First time smoker

[wwinflorida]

Hi.

I just got a Char-broil electric smoker and used it the first time to smoke a shoulder roast and a small ham from a wild pig (about 5 pounds total) We cover the meats with a dry rub and smoked them at about 220 degrees for about 4 hours or until the internal temp reached 180 degrees using Hickory chunks. The taste was great but meat was tough and got tougher as it cooled. Do I need to cook slower using lower temps? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[peculiarmike]

Roast & ham both from the wild pig? Might be the pig.
Your smoker temp was right in the ballpark and 180 is well done for pork.
Others will be along with more shortly!

 

[gunslinger]

Welcome to SMF.
Cook to 205º
There are many posts here about how to smoke pork. Read them all.

 

[peculiarmike]

See. Told ya.
By the way - Welcome.

 

[teacup13]

welcome to SMF

 

[short one]

Welcome to SMF. Glad you found us, enjoy.

 

[meowey]

Welcome, welcome! Glad you are here!

Take care, have fun, and do good!

Regards,

Meowey

 

[wwinflorida]

The shoulder roast was from a large boar and the ham was from a small sow. I don't think it was the pigs - we have cooked the meat in a crock pot and it just falls apart when it's done but cooking it on our gas grill has always been disastrous so I figured I would start experimenting with smokers. I will try to cook it to 205 next time like Gunslinger suggested. I was afraid it would dry out if we let it get any hotter.

Glad I found this site - there seems to be a lot of great information as well as people willing to share.

Thanks

 

[meowey]

If you are afraid of the meat drying out, double wrap the meat in HD aluminum foil when the meat reaches 170F. Put some liquid (my choice is apple juice) in the foil packet. That braises the meat, much as a crock pot. after the pork reaches 205F wrap it in a couple old towels and let is rest in an insulated cooler for at least an hour. It will fall apart when you open the packet.

Hope this helps.

Take care, have fun, and do good!

Regards,

Meowey

 

[tonto1117]

Welcome to the SMF wwinflorida.

Glad you found us!!

 

[cajun_1]

Welcome to the SMF

 

[ultramag]

Welcome to SMF wwinflorida!!!

 

[msmith]

Welcome to the forum.

 

[deejaydebi]

Welcome wwin -

I can't help you with wild pigs but I'd be interested to know if they smoke differently. I imagine the thing tha makes them so tender in the crock pot is the liquid and they probably go to a higher temperture to fall apart.

 

[wwinflorida]

The wild pigs have less fat than the pork you can buy in the stores. You are probably right about the liquid in the crock pot. Meowey had a great suggestion about wrapping the ham and adding apple juice to the wrap once the meat reached 170. I will try that with a ham this week and let you know how it turns out.

Thanks again

 

[smokincowboy]

welcome and enjoy

 

[cheech]

Welcome to the SMF.

How was the taste?

I have wild boar being delivered this weekend and plan to smoke it. Not sure how the taste is compare to "regular" pork.

 

[lobo]

Welcome to the forum wwinflorida! Lots to absorb here to help you along in your smoking adventures. Like others have said, mop the meats with liquid and wrap 'em up for some tender eat'n.

 

[wwinflorida]

The taste was great. We cooked it with a dry rub that consisted of brown sugar, paprika, ground cumin, black pepper, salt and a little cayenne pepper. I smoked it ovr at my inlaws and everyone felt the taste was much like any pork roast and very juicy - just came out tough.