Pork shoulder hot and fast

[JustInCase]

Decided last minute this morning to smoke a 7 lb shoulder. Ive always cooked closer to 300 because i struggle to keep temps low in my 18 inch webber kettle.

Ive read some articals about others cooking at much higher temps up to 350 even and turning out ok. Since this was rather last minute and i started at 9 this morning im giving it a shot! Shooting for anything between 300 and 350

 

[TomKnollRFV]

To me hot and fast is 275f! Curious to see how it turns out at closer to the 350 point!

 

[6GRILLZNTN]

I'm curious as well! Make sure to post pics.

 

[JustInCase]

It actually turned out pretty good considering it reached 205 in just under 6 hours.

My temp stayed in the 325 ballpark for most of the cook and got to around 350 from time to time.

I didnt realize how little charcoal i had untill i started the cook and didnt want to go to the store so around 180 degrees i was running out and wraped it and put it in the oven at 300 degrees for the last hour and a half.

The finished product was somewhat dry and i had to pick out more fat when i was pulling it than usual, which i think is to be expected simply because the fat just didnt have enough time to melt compleatly. Other than that the flavor was there, the bone slid right out and it pulled very good.

This was sort of an experimental cook amd while i dont think this will be my go-to method its nice to know if im short on timeor just get a spur of the moment urge i can turn out some decet pulled pork without making a day out of it.

Here is a picture of the finished product

 

[TomKnollRFV]

The bark looks amazing!

My personal method is that I start low and slow, so it gets a good smoke bath overnight, then I crank it to max when I get up and it's normally done by supper :)

 

[JustInCase]

Yea suprisingly the bark was probably the best ive had! (that ive cooked myself). It was a little spongey but had i not wrapped it that may not hav been an issue, but reguardless im thrilled with it because i usually dont end up with very good bark.

Yea starting the night before would be nice but with my poor little 18 inch kettle i cant get a long enough burn time or hold a steady temp long enough (which im sure is largely user error). To most standards the majority of my cooks are "hot and fast"

I am looking to upgrade to a dedicated smoker in the not so distant future for this reason.

 

[noboundaries]

Great looking HnF BUTT!

Before I started smoking, I did butts in the oven at 350F. Always came out great.

After I started smoking, I was the pulled pork guy for company pot lucks. 300F+ and a 10 lb butt was done in 8-9 hours.

Now that I'm semi-retired, 225 overnight, then 350 or higher to finish in the morning. No matter how you cook a butt, it don't care.

And steady temps don't matter. Imagine the "finish time" cook clock slowing down when the temp drops, speeding up when the temp rises. After a while, and enough butts, you get a "feel" for when the butt's gonna finish depending on the temp swings. I like steady temps as much as the next guy, but there's nothing magical about steady temps. It only helps you better predict when it's gonna finish.

 

[JustInCase]

Great looking HnF BUTT!

Before I started smoking, I did butts in the oven at 350F. Always came out great.

After I started smoking, I was the pulled pork guy for company pot lucks. 300F+ and a 10 lb butt was done in 8-9 hours.

Now that I'm semi-retired, 225 overnight, then 350 or higher to finish in the morning. No matter how you cook a butt, it don't care.

And steady temps don't matter. Imagine the "finish time" cook clock slowing down when the temp drops, speeding up when the temp rises. After a while, and enough butts, you get a "feel" for when the butt's gonna finish depending on the temp swings. I like steady temps as much as the next guy, but there's nothing magical about steady temps. It only helps you better predict when it's gonna finish.

Yep definatly workinh on the "feel" part as this was my third butt and i think my 8th smoke in general.

Thats a good point about about cooking at 350 in the oven amd turning out fine, as thats probably the norm for most meats in the oven, so why would it be much diferent on the grill?

With your experiance with the higher temps do you have any advice on the drying out/ fat not melting issue?

 

[noboundaries]

Thats a good point about about cooking at 350 in the oven amd turning out fine, as thats probably the norm for most meats in the oven, so why would it be much diferent on the grill?

With your experiance with the higher temps do you have any advice on the drying out/ fat not melting issue?

Answer to first question: there's nothing different about the grill. It's all physics and heat transfer, or thermodynamics, to be more exact. A grill or smoker doesn't defy the laws of physics; just makes 'em smell and taste better!

As far as the second question, there's almost always a little fat left in the meat. The fact there was a lot of unrendered fat AND the meat was dry, I tend to lean toward the undone side, that it needed a little more time. It's counterintuitive, I know, but it happens. Overcooked can be dry too, but the meat literally falls apart when pulled, like ZERO resistance. It practically dissolves at the slightest touch (experience talking). I probe the heck out of my meat, and let the resistance to the probe tell me when it's done when the meat internal temp is in my range. I'll leave the meat on the smoker (or in your case the oven) until I get the probe tenderness I want.

Back before I smoked, when I used the oven for butts, I used the "fall apart" test to tell me when it was done, then sauced the meat. I know better now.

 

[jcam222]

I’ve been doing my butts more turbo style. I shoot for about 275F. I wrap in pans at around 168F. I finish off average size butts in around 6 hours and pull at around 205F + 1 hour in the cooler. Fats nice and rendered and pulls like a dream. My cooker does have a convection effect which helps with the cook times as well.

 

[JustInCase]

Answer to first question: there's nothing different about the grill. It's all physics and heat transfer, or thermodynamics, to be more exact. A grill or smoker doesn't defy the laws of physics; just makes 'em smell and taste better!

As far as the second question, there's almost always a little fat left in the meat. The fact there was a lot of unrendered fat AND the meat was dry, I tend to lean toward the undone side, that it needed a little more time. It's counterintuitive, I know, but it happens. Overcooked can be dry too, but the meat literally falls apart when pulled, like ZERO resistance. It practically dissolves at the slightest touch (experience talking). I probe the heck out of my meat, and let the resistance to the probe tell me when it's done when the meat internal temp is in my range. I'll leave the meat on the smoker (or in your case the oven) until I get the probe tenderness I want.

Back before I smoked, when I used the oven for butts, I used the "fall apart" test to tell me when it was done, then sauced the meat. I know better now.

Yes on the first question was more of a rhetorical question that i was agreeing, not trying to question what you were saying. What you were saying made a lot of sense as well as the "steady temps dont matter" comment. As a new smoker thats the kind of insight im looking for here!

I "felt" like it probed quite easily but i also dont have the "feel" in general yet. i was mostly going by the temp to decide when it was done, so i will definatly refer to your advice in the future.

As a new smoker i really appreciate your help! I can tell you really know what your talking about

 

[JustInCase]

I’ve been doing my butts more turbo style. I shoot for about 275F. I wrap in pans at around 168F. I finish off average size butts in around 6 hours and pull at around 205F + 1 hour in the cooler. Fats nice and rendered and pulls like a dream. My cooker does have a convection effect which helps with the cook times as well.

I like the idea of having multiple multiple methods in my back pocket. Low and slow if im in the mood to make a day out of it and spend time fiddling to maintain a low temp, and a hot and fast method for these last minute excursions or when im in a time crunch. Sort of reinforces my idea of doing it whatever way you enjoy and itll still produce good results.

Thanks for the input!

 

[dan the mano]

Great looking HnF BUTT!

Before I started smoking, I did butts in the oven at 350F. Always came out great.

After I started smoking, I was the pulled pork guy for company pot lucks. 300F+ and a 10 lb butt was done in 8-9 hours.

Now that I'm semi-retired, 225 overnight, then 350 or higher to finish in the morning. No matter how you cook a butt, it don't care.

And steady temps don't matter. Imagine the "finish time" cook clock slowing down when the temp drops, speeding up when the temp rises. After a while, and enough butts, you get a "feel" for when the butt's gonna finish depending on the temp swings. I like steady temps as much as the next guy, but there's nothing magical about steady temps. It only helps you better predict when it's gonna finish.

over all what kind of a internal temp do you want ... and also would it be ok to smoke at a lower temp... 250 till done ?

 

[disco]

It looks fine and a big like. However, I will continue to go low and slow. I tell She Who Must Be Obeyed that the meat must be watched and I have to keep hydrated. A longer smoke gives me more time "watching".

 

[dan the mano]

over all what kind of a internal temp do you want ... and also would it be ok to smoke at a lower temp... 250 till done ?

Answer to first question: there's nothing different about the grill. It's all physics and heat transfer, or thermodynamics, to be more exact. A grill or smoker doesn't defy the laws of physics; just makes 'em smell and taste better!

As far as the second question, there's almost always a little fat left in the meat. The fact there was a lot of unrendered fat AND the meat was dry, I tend to lean toward the undone side, that it needed a little more time. It's counterintuitive, I know, but it happens. Overcooked can be dry too, but the meat literally falls apart when pulled, like ZERO resistance. It practically dissolves at the slightest touch (experience talking). I probe the heck out of my meat, and let the resistance to the probe tell me when it's done when the meat internal temp is in my range. I'll leave the meat on the smoker (or in your case the oven) until I get the probe tenderness I want.

Back before I smoked, when I used the oven for butts, I used the "fall apart" test to tell me when it was done, then sauced the meat. I know better now.

do you ever inject ... and if you do ,do you use salt say as a flavour enhancer to help keep the moisture inside ?

 

[6GRILLZNTN]

It looks fine and a big like. However, I will continue to go low and slow. I tell She Who Must Be Obeyed that the meat must be watched and I have to keep hydrated. A longer smoke gives me more time "watching".

And hydrating!

 

[jbellard]

Justin,

I’ve learned that the feel you are looking for is generally more of a “jiggle”. When the pork butt jiggles and the probe goes in with no resistance at all, then it’s done.
Generally about 205 for me.
I too will run my large stickburner at 275-325 and get them down in about 8 hrs generally.

Keep practicing and be on the lookout for the “jiggle”!

 

[gmc2003]

Justin that shoulder looks great. If you want to maintain a lower temp for a longer period of time look into the snake method. I use it on my 22" kettle and can maintain 250* easily.

Point for sure.

Chris