Whole hog temp question

[moe-betta-q]

Just finished having my yearly hog roast.  100# hog, butterflied, cooked skin side down (first time this way), in cinder block pit controlled with DigiQ temp controller.  My previous hogs all turned out great and like I thought they would with respect to temp in the shoulders, hams, etc.  Actually the bones could be wiggled around and out so the pork was very easy to pull.  I checked the hog I cooked the other day after 13hours and the hams seemed low at 155deg.  The pit temp was maintained at approx 240deg the whole time.  I fed it some more coals and checked after another hour, then another hour and it was basically the same.  I finally cut off one of the hams and chopped the meat.  It was certainly done and juicy but never reached the 180-190 temp I usually go for. So I just spent some time chopping the meat up. It was still very tasty but much more work this way.   My question is did I get a pig that just needed more time?  Any thoughts out there from the whole hog smokers? 

 

[themule69]

Always cook to temp not by time.

I see this is your first post. When you get a chance will you drop by roll call so everyone can give you a proper SMF welcome?

Happy smoken.

David

 

[moe-betta-q]

Thanks Dave,

I do always cook to temp using time as a reference only.  This was just a different scenario since I cooked the whole time with the skin down.  I do believe the skin side down along with the drip pans beneath the hog was the reason I needed more time to get to the temperature I wanted.

 

[themule69]

I have had 4 butts in the smoker that weighed the same. Their was 5 hours difference in cooking time. I say it is the pigs fault

.

Happy smoken.

David

 

[boykjo]

Cooking Temps were too low which caused you to have a stall... Temps need to be minimum of 250. I usually go 275 on Whole hog. Pork is forgiving and wont dry out at higher temps like beef and chicken will. Smoke untill the shoulder reaches 200+. At 240 you just needed more time. It eventually would have got there. IMHO after 6 hrs of smoke your not going to get any more smoke so the rest is just heat

Joe

 

[jim milton]

I just read up on cinder block pits and it looks like a lot of smokin fun.  I would give it a try but my backyard isn't big enough.

 

[moe-betta-q]

Yes, the pit works well.  All the blocks are filled with sand/dirt so it holds temperature quite well and i haven't replaced any of them due to cracking.

 

[padronman]

Lets see your set up!!

Scott