Trial by FIRE

[markeli]

I told my physical therapist about the smoker I just finished building and he just brought over four fresh picnic roasts ( 8 to 10 pounds each ) and wants them smoked. 2 for slicing and 2 pulled. The problem is I have only done chicken in the smoker so far. I need some advise on what to do. Talk about a trial by fire.

 

[bob-bqn]

Howdy markeli.

You're in for a much longer ride this time. Chicken can be cooked hot & fast or low-n-slow (if you don't mind chewy skin). But a pork roast will take much longer at 225-250* to cook, sometimes 12 to 20 hours for pulling. I don't cook according to X number of minutes per pound as it will differ from cook to cook. Instead cook the meat to temperature, 165* to 175* to be able to slice it and 195* to 205 * for some good pulled pork.

First rinse and dry the meat.

Apply a thin layer of mustard or Worcestershire sauce to help the rub stick.Then give it a good heavy coating of dry rub (you can do this the night before or just prior to cooking)

Cook at 225-250* for as long as it takes to reach desired temperature.

There is no need to baste-spray-mop this cut of meat while it cooks, but if you decide that you would like to then wait for the first couple of hours for the rubs to crust into a nice bark before doing so. Otherwise you will end up washing the rub & flavor off the meat.

After the meat is done you can wrap it in foil and place in a pre-warmed cooler for a few hours to rest. Or at least let it rest for 30 minutes proir to slicing or pulling.

Hope this helps!

 

[Dutch]

See what happens when you tells others of your favorite past time?
All I can say is "Serves ya right-nener, nener, nener!" :P

Seriously though and lucky for us, pork butts are very forgiving-you really have to want to screw up in order to have one turn out bad. Read through the Pork Thread, there is some good info on how to prep and smoke a pork butt. As for slicing and pulling, things are pretty much the same except to slice the butt you want to cook it to an internal temp of 175-180 degrees. To pull it cook it until it reaches an internal temp of 200 degrees- by then it should be falling off of the bone. Don't forget to use SoFlaQuer's Finishing Sauce.

 

[markeli]

these have the skin on them do I want to remove it?

 

[bob-bqn]

The skin will need to be removed before or after cooking for the pulled pork and is optional for slicing but I would remove it anyway. If you remove the skin prior to cooking you'll get more smoke and spices to the meat. You can leave some of the fat and cut cross-hatch line through it down to the meat or you can removed most (not all) of it if desired.

 

[markeli]

thanks guys you are alot of help my pt just called me and wants to know if they will be done for lunch tomorrow. they are for an company lunch.

 

[bob-bqn]

Best get the ones for pullin' started soon! It's gonna be long night.

 

[markeli]

thanks I just got the smoker fired up and am skinnin the pork. I will try to get som pic of the pork to post when I am done thanks again

 

[bob-bqn]

<Green with envy> I wish I was sittin' that close to my smokers right now.

Good luck!

 

[markeli]

if you were in the neighborhood you are welcome to stop by

 

[Dutch]

I hope that your PT invites you to stay for lunch!!

 

[markeli]

if he doesn't I will find another pt

 

[markeli]

when should I start checking the meat temp?
being the first picnics I have smoked I don't know how long It should take

 

[markeli]

they have been in the smoker at 225 deg for 6 hrs now and the meat temp is 154 deg sounds like they are cooking

 

[markeli]

9 hrs and the temp is up to 165 and the whole neighborhood smells like smoked pork I hope all the neighbors are Jealous

 

[buzzard]

this all brings me back to my first pulled pork smoke not just a few months ago.

it seems like mine hung at 150-160 for hours and hours and hours. but when it finally reached 200 it was so tender i couldnt pick it up off the grill without it falling appart and down the grates.

mmmmmmm

looks like next week im making pulled pork.

 

[markeli]

being my first ones ( 4 of them) I don't know what to expect

 

[bob-bqn]

Picnics and butts pretty much take care of themselves while they are cooking. Sorry I didn't stay up with you last night

but it sounds like all went very well. Congratulations! 8)

 

[markeli]

Thanks again for all of the help and encouragement from all of you guys. I am a lot more confident smokin meat now. last night several neighbors came over and wanted to know what I would charge them to smoke for them. I told them I needed to figure out what it cost me first.