Pulled Pork #2

[paleoman]

Hi gang!

I'm going to do my second pulled pork on the Traeger pellet smoker.

Last time, I used this recipe from the forum, that did a rub, higher temp (300˚F), and tenting. I used apple pellets and it took about 10 hours (with temps in the teens and low 20s outside) for an 8 lb pork shoulder. I was overall very pleased. It had an OK bark, but tasted great (I really liked Jeff's BBQ sauce and JJ's finishing sauce I found on this forum). We had a great meal, and I vacuum sealed two large portions and reheated with sous vide at later dates and it was tender, juicy, and tasted just as good as that cooked on day one.

This time, I've got another 8 lb shoulder, and I wanted to try an injection based method. I'm going to follow Chis Lilly Big Bob Gibson Championship Injection process, just for giggles.

Maybe next time I'll try a wet brine method, and then decide which I like the best and then start tuning it for my preferences. I'd like to get a better idea of roughly how long it takes to smoke a pork butt on my pellet smoker, by collecting more reference points.

I've got a few commitments mid-day on Saturday, so I'm reluctant to smoke it then, so I'm thinking of cooking early Friday, and whenever it finishes, I'll pull, vacuum seal, and reheat on Saturday, along with baked beans, coleslaw, and corn bread.

I'm out of apple pellets, but happen to have a bag of Traeger Signature blend pellets (maple, cherry, hickory blend) that I figured I'd try as well. It looks like it will be the same cold temps (6-18˚F expected), but I'm looking forward to experiment #2...

 

[jcam222]

In for the ride

 

[Newglide]

That's the part I enjoy, tweeking things to see what makes a difference. Hopefully for the better, sometimes I find things I'd never do again or are a waste of time. Good luck on the injection. Let us know how it works out

 

[paleoman]

That's the part I enjoy, tweeking things to see what makes a difference. Hopefully for the better, sometimes I find things I'd never do again or are a waste of time. Good luck on the injection. Let us know how it works out

Exactly. I'm also trying to get a better feel in general for how long it takes for different meats at different temps (granted the outside temp affects things), so that if I'm doing a meal with guests, I have a rough idea for planning.

My wife has friends that would like to come over for some pulled pork, and I need to figure out if I have to do it the day before, or can do it day of, and not run into a "well folks, it looks like it'll be done around 10pm". :)

I'll post pictures as I run through it and let folks know of the progress.

 

[GatorAGR]

Hope you're better than I am at taking notes. I try different techniques then forget what I tweaked so I can never repeat it!

 

[gmc2003]

I'm not totally sold on injecting or brining butt for pulling. There's enough inner fat to keep it moist. When I'm looking for a different flavor profile I'll just add some rub to the pulled meat. Let us know how it goes.

Chris

 

[paleoman]

I'm not totally sold on injecting or brining butt for pulling. There's enough inner fat to keep it moist. When I'm looking for a different flavor profile I'll just add some rub to the pulled meat. Let us know how it goes.

Chris

I've read people injecting, brining, just using a rub, cooking at a single temp, cooking with split temps, etc.

With my first butt, the plan was for a rub, and a finishing sauce based on broth for boating at the last stages.

I hit a few problems. First, the finishing sauce was to be placed in the smoker in a pan to render in half. Well, I didn't watch it closely, so it rendered totally. I ended up making a second batch, with the intent of using it for the boating at the end.

Second, I think, with the rendering sauce (x2) there was a lot of moisture, as I never really got much of a firm bark. As a result, I didn't boat the pork, I just placed it in the pan of broth, for the last part.

Third, I didn't really think the finishing sauce had much flavor to me, so I made some of JJ's finishing sauce (it was great!).

Fourth, it was super cold outside. I don't think the pork ever stalled. it just slowly increased in temp the whole time (about 9 hours smoking time).

The meat was moist, had good flavor, and I enjoyed the sauce.

This time, I'm curious as to how it will work out w/o having all that moisture in the smoker during cooking, and will see if the bark forms differently.

In the future, I think I could try a test with brining and a test without.

At least I know I can do a reasonable job with smoking a pulled pork one way (I used to always cook it in a crock pot) - will see if these other ways work better/worse.

 

[gmc2003]

Second, I think, with the rendering sauce (x2) there was a lot of moisture, as I never really got much of a firm bark. As a result, I didn't boat the pork, I just placed it in the pan of broth, for the last part.

I place the butt in the pan also, but on top of a small grate inside the pan so it doesn't sit directly in the juice.

Chris

 

[paleoman]

I place the butt in the pan also, but on top of a small grate inside the pan so it doesn't sit directly in the juice.

Chris

Yeah I had it on a rack, but I think during all that time of rendering the sauce (to nothing) and then refilling and rendering again, with it in the smoker may have generated a lot of moisture (my guess). I then placed the pork in the pan, on a rack, but did not cover at all, as the bark was not firm at all.

I guess I could have reduced the sauce on the stove, as an alternative, and may do that, if I go back to trying that method again.

 

[jcam222]

I'm not totally sold on injecting or brining butt for pulling. There's enough inner fat to keep it moist. When I'm looking for a different flavor profile I'll just add some rub to the pulled meat. Let us know how it goes.

Chris

I am with you. I add rub and mix in some of the liquid gold. I am also a 100% cook the day before for pulled pork.

 

[gmc2003]

I am also a 100% cook the day before for pulled pork.

Yup prevents nose-blindness

Chris

 

[paleoman]

Yup prevents nose-blindness

Chris

I'm looking at my schedule. I have commitments tonight 7:30-10:30pm, tomorrow 5pm-10pm, and Saturday 11am-3pm, so I've been trying to plan on the cooking time.
With guestimates at 1.5-2 hours per pound, it looks like it'll be 12-16 hours.

I'm thinking of actually preparing the pork right after dinner tonight, and then start cooking as soon as I get home (around 11pm). I can then monitor closer tomorrow morning, spritz a bit, tent if bark is really good, and hopefully be done in the early afternoon. Pull, and then vacuum seal.

It gives me about 18 hours. The alternative is to start by 7pm tonight, giving 7-11am as a possible completion time (with more room to go over, and possibly having to get up early, if it runs faster).

Any thoughts?

 

[BigW.]

If you are considering an over night smoke please make sure you have a 2 probe remote therm that will wake you up. One for the meat, and one for hi/low Traeger temp. You may run out of pellets while sleeping on have other issues. I'd rather smoke during the daylight hours but if you are going over night make sure you have a therm.

 

[paleoman]

If you are considering an over night smoke please make sure you have a 2 probe remote therm that will wake you up. One for the meat, and one for hi/low Traeger temp. You may run out of pellets while sleeping on have other issues. I'd rather smoke during the daylight hours but if you are going over night make sure you have a therm.

I always have multiple probes in the pork, but its a good idea to probe ambient temp too.

I'm thinking of starting before 7pm, checking at 11pm, and then early morning. The hopper holds quite a bit, and seems to burn at about 1 lb/hour in these cold temps.

 

[jirodriguez]

I usually start briskets and butts between 11:00PM and Midnight, fill my hopper (20lb) to the tippy top right before going to bed. But I set my alarm for 6:00 AM, then I can pad out to the deck take a quick peak at my hopper level, then go back inside and get ready for the day. Butts usually run around 10 hrs. at 250, briskets 13-16 at 225 (depending on size of brisket). I am running a GMG with a thermal cover on it - which helps a lot with fuel consumption in the winter. Best of luck and have fun dialing in your flavor profile!

 

[paleoman]

OK...starting the process...

Here is the butt before...

I trimmed the pork at 5:30pm and here is how it looks after:

I started the grill at 5:55pm set for 225F, mixed up the injection mixture, injected the butt, and put Jeff's original rub on it.

At 6:15 the Traeger is ready. It had a few pounds of cherry pellets left over, but I topped it off with the Traeger Signature blend pellets.

I inserted probes, and placed it into the smoker at 6:30pm...

 

[paleoman]

Update...
Back at 6:30pm, I had a little fiasco with the probes. I put two in and set them for 195˚F. I took a third and set it on the shelf, with the tip over the edge. I set that probe for "Hot Smoke" with a lower and upper limit. It set, and was working, but the other two probes were not reporting! And, they were showing a high and low limit as well.

I tried unplugging/re-plugging the probes to the unit, powering off/on, swapping out batteries, cleared all the temp presets, and it still was not reporting or detecting the two used probes. I plugged in the Traeger probe and inserted it into the pork.

I turned the unit off for a while, turned it on, and set the one probe for 195˚F preset limit. It detected the probe and reported the temp. I plugged the second one in and it was not reporting. Pulled it out, took the third probe and stuck it in the pork and plugged it into the same port and it reports.

I didn't want to chance trying to grab another probe (it has 6) and setting for "hot smoke", as I needed to head out.

At 11pm, the probes showed 142˚F/147˚F (and the Traeger probe 152˚F might be closer to bone). The hopper was down about 2" max, so not much pellet use. Topped it off. The temp is 11˚F outside right now. Will like be in single digits tonight.

Here's what it looks like:

Getting a little bark on top. I spritzed with apple juice, all over the top.

Heading to bed...

 

[paleoman]

Update...
Being a light sleeper, I woke up a few times and checked temps on my phone.

Temps were:
~4:30am 165˚F/162˚F
~5:30am 167˚F/165˚F
@6:30am 169˚F/167˚F (Traeger probe 182˚F)

Seems like it's in the stall, as it is advancing very slowly?

Here' how it looked at 6:30am...

It's looking pretty good. I spritz it with apple juice.

The pellet hopper was down about 4", so 1/2 way. I'm guessing at about 10 pounds over 12 hours.

At 7:30 I was getting 171˚F/169˚F (Traeger 184˚F).

The smoker has been set at 225˚F. Temps from their sensor seem to be fluctuating between and 221˚F - 238˚F over a 20 min period. Outside temp is 3˚F.

 

[DRKsmoking]

In for the run, looks good.

David

 

[paleoman]

12:30pm update (18 hours)...

I must have left the smoker cover open... as it is 28˚F outside now. :)

So, probes are saying 176˚F/172˚F. The Traeger probe says 188˚F. Used my Thermopop instant probe and see 170-175˚F readings. The probe inserted very easily into the pork. There is a thin crust on it, not too firm. Here's a picture:

Looks nice!

Kinda surprised that it is running this long and still has another 20 degrees to go. Wondering if I should bump the temp up, from 225˚F to 250˚F or 275˚F. Have about a half of a hopper left of pellets.

Any comments/thoughts?