4 hour stall at 125 degrees.

[smokingeagle]

I cooked 2-7.5 lb pork shoulders this last weekend. The shoulder stalled at 128 degrees for 4 hours. My question is since it didnt get over 140 in 4 hrs is the meat safe to eat? I vacuumed packed the pulled pork to use on a camping trip. My uds was running at 250 degrees the whole time. I checked the meat with 2 instant read thermometers and 2 different pit thermometers.

[DDave]

If it was unpunctured whole muscle, ie not injected, not violated by a temp probe, and assuming it was below 40° when you started, only the outer 1/2 inch needs to get above 140° in four hours.

Actually, I believe the 2010 Food Code posted by bbally sets the bar at 135° now.

Dave

[IrishChef]

I cooked 2-7.5 lb pork shoulders this last weekend. The shoulder stalled at 128 degrees for 4 hours. My question is since it didnt get over 140 in 4 hrs is the meat safe to eat? I vacuumed packed the pulled pork to use on a camping trip. My uds was running at 250 degrees the whole time. I checked the meat with 2 instant read thermometers and 2 different pit thermometers.

That is an interesting question. I used to have a temp vs time chart, that demonstrated how long at a given temp would kill pathogens and I cannot find it in my files or online. Gut feeling is no. Way to much time in the danger zone, and you weren't even close to 135-140. Lots of time for toxin production, and growth of bacteria. After a 2 hour stall, I woulda probably kicked up the temp, or tossed it in the oven.

[IrishChef]

If it was unpunctured whole muscle, ie not injected, not violated by a temp probe, and assuming it was below 40° when you started, only the outer 1/2 inch needs to get above 140° in four hours.

Actually, I believe the 2010 Food Code posted by bbally sets the bar at 135° now.

Dave

What I worry about is how long it took to get to 128*. He said it stalled there. He didn't mention how long it was on total..

[smokingeagle]

The total time to get over 140 degrees was 6 hrs.

[ALX]

250 degree and 128 degree in that time....Sorry...impossible be that low of internal dude...

Nice have accurate thermos..

[DDave]

What I worry about is how long it took to get to 128*. He said it stalled there. He didn't mention how long it was on total..

Great point. I totally missed that.

But still if it was unpunctured, only the outer 1/2" comes into play. But who knows what the outer 1/2" temp was.

Just does not seem possible if the UDS was actually at 250°. My money is on a whacked thermo or something.

Dave

On Edit: Here is a link to the 2009 Food Code posted by Bbally.

http://www.smoked-meat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6182

[smokingeagle]

I am gonna recheck those thermometers right now will let you know.

[IrishChef]

Great point. I totally missed that.

But still if it was unpunctured, only the outer 1/2" comes into play. But who knows what the outer 1/2" temp was.

Just does not seem possible if the UDS was actually at 250°. My money is on a whacked thermo or something.

Dave

There is that, but, unless he personally killed the pig himself, and can attest that it was never punctured, I wouldn't put much faith in it being unpunctured. Especially if it had an ingredient list. Enhanced or tumbled meat has all sorts of ways/places that can harbor pathogens.

Agree on the thermometer issue. Probably on the pit.

[Fishawn]

Don't sound right to me either... Never had a stall @ that low a temp either?

[DDave]

But still if it was unpunctured, only the outer 1/2" comes into play.

Actually, I should say, it is my understanding that only the outer 1/2" comes into play.

I am not a food safety expert nor do I play one on TV.

Dave

[smokingeagle]

So I checked the pit thermometers and the instant read and found the pit temps off 12 degrees. They only got to 200 degrees if water boils at 212. The instant read i have is off 8 degrees only read 204 degrees. With that being said i think i should be safe right.

[IrishChef]

Actually, I should say, it is my understanding that only the outer 1/2" comes into play.

I am not a food safety expert nor do I play one on TV.

Dave

That is somewhat true. The issue arises when you go past 4 hours on an uncured chunk. That is why curing salts(nitrate/nitrite) are used in long, low/slow cooks. Low temps with long times are prime growth conditions for all sorts of nasty things...

[crusty ol salt]

250 degree and 128 degree in that time....Sorry...impossible be that low of internal dude...

Nice have accurate thermos..

So I checked the pit thermometers and the instant read and found the pit temps off 12 degrees. They only got to 200 degrees if water boils at 212. The instant read i have is off 8 degrees only read 204 degrees. With that being said i think i should be safe right.

i am still pondering this,
the uds thermometer is off 12*F. so 250*F could have been as high as 260*F +/- a wee bit.
the insta read was off 8*F. so 128* could have been as high as 136*F again +/- a wee bit.
and the time line is six (6) hours...
i am not trying to be a smart ass as i ask this next question.

are you certain that the butt was completely thawed?

[IrishChef]

i am still pondering this,
the uds thermometer is off 12*F. so 250*F could have been as high as 260*F +/- a wee bit.
the insta read was off 8*F. so 128* could have been as high as 136*F again +/- a wee bit.
and the time line is six (6) hours...
i am not trying to be a smart ass as i ask this next question.

are you certain that the butt was completely thawed?

Very good point.

And what you really need to consider, is do you want to be off on your canoe trip, in the middle of nowhere, and risk the chance of having all members of your group simultaneously blow colon? Shitting in the middle of a lake can be done, but..... better safe than sorry.