Basic Pulled Pork Smoke

[sin]

View media item 207377
View media item 207378
Pulled pork sandwich leftovers a few nights back. It's the pork from that butt I smoked a few posts back.

 

[franklin3]

I have YET to figure out the love affair with slaw on my bbq pork

NOTTTTTTTTTTT


Wd

You just haven't had the right slaw!

 

[flash]

You just haven't had the right slaw!

This is true. I lost a bet on a Poll I put here on SMF asking if members preferred slaw on their pulled pork sammie. I was sure it would be NO. Boy, did I go down in flames. My bet was I would put slaw on my next sandwich when I made pulled pork and I knew I would use my neighbors slaw. My folks always made this very runny slaw while my neighbors has more of a vinegar and was much dryer than my moms. I made it thru the sandwich just fine and have actually had several more since.

 

[kerstingm]

I totally agree you hit this out of the park. You cannot rush a good piece of meat. The main issue I have is I am not getting right texture where the pork just pulls apart. I think it either is getting too hot in spots or not cooking long enough. The best one to date was cooked over 12 hours.

 

[motochief]

Great thread with great instructions to get amazing pulled pork every time. Thanks!

 

[rcwbud]

Very nicely done. All of us differ a little in how we do things. I like to do the fat side up. I think it cooks the fat down in the meat and helps to keep it moist but I don't have any real evidence that is true. I wrap in serran wrap and then tin foil at the same 165 mark. A friend of mine that owned a bbq joint suggested that and it really holds the juice in the meat. One thing about that though, it will cause the meat temp to rise fast right at the end of the cook so when it gets to 187 or so you have to monitor it because it will fly to 200 from there. Other than that we are almost exactly the same.

 

[rcwbud]

I agreed with whoever said it is not the time rather it is the heat. Letting it set for a little while helps too. It sort of locks in the moisture of the meat and once it relaxes a bit it will pull easier. I use bearclaws and they really rip it apart nicely. Got mine at Smoke and Fire.

 

[cnysmoke]

My cousin bought a Great Outdoors Smoky Mountain propane smoker and used it once. He said it was way to much of a pain to use so I said give it to me and I will give it a try and if I like it I'll buy it. I love to cook and grill but I have NEVER used a smoker. I googled pulled pork (my absolute favorite) and there was a link to this site and this post. So I read Meowey's post and said I think I can do that. Also I'm also an Upstate New Yorker so I thought this guy must be alright..lol. I can say with out any reservations this was the BEST pulled pork I have ever had. I fed my wife and kids, my parents, and my brothers family and everyone was blown away at how awesome it came out. I learned a lot about smoking and my new smoker but I now have the confidence to try to experiment more. I do need to try a few other suggestions I have read like using sand in the water pan and installing a needle valve on my smoker to try to get more stable temps and more accurate adjustments. If you guys think these are good ideas or bad ones please give me some input.

Meowey thank you and everyone on this site for the help and info

P.S. I used SoFlaQers finishing sauce it was also perfect Thanks for the suggestion

Regards,

cnysmoke

 

[canuck12]

Meowy,

Thanks a bunch for the tutorial! I followed it "almost" to a tee and my first ever attempt was a huge success.

 

[franklin3]

The last one I smoked I took a closer look as the temps approached 160 degrees I found that in my smoker it took about one hour to raise the internal temp 10 degrees.  At 180 there was still a lot of resistance pushing the thermometer in and the shoulder still had a lot of "firmness" to the touch.  at 190 the firmness was gone  and by 195 the shoulder had relaxed and the thermometer went in like hot butter.  The connective tissue had dissolved.  I'm thinking maybe this is the stage where the temp stall occurs.  When the connective tissue is breaking down and melting but the meat does not seem to gain any in temp rise.  No science to prove this that I know of but it seems logical to me.

 

[flash]

The last one I smoked I took a closer look as the temps approached 160 degrees I found that in my smoker it took about one hour to raise the internal temp 10 degrees.  At 180 there was still a lot of resistance pushing the thermometer in and the shoulder still had a lot of "firmness" to the touch.  at 190 the firmness was gone  and by 195 the shoulder had relaxed and the thermometer went in like hot butter.  The connective tissue had dissolved.  I'm thinking maybe this is the stage where the temp stall occurs.  When the connective tissue is breaking down and melting but the meat does not seem to gain any in temp rise.  No science to prove this that I know of but it seems logical to me.

Well unless you prefer to wrap in foil.

 

[north bay jed]

cnysmoke, I have one of those GSM propane water smokers too, and I get perfect butts with it constantly. Im still working on my brisket but hey...lol

 

[franklin3]

Well unless you prefer to wrap in foil.

I have done it both ways foil and not foiled and prefer to foil them at between 160 and 175.  My point is that the tenderness does not take place until higher temps are reached weather its wrapped or not makes no difference you still need to get over the stall and reach temps around 200 degrees to get that connective tissue to break down and melt.  Thye differences I have noticed when I don't wrap them in foil is the bark is more crisp and when I wrap them the bark is more tender.

 

[snowdog71]

I really gotta start looking at these forums closer before i start smoking and freak out half way through great info thanks Rick

 

[ciscoluck]

think im gonna try that over he fourth.wrap butt n ice libations 12 hrs ahead got it

 

[luv to smoke]

Good Afternoon,

I signed up today on the Smoke Forum Website just to be able to tell you that I used your process today for a first time Shoulder smoke. I used it step by step because I didn't have a clue. We recently just bought a smoker at X-mas and have smoked a few racks of ribs (love them darn ribs). My brother in law gave us a whole shoulder  (like including the leg and foot) (OMG) I was a little overwhelmed. I guessed alot and cut where I thought and got it down to some sizes that would work for our smoker. Anywayyyy..... like I was saying I used your step by step process and it turned out just wonderful. All the way down to letting it rest (it really needed to rest). So thanks alot!!! I love this website forum and hope to use it alot in the future. 

Thanks 

 

[greenboy222]

Going to try this today. Thank you for the great info and advice!!!!

 

[sharkinor]

Been following along on the advice, butt just hit 165 IT, put it in foil, now to wait for the 195-205 mark, rubbed it down with grill masters applewood rub and smoked it with apple wood and Stubbs wood chip blend! View media item 237025

 

[smokxstr]

Sharkinor man that's lookin great i was just there the 4th, I think your nailing it. Looks like your using charcoal ?.  I wished i would have foiled earlier as your doing.

super job and lets hear some plans on sauce or whatever, I need some ideas i have a bowl full left and thinking about making the slaw thing. Haven't a clue about that but went and bought cabbage.

Again great Job 

Later  

 

[sharkinor]

Use some charcoal as the base fuel source as all I could get my hands on was applewood chunks, sauce wise just gonna use a Memphis style BBQ sauce from the store, didn't think about making a finishing sauce till it was to late, I was more worried about the butt