Smoking a boneless pork shoulder

[Sjwilson99]

Hey all!
I have a DynaGlo offset, vertical, charcoal smoker and I am doing my first pork butt(shoulder.)
My normal meat market is COVID closed, so I had to take what I could get at the grocery story, which was a 4.5lb boneless pork shoulder.
Unfortunate not to have the bone, but such is life.

Anyhow, I’ve been doing some research and had a few questions:
1. There’s some nice, thick fat on the underside of the pork. Should I cut that off? It seems sacrilegious as I’ve made sausage before, and this is the good stuff. Plus, there’s no bone, so I thought this might compensate. If the advice is to keep it on, do I keep that on the grill side or keep it up?
2. The consensus I’ve gathered from more “smoking,” oriented sites, not general recipe sites says you want an IT of 200-207f. That’s what I should shoot for yes? I saw another site say 145.
3. Should I be monitoring for a stall and then wrap in butcher paper for the home stretch? Or just keep bare?
4. It’s hard for my smoker to stay under 250, but I’m going to shoot for a 235 temp and check the IT at 4, 5, 6 hrs etc. Water in the drip pan, or keep it dry?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Dunstablegrizzly]

You can smoke at 275 and it will be just fine. In fact it will cook a little quicker and taste the same. If you like bark then go naked but if not wrap around 155 - 160. I cook at 205 but lately I brought it down to 200 since I think it gets a little too mushy. Save the rendered fat from the foil to add some back in when its shredded and I give the pulled pork a little dusting of seasoning after pulling.

 

[JCAP]

I never wrap pork. The bark is the best part of the pork. Temp sounds about right but more important is that the pork is probe tender. But it should be there in that temp range.

I agree w/ the above- always hit the pulled pork with extra seasoning.

 

[chef jimmyj]

1) If you need fat for sausage, trim. There will be plenty of fat internally. If let on, most go Fat Cap Up.
2) 205+/- is usually Probe Tender. A therm probe or skewer slides in, all over, with no resistance. An IT of 145 is for Slicing tender cuts of pork like Loins and Tenderloins. The meat will have a pink blush, perfectly juicy and safe to eat.
3) Wrap if you are in a hurry or want a mild smoke flavor. Going naked gives a firmer Bark and a smoker surface. A good choice if there is no rush to get it done.
4) At 250 to 275, you can estimate about 1 to 1.25 hours per pound to 205°F with a small boneless Butt. Water is useful at smoker temps or 300°, if a Hot Fire is directly below the meat, you need a Heat Sink to moderate the temp or want to collect fat and juices to use for a sauce or gravy. Other than that, many of us go with a Dry Pan.
Monitor your fire to make sure it does not go out before the IT hits 140. With Boneless, Injected or Ground meat you want the IT to get to 140 in around 4 hours with out issue. Good luck...JJ

 

[Sjwilson99]

Thanks fellas! I’ll let you know how it goes!

 

[EdP]

Does a boneless shoulder break apart to pieces as it cooks? Do you need to tie them?

 

[chef jimmyj]

Boneless Butts are sold with the meat Tied or Netted into a more or less uniform shape for even cooking. Smoked until pull apart tender, the string holds the meat's shape until you remove it...JJ

 

[Sjwilson99]

Does anyone do an ACV & Oil brush on these, or just keep it sealed until the end when you think you’re close and have to temp it?