I ran into an issue this morning that had me believing my results were going to be pretty bad. However I was surprised by the results so thought Id post this to help demonstrate how bbq is pretty forgiving if you are patient!
Last night I prepped a pork shoulder for smoking today. Got up at 6:30 am to torrential rain that was going to last until the afternoon. Major problem. I thought through the options and at around 7:30 am stuck it in the oven at 250 planning to move it over to the WSM as soon as I could get a window. Well that didnt happen until around 11:30 am.
Pretty much anyone will tell you that initial four hours is when the smoke has the most effect on the meat and is the most critical time. I figured Id missed the window but in it went. I used a couple more chunks of smoke wood than I normally would thinking that may help flavor during whatever window I had left. After four hours in the oven the meat was close to the stall at around 152 dog when I probed it before putting the lid on the WSM. I let it go at around 240-260 on the WSM for about two hours and then wrapped it, putting some apple juice in the foil. It was around 160 deg then. At about 5:30 pm I pulled it and let it rest, wrapped, for a half hour in the (cool and off) oven. Similar to a cooler, its a good sealed box. When I pulled it the meat had again stalled for a good 45 mins at 188 deg, but it was tender - bone was moving around freely.
Well, here was the surprise. It was one of the best pork shoulders Ive done in the 12 years Ive been cooking with my WSM. The smoke penetrated just fine. Not as deeply, only a quarter to half inch smoke ring, but it was as good as any pulled pork either my wife or I have ever had. Really surprised that starting it in the oven, against all convention, resulted in a really great end product.
Now Im not ready to throw the traditional method out, not at all. However in a jam this method also works even though the rules say it really shouldnt, at least all the ones I know. I credit a good rub, letting it sit overnight (10 hours) and reapplying a bit more right before cooking, and patience waiting for the thermometer and meat to tell me when it was done for the final result. BBQ has a lot of rules, but its also pretty forgiving.
As a side note, starting the shoulder in the oven this way reminds me of how I saw Michael Lomanaco do one many years ago on his Food Network show. He prepped the shoulder and started it in a covered casserole type dish. At some point a couple hours in he removed the lid and left the shoulder finish uncovered. Same low cook temp the whole way through. Ive done this in the past as well. While not bbq, it makes decent pulled pork as well and is easily reproduced in a home or commercial kitchen where smokers may not be an option.
So there we go. Ive now documented something I couldnt find already documented. You can start a shoulder in the oven, move it to the smoker as soon as you can, and still get some smoke into you bbq. Hope this helps someone avoid a panic attack in the future.
Last night I prepped a pork shoulder for smoking today. Got up at 6:30 am to torrential rain that was going to last until the afternoon. Major problem. I thought through the options and at around 7:30 am stuck it in the oven at 250 planning to move it over to the WSM as soon as I could get a window. Well that didnt happen until around 11:30 am.
Pretty much anyone will tell you that initial four hours is when the smoke has the most effect on the meat and is the most critical time. I figured Id missed the window but in it went. I used a couple more chunks of smoke wood than I normally would thinking that may help flavor during whatever window I had left. After four hours in the oven the meat was close to the stall at around 152 dog when I probed it before putting the lid on the WSM. I let it go at around 240-260 on the WSM for about two hours and then wrapped it, putting some apple juice in the foil. It was around 160 deg then. At about 5:30 pm I pulled it and let it rest, wrapped, for a half hour in the (cool and off) oven. Similar to a cooler, its a good sealed box. When I pulled it the meat had again stalled for a good 45 mins at 188 deg, but it was tender - bone was moving around freely.
Well, here was the surprise. It was one of the best pork shoulders Ive done in the 12 years Ive been cooking with my WSM. The smoke penetrated just fine. Not as deeply, only a quarter to half inch smoke ring, but it was as good as any pulled pork either my wife or I have ever had. Really surprised that starting it in the oven, against all convention, resulted in a really great end product.
Now Im not ready to throw the traditional method out, not at all. However in a jam this method also works even though the rules say it really shouldnt, at least all the ones I know. I credit a good rub, letting it sit overnight (10 hours) and reapplying a bit more right before cooking, and patience waiting for the thermometer and meat to tell me when it was done for the final result. BBQ has a lot of rules, but its also pretty forgiving.
As a side note, starting the shoulder in the oven this way reminds me of how I saw Michael Lomanaco do one many years ago on his Food Network show. He prepped the shoulder and started it in a covered casserole type dish. At some point a couple hours in he removed the lid and left the shoulder finish uncovered. Same low cook temp the whole way through. Ive done this in the past as well. While not bbq, it makes decent pulled pork as well and is easily reproduced in a home or commercial kitchen where smokers may not be an option.
So there we go. Ive now documented something I couldnt find already documented. You can start a shoulder in the oven, move it to the smoker as soon as you can, and still get some smoke into you bbq. Hope this helps someone avoid a panic attack in the future.