Final Qview-Two Pork Picnic Shoulders, Can the Bradley take it!

[disco]

I have some friends coming over for a party and I got two 7 pound Pork Picnic Shoulders.

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• disco
• Jun 13, 2013

This will be my first long smoke with the A-MAZE-N Pellet Smoker (AMNPS).

I skinned the shoulders and removed most of the surface fat. Here they are with one prepped. I saved the fat for sausages.

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• disco
• Jun 13, 2013

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• disco
• Jun 13, 2013

I rubbed them down with my own Passing Wind Estates paprika based rub right after breakfast this morning and let them sit in the fridge.

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• disco
• Jun 13, 2013

At 10 pm. I put them in a 230 F Bradley with the AMNPS loaded with a mixture of Oak, Hickory and Cherry pellets.

As you can see, they take up a lot of room but I have a few inches around all surfaces, the smoke is coming through fine and the Bradley got up to temperature fine.

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• disco
• Jun 13, 2013

On arising tomorrow, if the internal temperature (IT) is above 140 F, I will foil them with some apple juice. My main concern is the shoulder a few inches under the vent. I hope it is hot enough.

I will post more Qview as I go.

 

[disco]

Dang, the AMNPS went out. Good thing I checked before I went to bed. I will keep an eye on it for a while before going to bed.

 

[woodcutter]

Your going to have great food at your party. I haven't used cherry in my AMNPS but have read others say it is tricky to keep it lit. I think you did the right thing mixing with the hickory and oak. Any ideas why it went out?

 

[Bearcarver]

Looks good Disco!!!

I guess you didn't inject it or probe it before starting?

Bear

 

[smokinhusker]

Looking good! 

 

[kathrynn]

Ditto...on the cherry...gotta put something else with it to keep it lit!  Looks yummers!  You still crack me up with the Passin' Wind Estates names.  giggle!

Kat

 

[themule69]

I bet they are going to be great.

Happy smoken.

David

 

[disco]

Your going to have great food at your party. I haven't used cherry in my AMNPS but have read others say it is tricky to keep it lit. I think you did the right thing mixing with the hickory and oak. Any ideas why it went out?

Thanks, Todd. I think I know. I was so concerned about fat building up on the bottom of the Bradley due to the amount of meat and a possible fire risk with the AMNPS being on the floor as well, I turned it lengthwise on the bottom to make room for a bowl. This put the AMNPS quite close to the heating element so I put foil over it to shield it. I am pretty sure I put it on too tight and oxygen starved it. When I loosened the foil up and re-lit it, it went fine.

Looks good Disco!!!

I guess you didn't inject it or probe it before starting?

Bear

Thanks Bear. No. From what I've read here and other places, with the length of time it takes to heat up, there is too much risk of taking bacteria into the centre of the meat. I hope I'm right, I don't want any sick guests!

 

[disco]

Ditto...on the cherry...gotta put something else with it to keep it lit!  Looks yummers!  You still crack me up with the Passin' Wind Estates names.  giggle!

Kat

Thanks Kat. It worked fine with the other woods once I solved a problem with a too tight foil shield.

Looking good! 

Thanks, Alesia!

Disco

 

[disco]

I bet they are going to be great.

Happy smoken.

David

Thanks, David. I sure hope so.

Disco

 

[chef willie]

As much as I'd like to inject sometimes 'just' to do it I've read the same info as you and don't although I've seen them do it on Pitmasters often. So, thinking you made the right call especially with guests coming over. And I usually don't insert my temp probe right away for the same reason.....Willie

 

[disco]

At 6:30 am, my old guy internal alarm woke me. One but was at 154 F IT. The other was at 156 F IT. Here is a picture of them.

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• disco
• Jun 14, 2013

The lower one didn't brown up as well but the texture was crispy and I believe it will be fine.

I had been worried about fat building up on the bottom of the Bradley. I put a pan on the rack below each of the shoulders and this did successfully catch the vast majority of the fat. I would like to know if anyone smokes them with the meat right in the pan. It seems to me this would be safer but I would like to know if affects the bark or flavour. Any advice would be appreciated. 

I put them in the pans with some apple juice and foil over the top and back into the Bradley.

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• disco
• Jun 14, 2013

I crashed for a couple of hours and when I awoke at 8:30, it was already up to 190 F. However, it didn't feel quite tender enough when I put another probe in so I am taking it to 200 F IT.

 

[disco]

As much as I'd like to inject sometimes 'just' to do it I've read the same info as you and don't although I've seen them do it on Pitmasters often. So, thinking you made the right call especially with guests coming over. And I usually don't insert my temp probe right away for the same reason.....Willie

Thanks, Willie.

I am still in the experimenting stage so I don't want to try anything new, particularly for guests. For example, I want to try the foiling sauce Chef Jimmy J posted at http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/110881/foiling-juice-chef-jimmyj

However, I have done it this way with good success and didn't want to take a chance with guests coming over. I will experiment on She Who Must Be Obeyed and myself.

I particularly didn't want to risk contaminating the centre of the meat. However, I might just risk my health some day.

Disco

 

[Bearcarver]

Thanks Bear. No. From what I've read here and other places, with the length of time it takes to heat up, there is too much risk of taking bacteria into the centre of the meat. I hope I'm right, I don't want any sick guests!

Yup---Exactly why I asked, especially since you were going to sleep.

If you don't inject or probe, you don't have to know what time it got to 140* IT.

Bear

 

[Bearcarver]

Disco,

I've seen quite a few guys smoke them right in a foil pan, and they say it gets plenty of TBS. I often thought about trying it, but being a smoke hound, I was afraid it wouldn't be smoky enough for me. I would also consider putting a drying rack in the pan, under the meat, so it doesn't lay in the juices.

Bear

 

[dirtsailor2003]

Disco, take those Picnics to 205! Then let them rest foiled for at least an hour before pulling! Looking forward to your final photos!

 

[dirtsailor2003]

Disco,

I've seen quite a few guys smoke them right in a foil pan, and they say it gets plenty of TBS. I often thought about trying it, but being a smoke hound, I was afraid it wouldn't be smoky enough for me. I would also consider putting a drying rack in the pan, under the meat, so it doesn't lay in the juices.

Bear

I have done the the rack on top of the pan when I have wanted to collect the drippings for other things. Works great.

 

[kathrynn]

Disco...there are a bunch of folks that smoke with the meats in a foil pan.  I have tried it with some butts and tasted the same to me...but I dont foil at all anymore.

They look yummy from here!

Kat

(Stately Norman Manor) 

 

[disco]

Yup---Exactly why I asked, especially since you were going to sleep.

If you don't inject or probe, you don't have to know what time it got to 140* IT.

Bear

Thanks, Bear. It sounds as if the advice from SMF is correct as usual.

Disco,

I've seen quite a few guys smoke them right in a foil pan, and they say it gets plenty of TBS. I often thought about trying it, but being a smoke hound, I was afraid it wouldn't be smoky enough for me. I would also consider putting a drying rack in the pan, under the meat, so it doesn't lay in the juices.

Bear

Sounds like a good idea. I am still wavering though. So little went past the racks on the level below, I don't know if it is worth it.

Disco

 

[disco]

Disco, take those Picnics to 205! Then let them rest foiled for at least an hour before pulling! Looking forward to your final photos!

Thanks, that is just what I did. See below for the final QView

I have done the the rack on top of the pan when I have wanted to collect the drippings for other things. Works great.

This is the way I am leaning. Thanks, DS

Disco...there are a bunch of folks that smoke with the meats in a foil pan.  I have tried it with some butts and tasted the same to me...but I dont foil at all anymore.

They look yummy from here!

Kat

(Stately Norman Manor) 

I have read lots of discussions on foiling versus not foiling. The next pulled pork I will try without foiling. Sigh, another thing for my try list. I hope I have enough years left in me!

I love the title of your Manor. Your properties should be titled if you are high class like us.

Disco