First attempt at pulled pork and need some help

Try using the search tool up top..it works..

Or here is how I do it!!

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/128258/todays-smoke-a-tale-of-two-butts

Or...

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/57139/basic-pulled-pork-smoke

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/wiki/finishing-sauce-for-pulled-pork-by-soflaquer

  Craig

Well lets see if I can give ya a hand, what kind of thermometer are you using a dial or digital not that it matters I guess because I put mine in when the meat goes on, if foiling I will pull the probe then stick it back in after wrapping, now some may say the juice will leak out and maybe cause the meat to dry a little but at least you still have the juice trapped in the foil and not oozing out around the probe where the foil is loose. 160 is up to you, that's usually around when the platue starts and some will foil to help get through that stall calling it done at 190 is usually good most will say when the bone wiggles and starts to pull free you're done. Hope that helps.

For pulling I take mine to 205 It.

My answers in red...all personal preference of course!

rico13gt said:

I have an 8lb butt that I plan on smoking Saturday. I know what temp, rub, IT and all that stuff as far as the actual smoke goes but still have some questions.

Do I put the meat thermometer in the butt right away and leave it in the whole time?  I usually wait about 4 hours before inserting the thermometer but have inserted at the start with no issues.

If yes, do I wrap the foil around the probe when I'm ready to wrap?  If you are definitely wrapping then try to avoid contact with the probe.  I don't wrap.

I wrap at 160* and pull at 195* correct?  This is a preference thing, but if wrapping I would do so around 165 and cook to an IT of 205.

And finally any recipes on a sauce or BBQ sauce to put on the pulled pork when done?  Here are my favorites.  The first recipe is a great finishing sauce to apply after pulling the second is a sauce to apply just prior to consumption!  http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/129351/pgsmokers-best-damn-sauce-ever-bdse

Thanks for all the help in advance. I will do a Q view of this and of my annual skip work to watch basketball party on Friday where I have two chickens and a pork loin going. Can't wait for the weekend.

Click to expand...

Good luck and be sure to post plenty of Q-view!!!!

Here is my 2 cents worth as well.....

I usually stick my remote read meat probe in when I put the meat on the smoker.  Reason I do it up front is I don't like opening the smoker unless it's really really necessary (remember, if you are looking you ain't cooking).

You can wrap at 160-165* or not, it's up to you. If you like good bark go unwrapped the entire smoke as it will be soft bark and not as fully formed if you wrap at 160-165*.  You will find a mix of opinions on which way to go on this, but neither is right or wrong.

If you do wrap, yes - take the probe out and re-insert it through the foil.  I have wrapped a few times, and after wrapping, just stuck it back in.  Most probes maker have some statement of do not immerse, and wrapping the cord inside the foil would possibly expose it to the steam from the meat so I do the probe only through the wrap.

There are several finishing sauce recipes on this site and all I have tried are good.  I used SoFlaQuer's finishing sauce on the last two shoulders I did and I liked it. I have not tried Bill's sauce which is in his reply above, but there have been a lot of good comments on it as well.

One more tip....  Don't panic if the meat stalls at either 165* or 180*, it happens.  Just remember you are cooking by temperature and not by time and "done time" can only be an estimate.  The meat will be done/cooked at 160* and above, but it will not be pulled pork tender until it hits 195-205*.  It takes time and temperature to break down the connective tissue and make that wonderful flavor of pulled pork.  If you get in a pinch and it's stalled and you have dinner guest giving you glaring looks asking when can they eat, you can put a foiled shoulder in the kitchen oven at 350 to finish the cook, but I have only done this once in all my years of smoking.

One last thing, don't forget to let the foiled meat rest in a cooler for at least 30 minutes before pulling.  If it's a big chest, wrap the foil/meat package with several towels to form a dead air space and keep as much heat in the meat as possible.  I have kept meat like this for up to 5 hours and it was still steaming hot and almost too hot to touch with my hands while pulling.

You are going to do fine and will have a great time....  enjoy the smoke

I'm going to repeat the same as many above but wanted to contribute...

i dont probe untill 4 hours in...usually at this point if you've maintained atleast a 225 smoker temp you should be atleast around 155 IT. I would smoke for atleast 6 hours before wrapping (if you want to wrap at all) to absorb as much smoke as possible. I rarely wrap...only if i'm in a bind and need to get the temp up quick.

bring the butt to atleast 190 if you want it to pull apart easily. One method to test the tenderness is tug at the bone...if it comes out clean you are in a good spot!

Good luck!

Here's what I did last weekend, with recipes and everything. Since I was using my gas smoker I put the therm in until the 4 hour mark. The heat loss is minimal when I open that unit and it recovers quickly. If I had been using my charcoal unit I would have probed from the start. I don't foil, and I pull my butts at 205*

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/138141/the-tail-of-two-butts

Good Luck with your smoke!

Looks like we have you covered from all angles!

If you have questions or issues during the smoke please don't hesitate to PM any of us!  We love this stuff!!!!

Bill

If you insert the probe before the surface temp is at least 140* you have compromised the surface and the 40*-140* rule comes into play.

I never insert a probe until many hours into a smoke because I really don't care what the temp is until it starts getting close to 190* so I know when to start checking for tenderness.

I like putting them in a pan to catch the juice.
If your going to foil all you have to do is cover the pan.
After its done just stick it in a cooler like they said above.
For at least an hour . I like two hours or more.
Then defat the juice and pour back over the pulled pork.

Looks like all is going good! Keep the pics coming.

rico13gt said:

And to top it off it smells delicious. This is by far the longest smoke I have done and I truly cannot wait to eat this pork!!!

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You can wait, actually you have to. Lol. That's part of the fun of butts, they decide when you eat, not you.

Good going so far...settle in and wait out the stall.  No telling how long it'll take.  Every butt has a mind of its own.