big smoke in MES 30in

smokinq13

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south central Pennsylvania

• Aug 10, 2017

• #1

Well I started this morning smoking the pork shoulders we are having for a surprise anniversary. there's going to be around 80 people and I will be smoking 7 pork shoulders(picnic). I did have trouble fixing two on the same rack but they went in, they are teaching some though. I'm going to smoke them till a temp of around 160-165 and then take them out and wrap them and finish in the oven.

I will be updating this post through-out the process and w/ pictures

pork.jpg

• smokinq13
• Aug 10, 2017

 

smokinq13

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• Aug 10, 2017

• #2

**Update

Looks like I'm in for the long haul, over two hours in and smoker is yet up to temperature(275)... its at 210 right now. I think I'm at its limit for cold/water mass, hopefully not over

 

SmokinAl

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• Aug 10, 2017

• #3

Just don't open the smoker door, that's a lot of cold meat you put in there & it's going to take a while to get things warmed up in there.

Al

 

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greg1

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• Aug 10, 2017

• #4

Good luck you've got this.  As stated above its going to take awhile for the smoker to get heated up with the cold meat in there.  Next batch try sitting the shoulders out 45 minutes or so before throwing them in the smoker.  Looking for to seeing pics as the day goes along.

 

smokinq13

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• Aug 10, 2017

• #5

**Update

about 6 hours in and the first three shoulders are averaging 175! which is fantastic. I'm still going to pull them out here soon and finish them in the oven( so I can start the others) but I wouldn't think they would be done this quick! I have ran into a little problem... the amount of drippings is ridiculous! I just emptied my pan and I filled up a 5 quart pot!, I'm afraid that I'm not going to have enough room for when I do the other 4 shoulders, guess I'll just have to check them little sooner and empty the pan!

 

werdwolf

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• Aug 10, 2017

• #6

For the other 4 shoulders, take them up and out of the safety zone, then turn the MES down to 200 degrees and leave them in there over night ( I leave mine foiled at that point), and then get up in the morning and let them rest for 1-2 hours and they will be fine.

 

smokinq13

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• Aug 10, 2017

• #7

​well 14 hours later and the last four shoulders are in the oven finishing up. ​the first three turned out great! the bark was what I wanted and I got a good bit of meat from them! crazy thing was the first three produced almost, I'd say twice as much drippings, kind of weird since there was a whole one more shoulder in the second batch. I forgot to take pictures of the last four shoulders but the bark wasn't as good as the first three. I believe its do to the fact there was more meat/ cold mass in the smoker which would not allow the cook temp. to get up high enough to caramelize the outside of it. 

I definitely think 3 large shoulders/butts or 4 modern size ones is the max​ for the MES 30in... it got the job done but there was no room what's so ever to spare, actually I kind of had to stuff the 4 shoulders in there or they wouldn't have fit. I believe the bigger model is in sight for the future or even an other type of smoker...

now just waiting for these ones to get done then let them rest and chuck them up to bag. what's everyone think?  

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• smokinq13
• Aug 10, 2017

2.jpg

• smokinq13
• Aug 10, 2017

3.jpg

• smokinq13
• Aug 10, 2017

5.jpg

• smokinq13
• Aug 10, 2017

 

GaryHibbert

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• Aug 10, 2017

• #8

That's a heck of a big smoke for a MES 30.  But you persevered and the results look really good.  I'm thinking your pulled pork will be a big hit at the party.  Nice job.

Gary

 

smokinq13

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• Aug 11, 2017

• #9

GaryHibbert said:

That's a heck of a big smoke for a MES 30.  But you persevered and the results look really good.  I'm thinking your pulled pork will be a big hit at the party.  Nice job.

Gary

Click to expand...

Thanks! The last four could have been done longer, it wasn't quite fall off the bone tender but i beleive once I reheat it all and mix it all together its gonna be good! The first three was perfect, i couldn't pick the shoulders up without them falling apart

 

Last edited: Aug 11, 2017

smokinq13

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• Aug 14, 2017

• #10

well the surprise party went great, but better yet the food turned out fantastic!(as I just finish up a leftover pulled pork sandwich). we had ALOT left over, I mean probably 3 or so pork shoulders worth so I ended up giving some away to friends but I still ended up with bringing about a gallon bag FULL of pork which I wont complain about. I think the recipe I used is going to be my go to for now on, as it meets everything(mostly) that I look for in pulled pork. I know it was a hit for the people at the party, had many people coming back for not just 2nds but 3rds 4ths and even 5ths! so either they haven't ate all week or it was just that good 

once again thanks for all the help, you guys( and really the whole forum) made the pulled pork what it turned out to be!