Smoking a Pulled Pork today and having trouble keeping the temparture up.

shea1973 · Feb 9, 2013

At about 6:00 am I started my fire in the smoker with Charcoal and Apple chunks. At about 7:30 am Was about 275, so I decided to put it in, I know it is high temp, but figured the temp would drop when I opened it to put the Pork Shoulder in. The temp dropped to about 190, so I waited figured it would heat back up, but didn't went down to about 175. Keep putting in more charcoal and Apple chunks but the heat would not go past 190. So finally I put in a bunch of Charcoal and Apple chunks and the heat shoot back up to about 270. Then about 45 minutes it was back down to about 190 again. I just can't seem to keep the temp past 190. Trying to get it and keep it around 225. The vent on top is not close, but close to being closed because trying to keep the heat in. So any suggestions how to get the temp up to around 225 and keep it their with out it dropping so fast? Last time I put a bunch of Charcoal and Apple chunks there was a lot of White Smoke, so I don't want to keep putting on so much and then making to much white smoke.

Thank you for any help and suggestions.

s2k9k · Feb 9, 2013

What kind of smoker is it?

Try opening the top vent, you might not be getting enough airflow.

shea1973 · Feb 9, 2013

It is a Brinkman. I went and open up the top vent about halfway and the vent on the side is open up all the way. Here is a link to a pic of what my Brinkman looks like.

http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h146/TSP_1973/Food I made/Picture011-1.jpg

pgsmoker64 · Feb 9, 2013

What Dave said...if you leave the top vent closed you won't get proper air flow.

We need to know what type of smoker you are using to be able to help properly.

Bill

shea1973 · Feb 9, 2013

The meat was 46 when I put it in the Smoker, it is now up to about 108 on the meat temp.

pgsmoker64 · Feb 9, 2013

Another question...are you using a digital thermometer or the one on the smoker?

shea1973 · Feb 9, 2013

I am using a Maverick. Has two themometers on it, one is in the meat the other is in laying inside the smoker. I open the vent like you said, put a few more pecies apple chunks and charcoal in it. The temp is slowly rises, it was at 178 but now is at 204. So sounds like opening the top vent some more like you suggested is doing the trick.

pgsmoker64 · Feb 9, 2013

Shea1973 said:
I am using a Maverick. Has two themometers on it, one is in the meat the other is in laying inside the smoker. I open the vent like you said, put a few more pecies apple chunks and charcoal in it. The temp is slowly rises, it was at 178 but now is at 204. So sounds like opening the top vent some more like you suggested is doing the trick.

Great to hear Shea!

Be sure to send us some q-view of this smoke! Ya know we love it and I definitely would like to see yours!

Bill

wes w · Feb 9, 2013

If you have a water pan that could also be slowing your temp down. I have that problem and account for it. Until the water gets heated up.

shea1973 · Feb 9, 2013

I have a water pan and last time I opened the door to spray the pork with Apple Juice I checked the water and it was to a boil. The temp stayed high for awhile but finally went back down again to about 160, so put a lot of charcoal and apple chunks and the temp is on the way back up. I do have a few Hickory Logs left, was thinking about throwing just one on, since hickory burns for awhile. But I am afraid it might take the Apple taste away being that Hickory is such a strong flavor? Also a lot of white smoke for the last for the last 30 minutes or so.

pgsmoker64 · Feb 9, 2013

Just my opinion, but I think hickory gives pork an awesome flavor...it may overpower the apple smoke just a touch but you should be okay.

Sounds like you are adding hot coals when needed...I normally use the Minion method, putting lit coals on top of unlit, and they light up as they go and maintain a pretty steady temp. WIth your temps up and down like that it could take your pork a while to finish up...

I don't normally say this, but think about getting some good smoke on your butt until it hits about 155 - 165 then put it in the oven for the remainder of the cook at a steady 225 - 240.

Just a thought.

Bill

shea1973 · Feb 10, 2013

The Pork Shoulder got up to about 155 so took it out and wrapped it in Tinfoil with Apple Juice. Like I mentioned before finances have been tight and trying to buy wood with the finanaces has been tough for awhile. But was able to finally buy some Apple chunks about a month ago. Being after about 6 hours of smoking a Pork Shoulder, which my understanding after that time is about the maxium for getting the flavor of the smoked wood in, and being that it was being wrapped in foil it would save money to just put the oven on 230 instead of using more Apple chunks and Charcoal. So finally about 6:30 pm it was done, the temp of the Pork was about 205. The Pulled Pork was very mouth watering, the meat was so tender it literally melted in our mouths!

I do have a couple of questions about the pulled pork I smoked. The Pork Shoulder was reading about 205, but when I shreaded it some of the pecies was a kinda dark red color, but 95% was your normal color for being cooked. One of my family members said he wasn't sure if it was completly done. He still of course ate it. So I am sure it was completly done, but just wanted to ask.

Another question I have is that I cooked it on Apple chunks and Charcoal, but it didn't seem to have much Apple Flavor to it. It seem like I could barely taste it. There is a guy that I bought the Apple chunks from, but he also sells Pecan, Mesquite and Cherry chunks. What is the best to use for Pork Shoulder?

daveomak · Feb 10, 2013

Shea, morning...... Using a water pan has 3 consequences when smoking in my opinion..... First, when trying to get temps above 212, the water uses up the heat trying to boil the water.... sucks a lot of btu's....Second, smoke mixed with water can make acidic smoke making for bad tasting food... water and smoke = acid rain.... Third, when the water boils, depending on ventilation in your smoker, the steam can starve the fire for oxygen....

Try smoking some grub without water in the pan... You will find the smoker runs at higher temps given the same conditions and less fuel will be used.... The surface of the food will be "drier" and more smoke will be absorbed if a pellicle is formed on the meat...

That's my opinion on smoking meat.... Dave

shea1973 · Feb 10, 2013

Thank You DaveOmak, I will give that a try next time.

pgsmoker64 · Feb 10, 2013

Shea1973 said:
I do have a couple of questions about the pulled pork I smoked. The Pork Shoulder was reading about 205, but when I shreaded it some of the pecies was a kinda dark red color, but 95% was your normal color for being cooked. One of my family members said he wasn't sure if it was completly done. He still of course ate it. So I am sure it was completly done, but just wanted to ask.

Another question I have is that I cooked it on Apple chunks and Charcoal, but it didn't seem to have much Apple Flavor to it. It seem like I could barely taste it. There is a guy that I bought the Apple chunks from, but he also sells Pecan, Mesquite and Cherry chunks. What is the best to use for Pork Shoulder?

Hi Shea, first of all I would say that Dave gave you some great information, as per usual!

Your comment on the color of the pork...trust me it was fine and 205 was a good temp, the pork was completely cooked and sounds like it was fantastic.

Next, your apple flavor comment...you will not get an apple flavor from the wood smoke, you get an apple wood smoke flavor. Fruit woods impart a lighter smoke flavor but don't believe I've ever experienced an actual fruit flavor unless I used that particular fruit in the brine, marinade, injection, or sauce.

My personal preference is a 50/50 combination of hickory and cherry woods. I love the flavors the smoke imparts to pork especially.

Glad to hear your smoke worked out well.

Bill

shea1973 · Feb 24, 2013

Sorry about it taking so long to post the pics on the pulled pork I smoked. I left my good camera at a friends house and used my old camera which is kinda crappy and just now found the disk to install it again.

http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h146/TSP_1973/Food I made/013_zps7a7e57a2.jpg

http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h146/TSP_1973/Food I made/014-1_zps01271cd2.jpg

Have no idea why I can't get the pictures to show up here on the forums like the rest of you do. I use Photobucket.

Smoking a Pulled Pork today and having trouble keeping the temparture up.

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