1st smoked pork shoulder

[alleyes]

Smoked at 250 for about 3 hrs until 160, wrapped in foil for a couple more hours to 195, put foil wrapped roast in cooler for an hour. Great flavor and appearance, but sort of tough to pull apart, thought it would fall apart by looking at it! Any ideas for the next one? It was about 4 1/2 lbs...Thanks!

[goblueM]

I normally do bigger ones... and do it for 12 hours at 180 or 200, then bring up to temp in the oven just like you did.

perhaps just slower and longer cooking...? thirdeye and reinhard probably will have some great advice for you

[Jim Almquist]

Something that I have done in the past with pork-butts is to smoke for 4 hours and slow cook for another 5 and then wrap it up in tin foil and put in the frig. The next day I toss it in the crock pot and let it cook on low all day. When I am ready to serve I will pull it apart and add some vinegar and some hot pepper flakes and serve with a nice kaiser roll and Coleslaw.

[OnAFly]

I go a good 10 hours at 225. I don't pull it until it gets to 200.

[catfishkid]

I will second that. I cook at 220 for ten hours before I even look at it. then I watch it untill it hits 200. Pulls perfect then. Good luck.

[reinhard1]

Low and slow is the way to go. i agree with the top posts although some are prepared differently, it is the temperature and the length of time. one of the best results i have had was to do two whole butts in a double aluminum large throw away roasting pan on indirect heat letting it stay in it's juices the whole time for at least 10 hours with the temp staying close to 225. this was with charcoal on my barrel type grill/smoker.

i started with some charcoal in the barrel close to the firebox. then added charcoal ready to go in the firebox as needed. i then let the meat cool in the roaster and then put it in the fridge overnight. the next day i took the roasting pan out of the fridge and skimed off all the fat that had settled on the surface. i then took the meat out of the pan and shredded it.

i then put the meat back in the roasting pan, tasting the juices. i then add some ketchup and western salad dressing of equal amounts and taste again. sometimes i do add some hot sauce to just give it a little nip, but not overdoing it. not everyone like's it spicey like i do. i serve it on fresh buns with cole slaw for the topping. i also have some sliced pickles to top of the meat plus coleslaw as well. great combination. good luck.

[Farley]

I do mine around 220-230 for however long it takes to get to 160, wrap in foil and a lot of times I then put it in the oven @225 untill the internal temp gets to 200. Havent had one yet that I couldnt pull with just one fork. Also I spray it every hour with an apple juice\rum mix, gives it a nice bark on the outside.

[reinhard1]

Farley, i love that apple juice rum idea. great combo. good luck.

[catfishkid]

I might have to try that. Do you think that I could sub Jack in there instead of rum?

[alleyes]

Thanks for the tips, look forward to the next attempt. As was politely pointed out, I will go slower and longer. Might as well be the story of my life...

[reinhard1]

Farley, i'm no expert at hard booze except that i drank a lot of brandy 20 years ago and no hard stuff since. the other guy asked if Jack Daniels would be good as well and i would ask what kind of rum or brand of rum would be best for it. isn't there a regular rum and a dark rum? Thanks. good luck.

[Ic3wind]

If your shoulder didnt pull very well but had a good flavor and color etc. Your doing everything right but you need to cook it longer. After about 6 hours that pork shoulder is going to have about as much smoke in it as it can possibly take. Like others above I wrap the heck out of mins in foil and put it in the oven at about 220-225 for another 8-10 hours. Be liberal with the foil I always try to make sure that none of the juices are able to leak out.

Whith pork shoulder it has to do with melting the collagen and stuff to make it all fall apart that takes a nice steady low heat and lots of time. Check this quote below that reall explains it perfectly

"In his book On Food And Cooking, author Harold McGee says that meat is composed of three tissue types: muscle fiber, connective tissue, and fat. Connective tissue consists of the proteins collagen, elastin, and reticulin. Collectively, these proteins bind the muscle fibers together and help connect muscles to bone--McGee calls it "the physical harness of the muscles."

Pork butt has an abundance of connective tissue, as do most muscles that work very hard. It's this connective tissue that makes pork butt such a tough cut of meat. The good news is that muscles that work hard tend to be more flavorful than those that don't work hard.

According to McGee, connective tissues made of elastin and reticulin don't break down during cooking, but collagen turns into soft gelatin. It is this conversion from collagen to gelatin that renders the tough old pork butt into the tender barbecue we enjoy so much"

[thirdeye]

If it didn't pull, you didn't cook it long enough, and in addition to watching the internal temp, you need to monitor doneness by probing, or by wiggling the bone. I generally do 8 pound shoulders, and plan on 16 hours in my smoker at @230* if I don't use a foil finish. When using a foil finish, I wrap when the internal is 160, which is about 8 hours into the cook. Then it takes another 4 or 5 hours or so to cook tender. I like to rest in a cooler with newspaper for insulation for another 2 or 3 hours.

[fishdale]

Thirdeye - Man that looks good may have to get one today and start up the smoker.

[reinhard1]

i dont think there is anyone that i know that i think knows more about the art of smoking than Third Eye. i searched around for quite awhile and found this combo of reciepies relating to pulled pork. i haven't tried this one at all but will do it soon because i want to take some up to the deer camp. this is from former winners of BBQ contest winners.

Pulled Pork Rub:

1/4 cup paprika

1/2 cup cellery salt

2 tbls granulated garlic

1/2 tbls mustard powder

1/2 tbls white pepper

1 tsp cayenne pepper

2 tsp gr. thyme

1/2 tsp salt

mix well in a bowl and store in a sealed container

smoky BBQ sauce

1 cup apple cider vinegar

1 cup ketchup

1 cup ketchipotle [chipotle ketchup]

3 tbls brown sugar

1/4 tsp salt

2 tbls yellow mustard

mix all ingrediants and simmer for 10 min.

cole law dressing:

1 1/2 cups white vinegar

1 cup cider vinegar

1 1/2 sugar

6 tbls. dry yellow mustard powder

2 tbls. celery salt

2 tsps ground white pepper

mix together well

cole slaw mix

3 heads white cabbage [sliced thin]

8 oz. juliened green pepper

8 oz. juliened sweet red pepper

8 oz. thin sliced red onion

12 oz. juliened carrots

1 cup of peanut oil

2 tsp. celery salt

and 2 1/2 cups of the cole slaw dressing from above reciepe.

toss all ingredients and let stand for a couple of hours before serving.

Smoking the 8 pound butt

rub the pork butt generously with the rub. wrap tight in plastic and refrigerate overnight. remove pork from refrigerator and smoke butt for 10 to 12 hours at 225 degrees or until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 200 degrees. shred pork by hand and place in large bowl. cover with the BBQ sauce you made above toss and mix well saving some of the sauce for topping on the buns.

making the sandwiches:

get a quality bun and slice it in half. place a good heaping on the bottom of the bun. next put a heaping tablespoon of the bbq sauce on the meat. then put some of that cole slaw from above on top of that. close up the bun and chow down.

i like the way this recipe is put together so i will try it. now most of you have your own way of smoking the butts at different lenght of time and stuff but i thought maby the rub and the sauce and cole slaw may draw some interest. good luck.

[thirdeye]

Thanks for the kind words. I've been around live fire cooking my whole life and all the shared ideas on the internet, plus cable TV can turn smoking and barbecue into a neat hobby for anyone. And shorten the learning curve too!!

Those recipes you posted sound really good. One thing I've learned is that if the meat is cooked right, it's ok to serve the sauce at the table (using the foil juice, some warm apple juice, or warmed Coca-Cola to keep the meat moist) because some folks really go for the pork, smoke & rub flavor and only use a light sauce if any.

[reinhard1]

oh yes those foil juices are a must. you know over time recepies change pretty much with different ideas to add on and take off. one person on the cooking threads [i think it was Farley] suggested a rum and applejuice mix to spray on the butts also. i'm going to try that on ribs tommorow toward the end of the smoking cycle after the rub and mop sauce are worked in. thanks again for your input. it's been very helpfull. good luck.

[Farley]

I dont know what would be the best Rum, I'm guessing whichever rum is the sweetest. You want the sugars in the juice and rum to harden for the bark. i use Captin Morgan and have had good results. I also use a finishing sauce, which I think puts it over the top, but some might not like, its:

1 Cup Cider Vinegar

2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar

1 Teaspoon Tony Chachere's Cajun Seasoning

1 Teaspoon Course Black Pepper

1 Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes

Warm the Vinegar up enough so that it disolves the Sugar well. Then add the remaining ingredients.

About a perfect amount for an 8 lb butt. Or just put it in a empty ketchup bottle and apply to a sandwich to see if you like it. I think the vinegar really enhances the flavor of the smoked meat.

Third Eye that last pic of the meat made my mouth water.

[reinhard1]

thanks Farley. captain morgan it is. that finishing sauce looks good also. good luck.

[Farley]

No problem, let us know how it turns out.

[crothmeier]

I think I will try this on pheasant opener when I have some company down. Those pictures looked good enough to try grab it thru the monitor.

[SkunkedAgain]

I know that this is sacrilegious on a smoking thread, but I put my pork shoulders in the crock pot for 10 hours with a little orange juice. It falls apart when I pull off the cover and is much less work than all of the spraying/tinfoil/smoking/indirect heat. Then again, just like hunting sometimes the thrill is in the work so you may want to smoke it regardless.

However, it tastes incredibly juicy out of the crockpot and all you have to do is spice it and cook it on high for another 1 hour.

[reinhard1]

yes, i think we have all done butts in a crockpot among many other meats and meals. the crock pot is an important tool to have in your kitchen. having said that the outdoor barbecue grilling/smoking complements the flavor of any meat or vegetable. nothing wrong with doing pulled pork in a crock pot and you can get some fantastic results from doing so. however the guys on the thread here that do it on the smoker i believe like the challenge, the prep work, watching the progress, and the aroma spewing from the smoker that no crock pot can compete with.

to me it's kind of like fishing and hunting, it's in my blood. i consider some of what i seen here an art form. creating something fantastic that is controlled by you and not a switch on a kitchen appliance. again i also have kitchen appliances and appreciate them very much. they are like any tool, you have to know how to use them for the purpose they are for. but being outdoors and being hands on creating something special is where its at.

i think your way of doing a butt is a good way. you cant always go outside and do something on the grill/smoker, especialy on very cold days of our winters. many times you like to make meals ahead and the croc pot comes through for that purpose in an excelent way. we have a croc pot thread in the cooking forum with great ideas for meals. good luck

[SkunkedAgain]

That's kind of what I figured, but didn't want to NOT say something!

[alleyes]

Reinhard, you hit the nail on the head! Right now my 2nd attempt is thawing in the fridge for Sunday. Thanks to all for some great tips, I'm pretty confident going in this time! The planning and preperation are what makes the challenge so fun. As for the crockpot, I can trust that to anyone, as you know exactly what you're going to get. Again, not anything wrong with that, but it's a totally different ballgame. Pulled smoked pork sandies, on homemade buns, just in time for Sunday night football!! Can't wait!