectly safe but if I understand you correct are you saying your final temp is gonna be 170? If so that's way to early for pulled pork. Will need to get above 200 and when a probe will slide in with no resistance it's finished
Thank you! I appreciate your help.
 
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so being wrapped from start is a smoker even gonna smoke it?? i dont know as never done that. do you have pineapples n some kinda seasoning on it to start??
 
so being wrapped from start is a smoker even gonna smoke it?? i dont know as never done that. do you have pineapples n some kinda seasoning on it to start??
The article that I’m following said the banana leaves should provide a traditional Hawaiian smoke fruitiness. I also injected Pinapple and mango juice. I’ll let you know how smoky it actually turns out. I think traditional Hawaiian is less smoky.. but I definitely could be wrong.
 
Welcome aboard and
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Here is the deal with whole muscle meats that are cooked in a smoker, oven or whatever.... Unless you have compromised the roast (removing the bone, studding it with garlic etc.), the only bacteria is going to be on the surface. As the surface temperature approaches 140°F the bacteria stops reproducing and dies off. The good news is that the meat surface reaches 140° and higher pretty early in the cook, which kills all the baddies. One issue is how accurate your 200° pit temp actually was.

Banana leaves (did you buy the frozen ones?) might have their own little bacteria playground, I'm not sure. The leaf temp was most likely over 140°, and the pork might have gotten some steam action inside the wrap.

All in all, you should be in good shape. Tip: 200° is pretty low of a pit temp, consider something a little higher.
 
"The article that I’m following said the banana leaves should provide a traditional Hawaiian smoke fruitiness. I also injected Pinapple and mango juice."

I am so looking forward to photos of the end result.

BTW, I am a firm believer in 195-198 for pulled pork.
 
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Sorry to get back to this post so late. However, the Hawaiian smoked shoulder turned out INCREDIBLE. I ended up raising the cook to 350 to finish it out. This meat was dripping with fruity flavors. Absolutely delicious. We topped it with a pineapple cabbage coleslaw and it added a delightful citrusy crunch. Thank you for all your tips! Greatly appreciate this community!
 

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Last edited:
Your advice from other's was spot on for IT.
And your pork looks good.

As for smokiness, my banana leaf wrapped endeavors have failed to yield much of a smoky flavor due to their not being cooked in an almost airtight covered pit which just about forces the smoke into it.
So I've taken to adding a little liquid smoke on mine and the results are good.

1st Tries at Kahlua Pork and Puerco Pibil - A Lot to be Desired

Puerco Pibil aka Cochinita Pibil - 3rd Try, My Best/Final Recipe
I smoked the shoulder in a 3series pit boss with apple wood pellets. It ended up taking on the seasoning flavor with a small small hint of smoke. I imagine the pros of wrapping right away are super juicy meat but trading for smoky flavor. If I were to do it again I think I may ‘nuke’ it for 2-4 hours at a higher temp then wrap it and lower the temp for the remainder of the cook.

However… I like this liquid smoke idea😏 I just may have to give that a go. Do you lather the outside of the cut or inject into the lean pieces?
 
Could a person treat it like a brisket and smoke till the stall then wrap in the banana leaves? Or would that not impart the leaves taste due to the shorter time wrapped?

I like the idea of the banana leaves,very interesting but as stated, it could almost be oven cooked if its wrapped from the start


Corey
 
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