Wrap pork shoulder when its internal temperature hits about 160°F (71°C), during the “stall,” then cook until around 195–205°F (90–96°C) before resting for juicy, pullable meat.

Quick Scoop

  • Best range to wrap: 150–170°F internal; most pitmasters aim right around 160°F.
  • Why that temp? That’s when the stall hits, surface moisture evaporates and slows cooking, and wrapping helps push through while keeping it moist.
  • After wrapping, finish at: 195–205°F internal for tender, shreddable pork shoulder or pork butt.
  • Wrap options:
    • Foil – tighter seal, faster cook, slightly softer bark.
* Butcher paper – breathes a bit, better bark, still protects from drying.

Simple step-by-step

  1. Smoke or roast the pork shoulder at roughly 225–275°F cooker temp until internal temp reaches about 160°F.
  1. Once it hits 150–170°F and the bark looks good, wrap tightly in foil or butcher paper.
  1. Return to the heat and continue cooking until it probes tender around 195–205°F internal.
  1. Rest, still wrapped, at least 30–60 minutes (cooler + towels if you want to hold it longer) before pulling.

Quick forum-style take

Most BBQ folks will tell you: let the bark set, then wrap somewhere around 160°F, ride it up to about 200°F, rest it, and you’ll be in great shape for pulled pork.

TL;DR: Wrap at ~160°F , finish at 195–205°F , and don’t skip the rest for the best texture. Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.