Alright, today I cooked my third whole hog using a rotisserie ( don't have the real estate/time/resources to build a pit, and that maybe the problem), and for the third time the hams and shoulders were a little tough again. By tough, I mean they didn't fall apart. Once they were chopped up they were fine, but the cartilage/tendons (what ever is in a ham and shoulder holding the muscle structure together) hadn't completely dissolved and/or broken down. Everything else was perfect and came out as expected. I am wondering what I am doing wrong. I have cooked for various lengths and various temps, from long roasting times with a medium temp (9 hours at 250-275, wrapped in tinfoil and let set for an hour) to shorter times with higher temps (275+ for 7 hours or so), moving the coals under the shoulders and hams, etc., and I am getting the same results. These hogs are only 50-60 lbs, and by using the 1/hr per/lb formula, I am cooking these long as it is, and they are always done as far as temps go. Are my expectations too high for the shoulders and the hams?

You need to bring the temp down and go longer. Every hog we've cooked was around 200 to 225 degrees at a MINIMUM of 12 hours, or until the meat temp was at least 160. Besides, gives you more time to drink beer.

Thanks, thats kinda what I figured. I guess slow and low is the plan of attack for next one.

If you want your meat to fall apart you need to cook the pig till the temps reach 195. If you take it off at 160 it is not done. The temps will rise quickly to 160 165 then it will stall. This when the fat starts cooking off the pig. When that is gone the pig starts cooking again. So take it 195 then it will fall of the bone.