Smoker Temp Dropped During Night, Pork Still Safe?

[Big wee yin]

Hey guys,

Woke up last night at 2, checked on smoker and was maintaining temp at 225. Woke up at 6 and temp had dropped to 150. IT this morning was 134 but don’t know about last night. I also injected the meat yesterday before starting the cook so not sure if that affects the intact muscle rule.

Please lmk if you guys think it will be safe or I should toss it.

Thanks!

 

[dr k]

Even though the 40-140*F in 4 hours is the guideline all but maybe one type of foodbourne pathogen is dead at 128.5*F. Then before that the bacteria stopped reproducing. Even though the meat isn't intact and you were cooking at 225*F before the temp dropped to 150*F when you saw the meat at 134*F IT I would think there wasn't enough time for the one or so type to reproduce and make toxins at 134*F. After all you can't pasteurize food below 130*F but at 131+*F in a sou vide water bath you can pasteurize if held there long enough per the pasteurizing chart. I think there wasn't a perfect environment for the bacteria regarding time, temp, duration to be harmful. If you resolved the heating issue and continued the cook till done I'd eat it.

 

[dr k]

https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/40-to-140-in-4-a-guideline-and-what-to-consider.270191/

 

[chef jimmyj]

You are fine. Dr K is correct. 130 for 2+ hours and all bacteria are dead...JJ

 

[Big wee yin]

You guys are awesome. Sincerely appreciate the responses! Got it finishing at 300 now so it will be done in time for lunch.

 

[Big wee yin]

I guess my worry was that it never got above 134 because I didn't see how the IT could drop with the smoker staying above 150. When i think about it though I don't see how it couldn't have been higher than that with 6+hrs at 225.

Appreciate the help!

 

[Mike F.]

I had a similar thing happen to me last night. I have 2 pork shoulders on the smoker. I probed one of the shoulders before I put it in the smoker with a wireless temp gauge so I could monitor the temp from inside. When I went to bed, the grill temp was doing good around 225, but woke up and it was about 160, with the IT of the pork around 135 or so. I quickly got it the smoker back to temp and within an hour or so the IT got to 150. I plan to continue smoking until IT gets to 200 or 205. I’ve seen a lot of conflicting info on other websites about this so I thought I’d better check in here... I’m still good with cooking this meat, correct?

 

[dr k]

I had a similar thing happen to me last night. I have 2 pork shoulders on the smoker. I probed one of the shoulders before I put it in the smoker with a wireless temp gauge so I could monitor the temp from inside. When I went to bed, the grill temp was doing good around 225, but woke up and it was about 160, with the IT of the pork around 135 or so. I quickly got it the smoker back to temp and within an hour or so the IT got to 150. I plan to continue smoking until IT gets to 200 or 205. I’ve seen a lot of conflicting info on other websites about this so I thought I’d better check in here... I’m still good with cooking this meat, correct?

If the smoker dropped to 160 and the IT dropped to 135 then everthing was dead awhile ago except the three spore forming foodbourne pathogens that haven't had the right temp to return to a vegetative growing state if the meat is not intact. If it's intact except for the therm probe then no bacteria was inside. it's on the outside. Everything should be fine. Hitting safety temps in an appropiate time and loosing heat is way better than taking too long to get to a safe temp especially with non intact pork.

 

[Mike F.]

Thank you so much, I feel much better serving this for dinner now. I appreciate the quick response as well!