If the guys were restaurant people and knew what they were talking about,there is some reasoning-if you are not seeking quality.
Some places in the NC area cook whole hog.
Their feeling can be that cooking it to 160º takes less time and doesn't render much,so they get higher yield which equals more weight equals more $$$.
There is less labor time,fuel,turnaround,etc.
The have a machine from Hobart called a buffalo chopper that can eat concrete blocks.
They can run meat,fat,skin,innards,tail and the squeal through "the buffalo" and it comes out like small pieces of flat toothpicks.
It then goes into sheet metal pans with about 4 inch sides,about 3 X 4 feet.
It is salted and wet down with a vinegar,water,pepper sauce that helps hide the fatty taste/mouth feel.
It is then served at the buffet,or sold by the lb.
No,I'm not saying all restaurants there do this,or that it produces a product of the quality of "pulled" pork.
Other areas in the South,cook to that temp,debone the meat with boning knives,and finely chop with two meat cleavers.
The Fl market has several chains,serviced by large companies that produce well known high volume gas cookers[some are steamers].
They cook butts,or collars,to that doneness and then thin slice the pork and serve fat and all,like a pork loin roast.
![Eeker](/static/images/graemlins/icon_eek.gif)
Once again,higher yield,less time,more dollars.
My best bet is like stated above"they know not of what they speak".
![Wink](/static/images/graemlins/icon_wink.gif)