Pulled pork for the lazy man

[zug]

Hey guys,
I love pulled pork but it can to so long from start to finish, I was wondering if anyone had smoked there butt for say 6hr (from what I have read meat will not take more smoke after that) then drop it in the crock pot with some apple juice\beer till finished drain and serve?

Thanks Zug

 

[bigbaldbbq]

I'm sure you could. When I am doing a cook for longer periods when I get to the foil stage I will and have used the oven the finish bringing it up to the temp I want it at.

 

[phreak]

You could probably get away with it in Michigan. Down south that would be grounds for dismissal.

Seriously though, why not just stick it in the crock pot from the beginning with a whole lot of liquid smoke.

OK dead serious this time...You're probably not going to get many on here saying that method is acceptable for good BBQ.

 

[graybeard]

not a good idea! Why ruin it. You can smoke it faster if you must by raising the temp. @ 300 it would cook in 5 or 6 hours.

 

[zug]

I can and have done it both ways Crock and Smoker but never used both I just like to go to bed at a noramal time it seems like the last few times I smoked 8-10lbs they stall out for hours

. I was just wondering if anyone had tryed it and if you would lose all the nice bark.

Zug

 

[bbq engineer]

Couple of suggestions that don't involve the crock pot...

1. Raise the temp and cook faster.
2. Increase the surface area (cut it into smaller sections) which will also cook it faster. I do this a lot, since a whole butt will make more than Mrs. Engineer and I can possibly eat. I also love the bark, and by increasing the surface area, you get more of the delicious bark and beautiful pink / purple smoke ring. If you ever get country style pork ribs, you are doing the same thing, and they are done pretty quick.

 

[bman62526]

It all depends...The first point should be made, that is is a MYTH that any piece of meat will only "take smoke" for xxx amount of hours...3, 4, 6 - whatever. I believe what you are thinking of, is the smoke ring. Once the internal temp reaches 140° +, then the smoke ring will quit forming. However, a piece of meat will still continue to take on the FLAVOR of more smoke - as long as you are introducing smoke to the cooking chamber.

Now as far as your question, if I'm cooking for my immediate family, I see NOTHING wrong with smoking a pork butt for at least 4 hours, and then finishing it off in the oven or maybe the crockpot for a few hours. Let's face it, if we all had 8 hours of free time every Saturday - we'd all be slackers

OF course, if you are a propane or electric smoker, I guess you can set it and forget it, but that's a whole other argument that I will chose never to get into ;-)

It is best (and true to the art of BBQ) if you do the whole 8 hours or whatever it takes, on the smoker. It is ALWAYS going to taste better. Also, if I'm cooking for extended family, friends, co-workers, etc...I'm never finishing off my meat in the crockpot - because I want to show I can do an authentic Que! For just me and the wife, however, I'll do whatever I have time for...I'd rather tend my fire for 4 hours and then finish in the oven, than not get to tend the fire at all because I don't have 9 hours of free time!

 

[zug]

I have only ever tryed 225 temp on butts I'll try raising it up next time see if that helps.

Thanks Zug

 

[bman62526]

I posted something a couple weeks back about this...I had a 9.5 lb. pork butt, and I cut it into 6 softball-size pieces. Took 3 hours off the total cook time (still took 7 hours) had LOTS more bark, and tasted just like if I'd have left it whole. Also, I don't know about smoking at 300° for any length, as I think that would dry out the outer layers before the inner portion of meat is done (if you leave the butt whole) However, the last butt I did, I maintained an AVERAGE of 240° - sometimes 260 and sometimes 220...but I was aiming for 240...the point is - you could aim for 250 - 260 and be fine, and get done a lot faster than staying at 225.

 

[zug]

Thanks for the advise guys, I think I will try cutting it up and raising the temp a little. 7hrs I can handle but 14hr gets to be a long day.

Thanks Zug

 

[maker4life]

Four hours in the smoke and four hours in the foil . Cook at 250-275 and after eight hours the bone will slide out clean . No need for a fourteen hour cook unless you've got a whole hog on there .

 

[dirtman775]

Really? Marker, i'll try that at an upcomming party im doin and let ya know how it went. im one of those 12hr smoke jobbers

 

[maker4life]

I've done hundreds that way .

 

[alx]

.....................

 

[ddave]

I'd be inclined to agree with the temps. Don't know about the time though. Depends on the piece of meat. Although I'd imagine at 8 hours you'd be close. Over time, some would come out better than others.

I'd go with "in the smoke" till 165° then "in the foil" til 195°.

Depending on the size of your smoker, jost smoke a couple (or more) then baggie and freeze it. Then you can have pulled pork pretty much anytime you want.

Well, until you run out and need to smoke some more.

Never tried the country style ribs method. May have to give that a go.

Dave

 

[bbqandfootball]

I think it ultimatly depends on how thick of a bark you want.

5-7 hours in the smoke, then in the oven/crockpot till done done.

Nothing at all wrong with finishing in the oven. In fact, I prefer it. Less money, less effort. We all know the energy involved in making Q 100% on the pit. Doesn't mean it has to be done when you can repilicate it with 65% in the smoke, 35% in the oven.

Whether or not the meat takes on all the smoke it will, is a mute question.

The question is how smokey do you like it.

I think there is this manly myth out there that you cannot finish Q in the oven that has/should have been long ago dispelled.

Again, to answer your question... I think the desired amount of bark is the question here.

 

[bigsteve]

Great thread, good info.

 

[maker4life]

Same here , if my cooker hits 250 I'm looking to stoke it 25-50 degrees . The meat will nearly melt between your fingers but still be plenty firm to eat .

 

[mulepackin]

I've found that if you increase the temp too much, it will get "done" sooner, in that the internal temp gets where you want, but the meat can be tough and not pull properly. Low and slow is still the best. I've done several with about 4 hours of smoker time at around 200 deg. then whatever time it takes to finish in foil in a 265 deg. oven.

 

[creative rock]

Zug

This is only my opinion, since I have used many crockpots, You could do it with the combination. But I am tending to agree with everyone else as far as doing it all in the smoker, even finish off in oven.

You will lose the texture of the bark, maybe a bit of the flavor by using the crockpot... I have finished it in a pressure cooker, kept a lot of the flavor, maybe all, but it still, and this is my opinion, softens the bark to a point where it isn't almost there... BUT still better flavor than not smoking at all. ;) (note, if using a pressure cooker, use the apple juice, or combo of apple, and vinegar, keep meat out of the liquid, let the steam finish the meat... after done, and after pulling the meat, taste the liquid, add some brown sugar if you feel is necessary, and moisten the meat with the left over juice)

dang, now I am hungry,
Matt
aka Rocky