"Mushy" bark


 
B

BRogers

New member
Hi,

I have had a WSM (18.5") for about 3 years now. I don't have many complaints, but I have one issue that I can't figure out. I love cooking pork shoulders for pulled pork. The shoulder roast literally falls off the bone when it's done.... However, the bark, while nice and black, is very mushy. It's not crispy, not hard, and in my opinion, not really bark.

Like I said, I have the 18.5 WSM. When cooking shoulders, I fill the water pan up to 1/2" to 1" of the top (with water only) and cook anywhere from 225 -250 degrees.

I don't have this problem on an offset cooker....

Has anyone else had this problem? How can I fix my bark?

I appreciate any advice!
 
No, I am not wrapping.... And I usually don't hold it after cooking. It comes off and about 30 minutes later, I pull it apart,
 
I don't wrap pork shoulders when cooking, only after I pull them off the smoker I will do a double wrap and in the cooler for a while and the bark seems to be just right for us. I also use water in the pan.
 
BRogers;
I recently did a high heat smoke for two 8-9 lb. pork butts. My actual temps ran just over 300 degrees. Not only did I get great bark, but the shoulders were finished in record time.

I was using my 18.5" WSM with a dry, foiled, water pan. I will be doing all of my butts at this temp (300 degrees) in the future. The bark was excellent and the pork was moist and REALLY tasty. I injected them with Harry Soo's recipe (and used his "standard" rub). I let my pork rest with a loose tent of foil until cool enough to pull. As an aside, I used several chunks of Applewood for smoke.

However, let it be known that I foiled my butts in two separate aluminum pans (tightly covered with foil) with one shoulder on each grate. I foiled at the internal temperature of 170 degrees and removed when the butts tested tender (about 200 degrees internal). We saved the juices and defatted them to add to the pork after it was pulled if necessary. We vacuum pack leftovers and freeze them and also freeze the juices for adding when re-heating if necessary...

I always check the bark with a fingernail to determine if the bark is set before I foil (ala Harry Soo).

Keep on smokin',
Dale53:wsm:
 
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I think if you aren't wrapping then your culprit is either the water in the WSM or you are using too powdery a rub. A lot of us cook without water in the pan. Still when I used water I can't remember ever having bark trouble. Have you changed your rub? I'm just kind of brainstorming here.
 
IMO, you have to remove water pan and water inside it.
Just use a pizza stone and a disposable pan over the puzza stone.
In the disposable pan you can add just as much water to afford the initial hours (3-4) @250F.
Later during the cook, water willfinish and your bark will set much better.
 
Thank you to everyone who has replied. I figured it had to do with the water in the water pan. Because whenever I smoke on and offset cooker I don't have this problem. But I wasn't 100% sure that it was a Weber problem or a water problem so I wanted to find out from the pros. Thank all of you for your feedback and I will definitely try with less to no water. However I think it will mean review learning the Weber Smokey Mountain all over again. For three years of cooking on the Weber Smokey Mountain I have used water like all instructions say. Now I have to learn want to cook without water.
 
BRogers said:
Thank you to everyone who has replied. I figured it had to do with the water in the water pan. Because whenever I smoke on and offset cooker I don't have this problem. But I wasn't 100% sure that it was a Weber problem or a water problem so I wanted to find out from the pros. Thank all of you for your feedback and I will definitely try with less to no water. However I think it will mean review learning the Weber Smokey Mountain all over again. For three years of cooking on the Weber Smokey Mountain I have used water like all instructions say. Now I have to learn want to cook without water.
Click to expand...

I forgot to rub one time and got the best bark ever. I haven't stretched a cook out to 18-22 hours for at least a couple of years, but with high heat @ 10 hours or so & including foil, I still get a really nice bark; the only thing I lose from the long cooks is not as much fat renders so there's a little more waste.

Welcome to the board too BTW, we're looking forward to seeing your cooks.

Cooking without water is exactly the same, better IMO, because what you're seeing is the fire. Temperature changes in relation to vent settings are quicker, easier, & more exact since you're eliminating the water variable. I just foil my pan but I didn't for a lot of years. Foiling it keeps it cleaner & makes for easier cleanup. I only foil the top.
 
So without using water in the pan, is it still as easy to "walk away" from the cook for 30 minutes to an hour at a time without checking temp or do you have to stay with it constantly like I had to when I was using nothing but the kettle?
 
BRogers said:
So without using water in the pan, is it still as easy to "walk away" from the cook for 30 minutes to an hour at a time without checking temp or do you have to stay with it constantly like I had to when I was using nothing but the kettle?
Click to expand...

You can walk away sooner, for longer, with less worry! (one less variable).
 
I cooked with water for about 3 years before I switched to no water. It is not much different to handle the temps. Especially after you have a well seasoned smoker. I cook my pork shoulder at 275 no foil and rest for 1 hour and then shred. I get awesome bark and awesome pork every time. Try it this way and see what you think. Also a good rub helps.
 
I always use water in my WSM and have never had an issue with bark on anything. Especially when I do not wrap something in foil during the cook.... A lot of these guys have many more years of experience smoking meat but personally I do not think water in the water pan is your issue...

You are cooking your butts to 190-205 degrees internally? Are you mopping or spritzing during the cook? Do you cook directly on the rack or in an aluminum pan?
 
Tommy B said:
I always use water in my WSM and have never had an issue with bark on anything. Especially when I do not wrap something in foil during the cook.... A lot of these guys have many more years of experience smoking meat but personally I do not think water in the water pan is your issue...
Click to expand...

I have to agree. I'm a relative newcomer to the WSM (just eleven years), but I use water for every cook, and have never seen an issue. I think we're missing something.
 
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