Quick Cook Pulled Pork ????, Updated with Results.

[matts]

OK, I know the real answer to this question.  But is there a good way to smoke good pulled pork in half the normal time.  I have been having a major crave for a couple months for some pulled pork but I never have time to spend the 10-15 hours to get it done.  But if I can get it done in 6 hours or so then I can work that in.   I know I know, you can't rush perfection and I don't expect the quality we are used to out of a quick cook.  But I would at least expect restaurant quality or better. :) 

Can I push the temp a little bit?  Foil Early to end.  Anything?

 

[dave54]

I would ,for sure foil earlly

 

[eman]

Easy answer to is there a way to get  good qulity pulled pork in half the time?

 2 choices, one go out and spend a couple a thousand dollars and buy a pressure smoker like the resturants use to do quick smokes or go buy the meat from them.

 Good smoked pulled pork takes time,sometimes alot of it . you may can shave an hour off by foiling early, But by foiling early you cut down on the smoke time.

  You may look for some post on high temp smokes?

 some folks claim that you can up your temps into the 300 + degree range and cut down on time ? Never tried it, Nor will i .

 patience and time are in the top 3 things you need when smoking meat.

 

[dforbes]

Please don't take this wrong, but with all due respect slow down and enjoy life. Life is to short. I don't always have the time for long smokes but I make the time. It is what relaxes me, and helps take away the stress of day to day life. 12 hours for a smoke a couple of times a month will make you feel better. Now to answer your question, no.

 

[ak1]

Well, last batch I did, took 20 hrs in the UDS. Started around 7 pm. Kept an eye on temps till around 11pm just to make sure they were stable. Went to bed shortly after, and left the UDS doing it's thing all night. When I checked it just after 9am the next morning( I don't do early), it had dropped 5 degrees down to 220. So I cracked the ball valve a bit to let more air in, and kept an eye on it for about an hour or so to make sure it was stable. I left around 10:30 to run some errands and got home around 1:30pm. At that time the temp was still good at 225, so I just waited till around 3 pm for the but to hit 205. 

If you want an easy way to do pulled pork without a lot of babysitting, I would recommend getting yourself a drum smoker. Until someone invents "self smoking meat" it's probably the easiest way to go IMO.
 

OK, I know the real answer to this question.  But is there a good way to smoke good pulled pork in half the normal time.  I have been having a major crave for a couple months for some pulled pork but I never have time to spend the 10-15 hours to get it done.  But if I can get it done in 6 hours or so then I can work that in.   I know I know, you can't rush perfection and I don't expect the quality we are used to out of a quick cook.  But I would at least expect restaurant quality or better. :) 

Can I push the temp a little bit?  Foil Early to end.  Anything?

 

[rw willy]

I'm with AK1 on this.  Set it, forget it!

Do it at night, while you sleep.  And enjoy it.

 

[jbg4208]

Another option is you could also get a smaller butt to cut off a few hours.  I've don that before.

 

[wngsprnt50]

Ok...maybe off in my thinking, but....if you take a 10# and hack it in half doesn't that yield two 5#'ers?  Maybe a bit unorthodox, but if you are in a hurry it may work well for ya

 

[eman]

Ok...maybe off in my thinking, but....if you take a 10# and hack it in half doesn't that yield two 5#'ers?  Maybe a bit unorthodox, but if you are in a hurry it may work well for ya

Yes it would give you 2 -5lb pieces of butt. But hes still looking at 7.5 -8 hrs +. minimum.  a 3lb piece of butt you could smoke in 6 hrs. but with the shrinkage and fat loss you would be lucky to get 2 lbs of meat. IMHO totally a waste of time.

 

[matts]

I know I know I know, I agree with all of you.  The point of this was not to it can be done or the low and slow isn't the right way to do it.  I know that perfect pulled pork can not be rushed.  I have done the all nighters and I do enjoy it.My question was never "is there a better way".  My question was if there are any desperate ways to cut the time down with the knowing that the finished product will not be up to par.

 

[rw willy]

Jack it up to 325 and let us know what you think.

 

[Bearcarver]

I know I know I know, I agree with all of you.  The point of this was not to it can be done or the low and slow isn't the right way to do it.  I know that perfect pulled pork can not be rushed.  I have done the all nighters and I do enjoy it.My question was never "is there a better way".  My question was if there are any desperate ways to cut the time down with the knowing that the finished product will not be up to par.

I have never done it, but I agree with those who said to hack it in smaller pieces. I would not take the temp above 250˚ or 260˚ though. Foiling it a might early could also hasten it.

 

[flash]

I have done this before, even with ribs. With pulled pork, do you normal setting around 250º and smoke till you reach 170º internal, spritz well with apple juice, then foil the butt. Now raise your temps up to 300 to 325º and let her go. I once did a 7 lb butt done in 8 1/2 hours. It pulled just fine and was quite juicy.

 

[ak1]

After thinking about this a bit, here's an idea that might work. If so it should at least get you "restaurant quality"

Smoke the butt at 275-300 for an hr or so to give it some smoke. Then put it in a roasting pan and cover with foil. Throw it into a 400 deg oven until internal temp gets to wherever you like it.
 

I know I know I know, I agree with all of you.  The point of this was not to it can be done or the low and slow isn't the right way to do it.  I know that perfect pulled pork can not be rushed.  I have done the all nighters and I do enjoy it.My question was never "is there a better way".  My question was if there are any desperate ways to cut the time down with the knowing that the finished product will not be up to par.

 

[cliffcarter]

I smoked a 8.5 lb butt for the 4th of July in 9hrs, inadvertently I might add. It can be done, Myron Mixon keeps the temps in his water smoker around 350°-375°F.(he said that on the first season of "Pitmasters." If you are going to try a high heat method you shoud keep a filled water pan in the cooker IMHO. Good Luck.

 

[matts]

Well, I tried it this morning on two butts.  6 hours, smoked 3 hours at 260ish, foiled and then another 3 hours of never above 300.  Both are at 200-205.  They smell great, but will let rest for a couple hours and really see how they turn out.  I did do some work to the meat yesterday and they soaked in some stuff for about 16 hours.  I will go into more detail "IF" it turns out at all.

 

[matts]

It's all done and to be honest, it turned out great.

Started out with two 6-7 pound buts from Sam's.  Using a technique I remembered reading here about a brisket that was done quickly, I removed almost all the fat on the outside of the butts.  Then I thought I may need a little help making this meat tender, so I gave it a little help.  I mixed a tablespoon of tenderizer into about 3 cups of coke and injected both butts.  After a good rub and a little more coke in the pan, I put them in the fridge for about 15 hours.

Early this morning I got the Smoke Vault fired up and put both butts in right on grate, no pan.  I kept the temp on average of 275 and at 3 hours I was up to 150.  I was spritzing every hour or so.  I pulled the butts and wrapped them up very heavy in foil and placed in pans.  At this time I shut the smoker down and went to the oven.  With oven set at 300, it took 3 more hours until both butts reached 200 degrees.  I then shut oven off and let them rest in oven for 1 and a half hours.  Even with both butts heavily wrapped in foil, both pans were filled with juices when I pulled them out. 

This was after 3 hours of 275 degree smoke

After final rest and ready to pull.  It just fell apart and the color shows good smoke even after only 3 hours.

All and all I am very please with the turn out.  I have a big bowl of the juices in the freezer now separating and will mix up a finishing sauce with it.  It taste great.  I can taste the smoke, the coke and the rub.  Very happy and surprised with the results.

 

[Bearcarver]

Matt,

Looks to me like you won big time!

The only part I would have worried about is the 275˚. Once it's foiled good, I wouldn't have worried about 300˚. But you proved 275˚ uncovered was OK too!

Great Job---I'm proud of you!

Bear

 

[rw willy]

congats, its always good to try different things.  Glad they turned out well for you.

Will this method allow you to enjoy PP more often?  will you return to the old method given the time?

 

[matts]

Bear,  I tried to keep the temp between 260 and 275.  It tended to want to stay closer to 275 then it did 260.

RW, This is definitely not a replacement to the tried and true low and slow.  Every weekend something comes up to where I couldn't do a real smoke.  I just couldn't take it anymore and had to squeeze this in the window I had today.  But if I get this desperate again, I won't hesitate to do this method if I have to.