Taboo?

[ReelFaster]

I've been having a blast with my Okie Joe smoker since I've bought it 2yrs ago. Been smoking even more being home with the pandemic over the past few months and really honing in on my methods and got things down pretty good for smoking a pork shoulder. Now my mother in law has asked me a few times to save time why don't I do part of the shoulder in the oven then to the smoker or vice versa? Initially I was almost insulted being how I love my smoker and smoking meat. But after thinking about it I wondered so I figured I'd ask about it. It would save me some wood and save me a little time from babysitting the smoker especially on long smokes. Curious to hear any opinions.....Thanks in advance!

 

[Bearcarver]

I never did it myself, but I've seen where guys smoke a Butt or Brisket until about 165°IT, and then Pan it or Wrap it in foil or Butcher Paper, and put it in the Kitchen oven until it's done.

Oven first would be a bad idea.

Bear

 

[bregent]

Perfectly acceptable and very common. Folks do it all the time.

 

[BerettaRacer]

I cheat, LOL.
For shoulders I've been doing about 3 hrs on smoke, then drop it into a preheated crock pot for about 4 more hours.

 

[normanaj]

I've done it when time was an issue.Smoker first.

 

[zwiller]

Having gone to the oven one time, never again. I am know I am different but I think meat takes on smoke even at higher IT although I think it takes on less. Secondly, I think the smoke gets cooked off in the oven, and that leads to point 3. Don't get me wrong I love the smell of PP but don't want my house smelling like it for 2-3 days straight and very time you fire up the oven for awhile. Wife was not cool...

My solution is simple: Cut the butt in half. Cuts smoke nearly in half the time and 2x the bark. WIN WIN.

 

[ReelFaster]

Some really great info, thanks everyone!!! I think I will give it a try at least once smoking it 1st then to the oven.

 

[tander28]

I have head great success smoking first and then putting them in the oven after they are wrapped. If you wrap in foil, you are basically cooking in an oven anyway since it won't take on smoke. Wrapping in butcher paper allows more smoke IMO, so if that is your typical way of wrapping, you'll likely notice a difference in the bark/smoke flavor.

It certainly stinks up the house, but I like the smell and find it fades just as quickly as bacon smell. The key is making sure you have it in a pan so the drippings don't escape and dirty up the rack/oven floor. If that happens you are in for a cleaning for sure.

 

[ReelFaster]

I have head great success smoking first and then putting them in the oven after they are wrapped. If you wrap in foil, you are basically cooking in an oven anyway since it won't take on smoke. Wrapping in butcher paper allows more smoke IMO, so if that is your typical way of wrapping, you'll likely notice a difference in the bark/smoke flavor.

It certainly stinks up the house, but I like the smell and find it fades just as quickly as bacon smell. The key is making sure you have it in a pan so the drippings don't escape and dirty up the rack/oven floor. If that happens you are in for a cleaning for sure.

Great info! I smoke the shoulder uncovered for about 3hrs with my best wood, then transfer to a pan and cover tightly with foil till about 205, then I remove the foil smother it with my glaze and leave it on the smoker for another 1hr or so adding no more heat and just letting that glaze caramelize. Once I put in foil I just use lesser wood for the job just to provide the heat. So essentially I can move to the oven to finish her off and cut my efforts down a bit. Great stuff, thanks!

 

[bregent]

I am know I am different but I think meat takes on smoke even at higher IT although I think it takes on less.

Absolutely. Meat takes on smoke regardless of temperature. But for folks that are wrapping, finishing in the oven won't change anything since once wrapped, smoke can't penetrate.

 

[sawhorseray]

So essentially I can move to the oven to finish her off and cut my efforts down a bit. Great stuff, thanks!

I've got to play the devil's advocate here. Sure, you can do that, but is that really what you want to do. I love smoke flavor and a good bark, and that's what I achieve when using my SQ36 offset, I don't wrap anything. I tried wrapping a rack of spare ribs some months back, never again, turned the rack into FOTB mush. Sounds like you've paid your dues and have good control of your Bronco, I'd bet you didn't get a offset to get less smoke flavor. Kind of makes me wonder if your MIL had to wait a little longer than she liked for dinner to be done once. Don't get me wrong, you can wrap and oven finish, but you will lose smoke flavor and bark texture IMO. RAY

 

[ReelFaster]

I've got to play the devil's advocate here. Sure, you can do that, but is that really what you want to do. I love smoke flavor and a good bark, and that's what I achieve when using my SQ36 offset, I don't wrap anything. I tried wrapping a rack of spare ribs some months back, never again, turned the rack into FOTB mush. Sounds like you've paid your dues and have good control of your Bronco, I'd bet you didn't get a offset to get less smoke flavor. Kind of makes me wonder if your MIL had to wait a little longer than she liked for dinner to be done once. Don't get me wrong, you can wrap and oven finish, but you will lose smoke flavor and bark texture IMO. RAY

Well I don't wrap till after several hours so it's getting some good bark and some really good smoke flavor in that time. I also give it a good hour on tail end for some extra nice bark after the glaze is added. I can tell you 1st hand there is no shortage of smoke flavor wrapping in foil after those several hours, but perhaps I could get more leaving it off. Couple of competition folks do it this way and I kind of adopted some of what they do.

I believe early on I never wrapped and I recall it being a bit dry, not as tender. All still a work in progress, but past 2 I've done came out incredible.

 

[HalfSmoked]

Lot of comments for and against here. But as I say many times it all comes down to personal preference. Try and see what will work best for you.

Warren

 

[GaryHibbert]

When I'm doing something like a pork butt or brisket, I always wrap at about 165. I used to transfer the meat to the oven for the last stage after wrapping, but since a MES is basically an oven anyway, now I just skip the kitchen oven.
Everything else is always cooked in the MES with full smoke until it's done. At our place, people eat when the meat is done. LOL
Gary

 

[HalfSmoked]

Thanks for the like sawhorseray it is greatly appreciated.

Warren

 

[pineywoods]

If your wrapping the meat in foil then the heat source really doesn't matter it isn't going to get or loose any smoke flavor while wrapped. Sometimes I smoke at 225 degree smoker temp and when the butt gets to 165 degrees internal I wrap in foil and put in the oven at 250-275 to finish it. Other times I just leave it in the smoker but as you said you can save some wood using the oven

 

[HalfSmoked]

Thanks for the like ReelFaster it is greatly appreciated.

Warren