Danger Zone Question

[OneBallBiscuit]

Hey all. I am a Traeger Lil Tex Elite user. Have had it for a few months now. Love it.

Problem for me. Was doing a 10 lb pork shoulder this weekend. Set it in the smoker at 3:30 AM or so. Was up feeding the newborn twins and just got them back to sleep. Snuck out, put smoker on 225 and let it go. Went back out there around 7 and the pork shoulder was approx 115 internal. I cranked heat to try and get it out of the "danger zone" before the 4 hours and no luck. So, I tossed it because of the bacteria potential for the wife and I.

Just wondering...is the only way to avoid this to cook the shoulder at higher temp throughout cooking? Any feedback is GREATLY appreciated. Thanks.

 

[SmokinSteiny]

That's a big chunk of meat man, I usually do 4-6lbs for the family with no problems like that. It sounds like it may not of been completely unfrozen, that's just my thoughts.

 

[TentHunter]

I'm sorry to say that you way over reacted with throwing it away.

Remember, with whole cuts of meat the dangerous bacteria is on the exterior of the meat and that reaches a safe temp much quicker than the interior. The internal temp of the meat simply takes longer and a 225° pit temp was fine to get it through in more than enough time.

Even with a 12+ hour cook, you would have been taking the final temp way up above what is necessary to kill any and all bacteria.


Now Ground meat & sausage is a different story altogether. That's where you really need to be concerned about cold-smoking or leaving it in the danger zone temps for too long. Unless the meat has been cured first with nitrates/nitrites to kill the dangerous bacterias, ground meat and sausage needs be hot-smoked or cooked to get through that danger zone in a shorter period of time. The general rule is getting the internal temp of uncured sausage up above 150° within 4 hours or so.

I hope this helps.

 

[OneBallBiscuit]

Yes...I over-reacted, it seems. I spoke with someone online and was assured that as long as the pit is above 225, the danger zone thing is null and void. Oh well...live and learn...

 

[So Cal Smoker]

This is how we all learn. Thanks for posting.

 

[TentHunter]

Yes...I over-reacted, it seems. Oh well...live and learn...

Hey, better to over react and be safe than to have doubts.


I agree with So Cal Smoker, Thanks for posting! I think "Danger Zone temps" is a good topic to discuss.



BTW - Congrats on the newborn twins! Exciting times!

 

[muebe]

Better to be safe than sick. You were unsure and did the right thing in your case. But now you know and will not do it again

And congrats from me on the twins too!

 

[soupyjones]

This is a great thread. I have given myself food poisoning a few times due to nothing but pure incompetence and stupidity. Undercooked food and I were friends for a while when I was in my early 20s. I still am less careful than I should be but I think my immune system shoots first and asks questions later now. When in doubt play safe is a good motto in this context i think. Congrats of the babies. Teach them the ways of pellet smoking while they are young.