Cook pork shoulder to temperature?

  • Thread starter Darryl L. Pierc
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Darryl L. Pierc

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When I make a pot roast using a good cut of chuck, I don't
cook to any specific temperature. Instead, I sear it on
both sides and then cook it in a 170-200F oven for at least
5-6 hours.

Tonite, I picked up a nice pork shoulder. In searching
recipes, each is calling for cooking it to a specific
temperature (~170F) and then removing it from the oven.

Would it be a bad idea to continue cooking it, or is there
no reason to do so; ie., is there not enough collagen in the
pork shoulder to require further cooking to render it?

--
Darryl L. Pierce <[email protected]> Visit the Infobahn
Offramp - <http://mypage.org/mcpierce> "What do you care
what other people think, Mr. Feynman?"
 
"Darryl L. Pierce" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> Would it be a bad idea to continue cooking it, or is there
> no reason to do so; ie., is there not enough collagen in
> the pork shoulder to require further cooking to render it?
>

Shoulders are tough. I'd cook it slow to break down the
collagen. It I was going by temperature, 170 to 180 should
do it. Collagen breaks down at 160, but it has to remain
there for a time. Ed
 
Darryl L. Pierce wrote:

> When I make a pot roast using a good cut of chuck, I don't
> cook to any specific temperature. Instead, I sear it on
> both sides and then cook it in a 170-200F oven for at
> least 5-6 hours.
>
> Tonite, I picked up a nice pork shoulder. In searching
> recipes, each is calling for cooking it to a specific
> temperature (~170F) and then removing it from the oven.
>
> Would it be a bad idea to continue cooking it, or is there
> no reason to do so; ie., is there not enough collagen in
> the pork shoulder to require further cooking to render it?

I cook them to temperature. I just did a couple boneless
shoulders a few days ago. Took them out of the fridge 2
hours before cook time. Rubbed them with a spice mixture
and put them into a 250F oven. Cooked them to 145, let
them rest for 20 minutes and the residual heat brought
them up to 154F.

Tender, moist. Wonderful served as sliced pork that day.
Cold sliced on sandwiches later. Also did some in wraps.
Cubed some for a salad.

Pastorio
 
Bob (this one) wrote:

>> When I make a pot roast using a good cut of chuck, I
>> don't cook to any specific temperature. Instead, I sear
>> it on both sides and then cook it in a 170-200F oven for
>> at least 5-6 hours.
>>
>> Tonite, I picked up a nice pork shoulder. In searching
>> recipes, each is calling for cooking it to a specific
>> temperature (~170F) and then removing it from the oven.
>>
>> Would it be a bad idea to continue cooking it, or is
>> there no reason to do so; ie., is there not enough
>> collagen in the pork shoulder to require further cooking
>> to render it?
>
> I cook them to temperature. I just did a couple boneless
> shoulders a few days ago. Took them out of the fridge 2
> hours before cook time. Rubbed them with a spice mixture
> and put them into a 250F oven. Cooked them to 145, let
> them rest for 20 minutes and the residual heat brought
> them up to 154F.
>
> Tender, moist. Wonderful served as sliced pork that day.
> Cold sliced on sandwiches later. Also did some in wraps.
> Cubed some for a salad.

And this was pork shoulder? I would have thought that, like
beef shoulder, there would be alot of connective tissue that
needed rendering by longer cooking. So there's no collagen
to dissolve in the cooking process? (obviously, I've not
cooked much pork <g>)

--
Darryl L. Pierce <[email protected]> Visit the Infobahn
Offramp - <http://mypage.org/mcpierce> "What do you care
what other people think, Mr. Feynman?"
 
Edwin Pawlowski wrote:

>> Would it be a bad idea to continue cooking it, or is
>> there no reason to do so; ie., is there not enough
>> collagen in the pork shoulder to require further cooking
>> to render it?
>>
>
> Shoulders are tough. I'd cook it slow to break down the
> collagen. It I was going by temperature, 170 to 180 should
> do it. Collagen breaks down at 160, but it has to remain
> there for a time.

That's what I figured. I'm planning on treating it like a
beef shoulder and searing it before putting it in the oven
for the day. The way I cook pot roast beef is:

1. heat up the DO on the stove top
2. sprinkle with a good dose of salt, some fresh ground
pepper and cumin (love that stuff)
3. put a shot of canola oil on the meat and rub on both
sides for better heat transfer, then
4. sear it for about 2-3 minutes per side (Maillard
reaction)
5. add the vegetables, some beef broth, and slip it into the
oven for 6-7 hours at 170-200F.

I'll change the spices (not sure about cumin with pork, and
want something to do a similar complement) and try doing the
same with the pork shoulder tomorrow.

--
Darryl L. Pierce <[email protected]> Visit the Infobahn
Offramp - <http://mypage.org/mcpierce> "What do you care
what other people think, Mr. Feynman?"
 
"Darryl L. Pierce" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> When I make a pot roast using a good cut of chuck, I don't
> cook to any specific temperature. Instead, I sear it on
> both sides and then cook it in a 170-200F oven for at
> least 5-6 hours.
>
> Tonite, I picked up a nice pork shoulder. In searching
> recipes, each is calling for cooking it to a specific
> temperature (~170F) and then removing it from the oven.
>
> Would it be a bad idea to continue cooking it, or is there
> no reason to do so; ie., is there not enough collagen in
> the pork shoulder to require further cooking to render it?
>
Like Ed said, cook low and slow (225-250ºF) to break down
the collogen. But first, put a little yellow mustard all
over (just a little, and don't worry. You won't taste it.).
Then make up a rub (lots of recipes on the internet ot just
use salt & pepper). Cook it to an internal temp of 170-180ºF
if you want to slice it or 200-205ºF if you want to pull it.
Depending on the size of the shoulder (and whether its a
picnic or a butt), this will take from 6-22 hours, or more.
The time depends on size and final temp.

Good luck.
 
Darryl L. Pierce wrote:

> Bob (this one) wrote:
>
>>>When I make a pot roast using a good cut of chuck, I
>>>don't cook to any specific temperature. Instead, I sear
>>>it on both sides and then cook it in a 170-200F oven for
>>>at least 5-6 hours.
>>>
>>>Tonite, I picked up a nice pork shoulder. In searching
>>>recipes, each is calling for cooking it to a specific
>>>temperature (~170F) and then removing it from the oven.
>>>
>>>Would it be a bad idea to continue cooking it, or is
>>>there no reason to do so; ie., is there not enough
>>>collagen in the pork shoulder to require further cooking
>>>to render it?
>>
>>I cook them to temperature. I just did a couple boneless
>>shoulders a few days ago. Took them out of the fridge 2
>>hours before cook time. Rubbed them with a spice mixture
>>and put them into a 250F oven. Cooked them to 145, let
>>them rest for 20 minutes and the residual heat brought
>>them up to 154F.
>>
>>Tender, moist. Wonderful served as sliced pork that day.
>>Cold sliced on sandwiches later. Also did some in wraps.
>>Cubed some for a salad.
>
> And this was pork shoulder? I would have thought that,
> like beef shoulder, there would be alot of connective
> tissue that needed rendering by longer cooking. So there's
> no collagen to dissolve in the cooking process?
> (obviously, I've not cooked much pork <g>)

There's some, but the musculature of the two critters is
very different. Pigs have much less connective tissue and
the individual muscles are smaller. There is some gristle
that runs through a small part of it, but I'm willing to
live with that to keep the meat moist and tender. And, in
any event, it can be trimmed before service if you want.

I buy boneless, skinless shoulders. Most of the surface
connective tissue is trimmed out already and just a thin
layer of fat remains. Inside, removing the bones, tendons
and ligaments means that the internal connective tissues
have been largely removed. Thin layers between muscles don't
much matter in the finished roast.

Slices cleanly. And can be sliced on my slicer paper-thin if
I want to. Cooked more, to 150F or more, the denatured
protein makes it difficult to do that. Cooked to BBQ levels
means that slices can only be done rather more thickly.

The final determinant of a sense of moistness in the meat is
the degree of doneness it's cooked to. The more cooked, the
drier. Adding water or stock to the pan won't keep the meat
more moist. Low-temp roasting can help to preserve a bit of
that moist mouthfeel by softening the collagen. The gelatin
adds what seems to be a fat mouthfeel, but without fat. I
find that if I don't either cut or cook enough out, it eats
"sticky." That's why I like to get it out up front and just
cook the meat to medium.

The other reason I like to cook it this way is the yield.
More comes out of the oven in the end than if I cooked it
either at a higher temp or to a greater degree of doneness.
I don't much like today's pork cooked to the high internal
temperatures that they did when pork was fattier. If I'm
making pulled BBQ, I'll cook it to about 195 where it begins
to fall apart all by itself, but I don't do that often.
Rather have a roast in a single piece that I can slice or
chunk for various dishes. YMMV.

Pastorio
 
SCUBApix wrote:

> Like Ed said, cook low and slow (225-250ºF) to break down
> the collogen. But first, put a little yellow mustard all
> over (just a little, and don't worry. You won't taste
> it.). Then make up a rub (lots of recipes on the internet
> ot just use salt & pepper). Cook it to an internal temp of
> 170-180ºF if you want to slice it or 200-205ºF if you want
> to pull it. Depending on the size of the shoulder (and
> whether its a picnic or a butt), this will take from 6-22
> hours, or more. The time depends on size and final temp.

This one is a 4.5lb picnic shoulder. I guess what I'll do,
then, is put sear it early tomorrow morning, put it in the
DO in a 200F oven and cook it until dinner time (about 11
hours). I'm looking for something similar in consistency to
pot roast; i.e., fork tender.

> Good luck.

Thanks. :)

--
Darryl L. Pierce <[email protected]> Visit the Infobahn
Offramp - <http://mypage.org/mcpierce> "What do you care
what other people think, Mr. Feynman?"
 
For football games, I usually do a 10# or greater shoulder
with the skin/fat cap still on. It goes into a 275 oven till
the internal temp gets to 195. I turn off the oven, cover it
in foil, place it back in for 30 minutes and then shreds
easily with two large forks. Any bones come right out and
makes for some mean leftovers.

Evan
 
"Evan in Orlando" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> For football games, I usually do a 10# or greater shoulder
> with the skin/fat cap still on. It goes into a 275 oven
> till the internal temp gets to 195. I turn off the oven,
> cover it in foil, place it back in for 30 minutes and then
> shreds easily with two large forks. Any bones come right
> out and makes for some mean leftovers.
>
> Evan
>

Your preferred seasonings?

pavane
 
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