# I can't get my pork shoulder to shred



## cavinsco (Sep 14, 2011)

I am making enchiladas.... so I put a pork butt in the crock pot this morning...  its been in there for 9 hours and it is still really firm.  I have this problem with pot roast too!!!  Everyone says that it is impossible to screw up corckpot cooking but I seem to find a way to fail everytime.  

Is there anythiing that I can do to salvage my enchilda meat??


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## NAchef (Sep 14, 2011)

What is the internal temp?


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## Andy M. (Sep 14, 2011)

Not tonight.  Back in the slow cooker and cook it more.  If this is a consistent problem, it may be your equipment.


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## cavinsco (Sep 14, 2011)

it was 180 when i checked a couple hours ago


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## cavinsco (Sep 14, 2011)

that is the low setting.... would turning it to high do anything???


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## FrankZ (Sep 14, 2011)

I haven't done pork shoulder in the crockpot when it goes in the pit I like to cook to 190+ internal.  I plan 1.5 hours per pound of shoulder.  Unless your shoulder was small 9 hours may just not been enough.


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## Dawgluver (Sep 14, 2011)

I agree.  My little roasts seem really hard after smoking, but when I leave them all day or overnight in the CP, they shred up just fine.  I would leave the setting on low, just cook it longer.


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## buckytom (Sep 15, 2011)

i always do my crock pot pork shoulders on high. 

usually takes about 4 hours.

i would add a little liquid and crank it up to high.


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## Steve Kroll (Sep 15, 2011)

Try it in the oven or electric roaster. 

First thing in the morning, preheat your oven or roaster to 225. Wrap the shoulder cut in foil, fatty side up. If going in the oven, put it in a pan to catch the juices. By dinner time, I guarantee it will be falling apart tender and juicy.


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## Painless Cooking (Sep 16, 2011)

I never like cooking in the crockpot for this reason. It takes many many hours to get meat to the point of shreading; it must be very very tender.  The oven does wonders when cooking meat to a very tender stage. Put it in a heavy roaster with a little water cover it and cook until it falls apart. Depending on the size it should only take a couple of hours.


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## buckytom (Sep 16, 2011)

i'm wondering if you guys (those whose crock pots have failed them) are using older slow cookers?

my first crock pot from 20 + years ago took forever to cook things, but the two that i've bought since seem to work on a higher temperature, low or high setting.

that may have been a food safety thing, or just an accident now that everything is made in asia, but there's definitely a difference.


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## LindaZ (Sep 17, 2011)

When I do pork butt in the crock pot I cook it for at least 12 hours on low. It falls off the bone. Did you add any water? I put the roast, 2 cups of water, onion, and cloves in the crockpot, cover and cook for 12 hrs on low. It shreds easily then I put it back in after draining the liquid out of the pot and cover it shredded meat with freshly chopped onion and bbq sauce, let it cook 2 hours on low. Also how big was the pork butt? It may not be done yet.


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## Sir_Loin_of_Beef (Sep 17, 2011)

Have you tried slicing it real thin, then running it through your shredder?  








Empty the catch basket first, of course, unless your diet requires more fiber.


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## RPCookin (Sep 19, 2011)

cavinsco said:


> I am making enchiladas.... so I put a pork butt in the crock pot this morning...  its been in there for 9 hours and it is still really firm.  I have this problem with pot roast too!!!  Everyone says that it is impossible to screw up corckpot cooking but I seem to find a way to fail everytime.
> 
> Is there anythiing that I can do to salvage my enchilda meat??



I don' t cook shoulder in the slow cooker, myself.  I use a cast iron Dutch oven with about a cup and a half of beef stock and a couple of rosemary sprigs, rub the roast with garlic powder and chili powder, and set the meat on a bed of coarsely chopped onions.  I cook it at 250 degrees in the oven for about 5 hours, then 375 for another hour (I don't know if that last step is necessary, but the method I first used calls for it, so I just stay with it).  Comes out easy to shred, and even a big roast which barely fits in the pot cooks well.  

I just made pulled pork sandwiches a couple of days ago, then used the leftovers for open faced hot pork sandwiches.


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## Andy M. (Sep 19, 2011)

I prefer to cook pork for pulled pork in an open pan (not a dutch oven or a slow cooker).  The dry heat creates a nice bark (crust) that really adds flavor to the finished product.  Also, that's necessary to get smoke into the meat.


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## pacanis (Sep 19, 2011)

Andy M. said:


> I prefer to cook pork for pulled pork in an open pan (not a dutch oven or a slow cooker). The dry heat creates a nice bark (crust) that really adds flavor to the finished product. Also, that's necessary to get smoke into the meat.


 
oh oh... you said the S word.
Now we'll get the thread police saying the thread has been taken over by the smokers. 

Definitely gotta have the bark though.


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## jennyema (Sep 19, 2011)

Pork butt needs to get to 190 and sometimes a bit higher in order for the collagen to melt. It won't shred at lower temps.

Mine usually gets to about 200 and falls totally off the bone.


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## RPCookin (Sep 19, 2011)

Andy M. said:


> I prefer to cook pork for pulled pork in an open pan (not a dutch oven or a slow cooker).  The dry heat creates a nice bark (crust) that really adds flavor to the finished product.  Also, that's necessary to get smoke into the meat.



I don't have a smoker, and although I have smoked a pork butt on my Weber gas grill, it takes constant attention to keep the temperature right.  This time I had errands to run while the roast cooked, so the oven was the logical choice.  I did add Liquid Smoke to the pot for at least simulated smoking.


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## Andy M. (Sep 19, 2011)

RPCookin said:


> I don't have a smoker, and although I have smoked a pork butt on my Weber gas grill, it takes constant attention to keep the temperature right.  This time I had errands to run while the roast cooked, so the oven was the logical choice.  I did add Liquid Smoke to the pot for at least simulated smoking.



I've done pulled pork in my oven using liquid smoke.  The point I wanted to make was to leave it uncovered/open so the surface would brown rather than braising it in a covered pot or slow cooker.


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## RPCookin (Sep 19, 2011)

Andy M. said:


> I've done pulled pork in my oven using liquid smoke.  The point I wanted to make was to leave it uncovered/open so the surface would brown rather than braising it in a covered pot or slow cooker.



Gotcha.


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