A new and total success!

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eag2000

Newbie
Original poster
Dec 23, 2014
8
12
Huntsville, AL
Synopsis - Process - Result

I got a new MES 40 a week ago.  I read up on it alot before using, seeing many past problems with temperature, control board, etcetera.  I experienced none of those problems and hope not to.  What really concerned me was what would become my first smoke on it - a 26-pound fresh pork hind-quarter that my wife got (without my knowledge) at a local meat market . 

I proceeded to inject the pork with about a 90/10 mixture of apple juice and maple syrup.  Then, cross-hatched the fat, rubbed the whole thing down with some of the maple syrup along with a dry rub - brown sugar mixture, and set it in the fridge overnight.  I had no idea how long the smoke would take, seeing time-per-pound estimates ranging from 30 minutes to 1.5 hours, so I prepared for anywhere between 13 and 39 hours.  It actually wound up staying in the smoker for 16 hours, reaching 170 internal (according to digital meat probe) at the 12-hour mark and staying there to the end.  I got plenty of smoke using damp hickory chips via the chip loader about 8 times over 10 hours.  After 4 times, emptied the tray of about half- full ash and smoldering embers.  Drip tray only wound up close to full at the end from basting, because I put the aluminum pan on shelf under meat for the duration.  Water bowl only filled initially with about 80/20 water and apple juice.  Along the way starting at the 4-hour mark, I sprayed the pork down every 2 hours with a 45/45/10 mixture of apple cider vinegar, apple juice and maple syrup.  Smoker temp was set at 225 for 10 hours, then 210 for 2 hours to the 12-hour mark, then 180 to the end.         

The result was nothing short of spectacular.  That hunk of pork sung with succulence!  Only a very small amount of exposed meat on the end was a little dry, as expected.


At the start...


At 5 hours


At 10 hours


Finished product


All the various parts, sliced up, moist & tender!
 
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Reactions: crazymoon
Congrats on your first success! U will be hooked now. Use the search for jj's pulled pork finishing sauce recipe it is awesome. Good luck on your future smokes :)
 
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