Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Cooking Question

Why is it sometimes a pork shoulder (butt)
Just stop rising in temperature?
I got one on now and it just stopped at 190, I usually go to 200. Temp has been at 280 just above the meat for 8 hrs. It's been at 190 for over an hour.

Busted meat thermometer?

Don't know why - but it's common.

It's called the "stall". Wrap in butcher paper, and finish cooking. Mine go for about 11 hrs, depending on weight.

It’s called a stall.

Very common.

You’re cooking the water out of it. It will break and climb. Just be patient/drink more.

Ha, it just moved up 2 degrees.
I usually stop them at 205 and wrap.
Injected this one with some Cajun juice.
We'll see in a few hours I guess.

Working on it!

The stall.

Yup it’s the stall.

Wrap in foil, butcher paper, or put in a roaster and cover with foil when the internal temp reaches 160-165*.

https://www.napoleon.com/en/us/grills/blog/science-bbq-bbq-stall

For cooking questions I ask my wife. Lol

I dont use a thermometer

I just wiggle the bone

🤙

How I ended up married

Classic stall.

If you check and it has risen, Watch it close.

It will climb quick after it starts.

Yes, it sat at 190 for a long time then inside of 45min it was pushing 205.

My wife got me a fancy pyrex remote thermometer so I was pressured to try it.

I believe I'll go back to poking it with a big fork pushing on the bone. If it slides around its done.

Turned out ok. I think a pork shoulder is pretty hard to screw up anyway.

You shouldn't do that but it would certainly explain your issue.

And then finish cooking for her?

The stall can sure test your patience. What sucks is that it's never the same duration. I'll be making one on Friday for a Saturday get together. Good luck, Dave

It is hard to screw up.
I forgot mine Saturday.
It was around 212 when I remembered.
Some of the bark was hard, but still good to chew on.
It was slightly less moist, but not bad.
I kept every bit of fat in it, often I throw some away.
Not perfect, still darn good.


PS. Might not have lost as much moisture if I hadn't sliced an inch thick slice
off the end for lunch. If you've never done it, try smoking 2.
Pull one around 150-160.
Slice it thick.
Think pork prime rib.
It's that good.

So, What Is “the Stall” and What is Happening During It?
The stall usually happens when you are smoking a large piece of meat, like brisket, pork butt, rack of ribs, etc. It is when, after several hours of the meat’s internal temperature rising, usually to between 150 and 170 degrees Fahrenheit, it suddenly stops rising for several hours or even goes down a few degrees.

What is happening during this time is a form of evaporative cooling. Similar to when our body sweats when we get hot or during a hard workout. Once the meat gets to a certain temperature, it starts to sweat out some of the excess moisture. That moisture evaporates and slightly cools the meat, “stalling” the rising temperatures. This lasts until all of the surface moisture is evaporated. Then the meat’s internal temperature will continue to rise again and finish cooking. This is also when the delicious external “bark” on the meat is formed, due to the Maillard Reaction.

https://bbqchamps.com/what-is-the-stall/