Michael Richards
TVWBB Emerald Member
I have a few sessions in with my new (used) 14" WSM after a little over a year cooking on a brinkmann smoker. I have used the the water pan both with and without water. I have been able to dial the temps in at 250 with water for ribs and at 275 without water for chicken. Up next is a 10 lb pork shoulder I have waiting for me.
On the Brinkmann last summer when doing my first pork shoulder I struggled to keep the temps down and cooked at 285 to 300 most the day. Then into the fall and winter I struggled to keep it above 220. The last pork shoulder five weeks ago was the final straw fighting temps feeding it fuel. Now I have my WSM.
My question is what temp do you think it is best to keep the smoker at for a pork shoulder? My later attempts at lower temps but longer time were much better in my experience than my first hotter and faster cook. My first attempt the meat was much tougher. However the more I read the more I see most people keep temps at 275 for pork shoulder. Now I am wondering if it was not the temp I cooked the first one at and another factor tided to a first attempt. Have you guys found much difference in the quality of the meat at 225 vs 275?
I am trying to make a plan for my fuel and times on the cook to go overnight with it. I got 5 to 6 hours at 250 out of an full basket of Kingsford Blue using the minion method with 12 fully lit briquettes to start and water in the watepan. I am really debating between going waterpan waterless to get a little more life out of the fuel but expect to run a little hotter if I do OR going waterpan with water lower and slower but knowing I am going to have to work on a refuel and sleep plan.
Any thoughts?
On the Brinkmann last summer when doing my first pork shoulder I struggled to keep the temps down and cooked at 285 to 300 most the day. Then into the fall and winter I struggled to keep it above 220. The last pork shoulder five weeks ago was the final straw fighting temps feeding it fuel. Now I have my WSM.
My question is what temp do you think it is best to keep the smoker at for a pork shoulder? My later attempts at lower temps but longer time were much better in my experience than my first hotter and faster cook. My first attempt the meat was much tougher. However the more I read the more I see most people keep temps at 275 for pork shoulder. Now I am wondering if it was not the temp I cooked the first one at and another factor tided to a first attempt. Have you guys found much difference in the quality of the meat at 225 vs 275?
I am trying to make a plan for my fuel and times on the cook to go overnight with it. I got 5 to 6 hours at 250 out of an full basket of Kingsford Blue using the minion method with 12 fully lit briquettes to start and water in the watepan. I am really debating between going waterpan waterless to get a little more life out of the fuel but expect to run a little hotter if I do OR going waterpan with water lower and slower but knowing I am going to have to work on a refuel and sleep plan.
Any thoughts?