Hey guys, got a few questions for you as I dive (head first) in to this PP experiment.
I've read through the sticky page and various other threads trying to put together a basic smoke for my first go at it. Went the store and got a 8 lbs. pork shoulder butt (bone-in), mopped it with a molasses and yellow mustard mixture and then covered in a basic rub I found using the handy dandy search function. Wrapped it up, stuck her in the fridge and plan on leaving it there as long as I can.
FYI, I'll be using a Brinkmann electric smoke-n-grill, the weather will be crappy (of course) with temps hovering around freezing with the likelihood of a few light snow showers.
This is where you guys come in:
1) I have a oven safe meat thermometer but have yet to invest in one of the fancy digital jobs. Will checking the meat's IT periodically throughout the smoke be an OK way to monitor it? Or should I just leave it stuck in the shoulder?
2) Fat side up or fat side down? In the pork sticky it says fat side down, but don't I want gravity do its thing, let the fat run down through the shoulder?
3) After I foil the shoulder at 165F, it continues to cook foiled until it reaches ~200F. Does the plateau happen during the foiling stage? Is the meat done at 195-205F?
I appreciate any input, thanks for helping out.
I've read through the sticky page and various other threads trying to put together a basic smoke for my first go at it. Went the store and got a 8 lbs. pork shoulder butt (bone-in), mopped it with a molasses and yellow mustard mixture and then covered in a basic rub I found using the handy dandy search function. Wrapped it up, stuck her in the fridge and plan on leaving it there as long as I can.
FYI, I'll be using a Brinkmann electric smoke-n-grill, the weather will be crappy (of course) with temps hovering around freezing with the likelihood of a few light snow showers.
This is where you guys come in:
1) I have a oven safe meat thermometer but have yet to invest in one of the fancy digital jobs. Will checking the meat's IT periodically throughout the smoke be an OK way to monitor it? Or should I just leave it stuck in the shoulder?
2) Fat side up or fat side down? In the pork sticky it says fat side down, but don't I want gravity do its thing, let the fat run down through the shoulder?
3) After I foil the shoulder at 165F, it continues to cook foiled until it reaches ~200F. Does the plateau happen during the foiling stage? Is the meat done at 195-205F?
I appreciate any input, thanks for helping out.