First pork shoulder! With photos!

[Omnivore]

I've read through so many awesome pulled pork posts that I finally cracked and bought a little 6 pounder at Kroger yesterday.

I rubbed it down the night before and then added a little more rub in the morning. I threw together a rub that turned out so good I'm kicking myself for not measuring. It started with SPOG with brown sugar, cumin, coriander, fennel, chipotle powder, and ginger.

It went in the smoker at 9:45 with Lumberjack hickory pellets in the amnps. I didn't preheat the MES and for the first hour or so I though I had some wonky temperature issues. I think I just needed to have more patience because eventually everything leveled out. I used two different Inkbird thermometers (got them for cheap on Amazon Prime day) and I'm really liking them.

My ambient temps averaged at about 250 and I wrapped the shoulder (in foil with hard cider) when it got to about 167 internal. It had gotten 6 solid hours of smoke at this point. It seemed like 167 to 175 took FOREVER but after that we were cruising. I pulled the shoulder out of the smoker when it hit 200. It was super tender and the bone came out easily, but it wasn't the kind of tender where you just nudge it with your pinky and the whole thing collapses. Is there a magic number for max tenderness without mush? I was afraid of hitting the mush stage. Or is it less a number thing and more just going off probe-tenderness?

Anyway, here it is in all it's glory. I was surprised by how dark the bark was and actually a little worried it might taste acrid but OMG it was amazing. My only criticism was that the texture of the bark was a little soft from wrapping. I might not wrap next time (and maybe start at 4am), just to see what kind of bark I can achieve.

Same pork, no bone

Snapped this pic of the doggo before telling him to scram.

one more shredded pork pic

Since this wasn't for any occasion I didn't make any fancy sides or finishing sauces. We had the pork with brown rice pilaf with homemade chicken stock and herbs from the garden that I made in the Instant Pot the night before and a kale salad with sugar snap peas from the garden and homemade creamy honey Dijon dressing (this dressing recipe is amazing), and a 2nd glass of wine. Tonight I'll pick up some rolls and make coleslaw and bbq sauce for some PP sandwiches.

Thanks for reading and thanks to all the really knowledgeable people who've responded to my numerous questions about everything MES, amnps, and food related!

 

[banderson7474]

I don't think you are going to find a magic number per se b/c every butt has different amount of fat, sizes etc. Now you have a base line and hopefully you probed it to see what it felt like. Next butt, I recommend going a little higher and probe to see if it reaches what you are looking for. Eventually, you are going to get a pretty solid IT range and will know when it probes right.

 

[ofelles]

Great job! Pulled pork is so forgiving. Even I can get it to turn out good every time.

 

[NU2SMOKE]

You did fantastic....Awesome Job!!

 

[JC in GB]

Nice looking cook. I think you hit the doneness just right. That bone pulled out very clean it appears and your pulled pork looks like it has a good texture as well. I usually pull pork shoulder out around 200 - 203. I like my shoulders unwrapped because I like a firmer bark. Make sure you rotate your shoulder(s) in the smoker. I found a hot spot in mine when I pulled my pork shoulder and the back corner of it was incinerated! Totally turned to charcoal. OY!

JC

 

[zwiller]

CONGRATS! If that is your first time I am JEALOUS. I think you answered most of your own questions and agree with the others. You'll know when to pull but nearly always 200F+ for me. No wrap and start EARLY am. I inject and it adds even more time to the smoke. Butts average 14hrs for me. Be sure to vac seal and freeze a few meal size bags for later. You might be surprised to find it is even better...

 

[PorkBones]

Awesome looking pork! I set both probes on my thermometer to 203, so I know it hits that temp in two places. I get consistent results. I always give it the poke test just to be sure.

 

[hardcookin]

Nice job...Turned out nice!!
Thanks for sharing.

 

[AUSmokey]

Looks great! I suspect that your bark is that dark due to the molasses in the brown sugar. You can used Turbinado sugar instead if it bothers you. I quit wrapping my butts for the same reason that you mentioned and have been happier with the results. I like to pull mine off the smoker a little sooner...195-200; double wrap in foil; wrap in a towel and let rest in a cooler for at least 2 hours before pulling. As someone else mentioned...the shoulder is such a forgiving piece of meat. You have to work really hard to screw it up.

 

[Spodie Odie]

O Omnivore I have wrapped and not wrapped in my MES and I can tell you that there is a difference in using foil and butcher paper. The foil will hold the moisture in and steams the bark and if you're not careful it will be mush. Butcher paper will allow excess moisture to escape leaving you with a better bark. Try wrapping the last 15 or so degrees so if you want your bark is set and you don't have to worry too much about the mush. I wrap by color usually and not time but it is usually between 167-175. banderson7474 is correct, every butt cooks differently and depends on where you get it from. Good job! I would tear it up for sure!

 

[smokerjim]

it looks great from here also

 

[GaryHibbert]

Great job. Looks delicious.
Gary

 

[tropics]

I agree probe the meat use a tooth pick it should go into the meat like going into soft butter.
Richie

 

[SmokinAl]

Awesome job!
The PP looks fantastic!
Al

 

[Omnivore]

Thank everyone! I might go the paper route with wrapping and if that doesn't get me the bark I'm looking for I'll go wrap-less.
Also going to try turbinado sugar instead of brown sugar per A AUSmokey 's suggestion so it's not quite as dark.

Thanks again for all the great feedback

 

[martin1950]

For your 1st. Butt I'd say you did a fantastic job. Doing PP is a lot like fishing, everyone does it different. Pellets, coal, wood, gas, electric, not to mention the various types of pits, it's all going to work a little different. Just keep tweaking it until you get what YOU want. Thanks for sharing, now I've got to go and buy another chunk of pork.

 

[dwdunlap]

Fantastic job with your Pulled Pork!!

I have a question for the group...

If wrapping in foil makes mushy bark and butcher paper also makes bark soft - would unwrapping the last 10 to 15 degrees help firm the bark again??

My thinking is, wrapping is to shorten the time to get through the "Stall". But once through the stall, seems unwrapping and finishing bare might make firmer bark. Anyone tried this??​

 

[zwiller]

Sounds like a good plan have not tried it though. When I first started I thought wrapping was some sort of magical way to ensure moist meat. I think a lot of people still do tho but it's not.

I go for crazy bark and done a little more than I would want BUT I immediately chop and vac seal for later. When reheated, bark softens a bit and gets where I want. Firm but not crunchy. Found out this by happy accident and real late night smoke.

 

[drdon]

Looks like you did a terrific job. Congratulations!

Since this wasn't for any occasion I didn't make any fancy sides or finishing sauces

That's the perfect time to do it.....just because.

 

[dwdunlap]

Sounds like a good plan have not tried it though. When I first started I thought wrapping was some sort of magical way to ensure moist meat. I think a lot of people still do tho but it's not.

I go for crazy bark and done a little more than I would want BUT I immediately chop and vac seal for later. When reheated, bark softens a bit and gets where I want. Firm but not crunchy. Found out this by happy accident and real late night smoke.

Thanks. I think I'll try the combination of Smoke-Wrap-Smoke To Done and test it out. DW