New Member...

[Colin1230]

Your family is going to enjoy that Traeger for many years. All you need now is a couple of slabs of ribs and a big ol pork butt.

 

[Rafter H BBQ]

Hello from RI.

Don't ditch that MES! The simple rewire and the addition of a PID controller can turn it into an electric smoking machine so much better than a stock model.

^^^ This! If you hang around here you will get into sausage making… just sayin!

You will kick yourself if you let that MES go!

My Mom and Dad have a Traeger… though I am personally not a fan… they didn’t ask my opinion!

But I will say… it has kicked out some good Q… but not with Traeger pellets!

 

[Colin1230]

Lumberjack pellets are my fav.

 

[DougE]

FYI: when not in use you might want to place the grease bucket inside the hood so creatures don't get at it.

My Camp Chef is kept inside the barn so I always just left the grease bucket hanging there. It probably took a year, but my 2 dogs finally discovered it. Found the bucket mashed flat at the top and the foil liner in shreds one day lol.

I was able to straighten the bucket back out, but yeah, I keep it inside the grill now.

 

[paleoman]

^^^ This! If you hang around here you will get into sausage making… just sayin!

You will kick yourself if you let that MES go!

My Mom and Dad have a Traeger… though I am personally not a fan… they didn’t ask my opinion!

But I will say… it has kicked out some good Q… but not with Traeger pellets!

Do you know what pellets they use?

Lumberjack pellets are my fav.

Good to know.

Walmart had some Pitt Boss pellet that I bought, just so I have something to use. They are "blends". I guess Apple + Oak, Hickory + Oak,...

Is it better to use a blend or a single wood? I've always just used a single wood with the electric smoker.

 

[DougE]

Is it better to use a blend or a single wood?

I prefer pellets with a 100% flavor wood of one type and make my own blends from there. My 2 favorite blends are 50% cherry with 50% pecan, but pecan pellets are hard to find. My second is a 50/50 blend of cherry and hickory.

 

[paleoman]

OK! I decided that the first meat to pellet smoke will be a pork shoulder for pulled port. Since it's the first time doing pulled pork in a smoker (always just used a crock pot), and the first time using the pellet vs electric smoker, I'm giving myself a lot of time, no guests, and no time table. I've got all week and would like to eat it Saturday or Sunday.

I'm very interested in trying to finish it one day, and serve it the next. Not only because I think that would help with flavor, but I'd like to be able to do this for company in the future, and want to be able to have a more predicable schedule for guests (versus... it'll be ready between 1pm and 9pm folks... :) )

I have an 8 lb, bone in pork shoulder, that I took out of the freezer early this morning. I've got a few days to try to figure out the exact method, and what sauce/rub etc to make. I see there's a ton of posts on pulled pork in the forums, and a variety of methods (injecting, brining, rubs, reheating, etc.) that I'll be reading about over the next few days, while it thaws.

Any tips/suggestions for my first attempt at this? I'm not looking to do anything extravagant, and I think the bar is set real low for getting a result better than a slow cooker...

 

[schlotz]

Here is one I usually suggest to those just starting their smoking journey:

So you want to try smoking your first Pork Butt

There are many ways, and all of them can give great results. One of the reasons is that pork butts are very forgiving. Here is the recipe I usually pass on to those first starting with a smoker. The results are both predictable and repeatable. This recipe has never failed to delight who ever...

www.smokingmeatforums.com

 

[paleoman]

Here is one I usually suggest to those just starting their smoking journey:

So you want to try smoking your first Pork Butt

There are many ways, and all of them can give great results. One of the reasons is that pork butts are very forgiving. Here is the recipe I usually pass on to those first starting with a smoker. The results are both predictable and repeatable. This recipe has never failed to delight who ever...

www.smokingmeatforums.com

Thanks! Will look at it. I see this "sticky" post too... https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/basic-pulled-pork-smoke.57139/. I'll look at both.

Some things I want to figure out...

Triming? I found the Youtube video -
Inject, brine?
Which rub to make?
Pellet choice? (I currently have apple+oak, hickory+oak, and mesquite+oak, and am looking to pickup cherry, pecan, and maple when I can find it locally). Thinking about just apple for now.

Finishing sauce to make? I see the JJ recipe in SMF.

How to store for next day use? (I have a vacuum sealer on order, in case needed)
How to reheat? Sous Vide (duration/temp)? Warm in oven? Other?

 

[Fueling Around]

Welcome to the party.

Even in "smoke" mode a pellet pooper does not produce much flavor
A lot of people use something as this to supplement the smoke production

https://www.amazon.com/Pellet-Smoker-Tube-Stainless-Generator/dp/B07JGVBKN3?th=1

 

[schlotz]

Technically you don't need to do either, but I usually wet brine. 1000's of rub options, all I can say is you need to experiment but being your 1st shot I'd pick one that has ingredients you like. Smell and taste can help in picking one to try. As far as wood it's a similar thing, just about any of them will do fine. Fruit wood is definitely a good option. After years of smoking I usually default to hickory, sometimes adding some mesquite. Maybe I've become lazy but hey, it's what I like. Many think JJ's finishing sauce is very good. After trying it, the flavor profile for me wasn't something I cared that much for. Instead we use the defatted drippings which are plenty from the brined butt we smoke. Use the next day: just put it in the fridge. Usually the next day we portion out meals into vac bags, seal then freeze.

 

[Brokenhandle]

Tried posting a link, screwed it up lol.

Ryan

 

[Brokenhandle]

Pulled Pork Tacos - Simplified and Reliable Dinner Timing

I have been craving some pulled pork tacos for a little while now so I thought the weekend would be perfect so we could eat them for the week. As I prepared this smoke, I thought I would document it so I could share with others a reliable and consistent way to do pulled pork and be able to plan...

www.smokingmeatforums.com

Here's a good thread to read through that civilsmoker posted.

Ryan

 

[civilsmoker]

Pulled Pork Tacos - Simplified and Reliable Dinner Timing

I have been craving some pulled pork tacos for a little while now so I thought the weekend would be perfect so we could eat them for the week. As I prepared this smoke, I thought I would document it so I could share with others a reliable and consistent way to do pulled pork and be able to plan...

www.smokingmeatforums.com

Here's a good thread to read through that civilsmoker posted.

Ryan

Congrats on the new Smoker, that one has the newer Trager D2 PID controller so it should work very good and hold consistent temps.

The above is how I do all my pulled pork roast, its easy and reliable for every time good PP!

 

[paleoman]

Pulled Pork Tacos - Simplified and Reliable Dinner Timing

I have been craving some pulled pork tacos for a little while now so I thought the weekend would be perfect so we could eat them for the week. As I prepared this smoke, I thought I would document it so I could share with others a reliable and consistent way to do pulled pork and be able to plan...

www.smokingmeatforums.com

Here's a good thread to read through that civilsmoker posted.

Ryan

I'll add it to my list! I just made it through the 38 pages of the basic pulled pork thread. Very interesting.

 

[paleoman]

Technically you don't need to do either, but I usually wet brine. 1000's of rub options, all I can say is you need to experiment but being your 1st shot I'd pick one that has ingredients you like. Smell and taste can help in picking one to try. As far as wood it's a similar thing, just about any of them will do fine. Fruit wood is definitely a good option. After years of smoking I usually default to hickory, sometimes adding some mesquite. Maybe I've become lazy but hey, it's what I like. Many think JJ's finishing sauce is very good. After trying it, the flavor profile for me wasn't something I cared that much for. Instead we use the defatted drippings which are plenty from the brined butt we smoke. Use the next day: just put it in the fridge. Usually the next day we portion out meals into vac bags, seal then freeze.

Do you leave the pork in large pieces, or do you shred and then seal?

I'm trying to figure out the process I want o use to complete cooking one day, and then serve it up the next day (so that in the future, I could use the method for serving guests for an event).

 

[DougE]

I'll add it to my list! I just made it through the 38 pages of the basic pulled pork thread. Very interesting.

You have to really work at it to mess up pulled pork. It is the main reason it is recommended as a first cook.

 

[DougE]

I'm trying to figure out the process I want o use to complete cooking one day, and then serve it up the next day (so that in the future, I could use the method for serving guests for an event).

Do it hot and fast, rest awhile wrapped in towels in a cooler and pull after it rests awhile. Reheat the next day in a foil pan. Save some of the juices rendered during the initial cook and defat it. Add that to the pulled pork when you reheat it to keep it moist. A finishing sauce is also an added plus.

 

[paleoman]

You have to really work at it to mess up pulled pork. It is the main reason it is recommended as a first cook.

That's good to know! I've done well with briskets, turkeys, chickens, and salmon in my electric smoker. Don't know why I've never tried pulled pork. The only meat that didn't come out great, was sausage I tried once, years back. Too dry.

I wan to try doing a meatloaf, among other things, in the future.

 

[DougE]

Finishing sauce: (not my recipe, I got it here)

1C cider vinegar
2 TBS brown sugar
1 tsp Tony's cajun seasoning
1 tsp coarse black pepper
1 tsp red pepper flakes