Any comments or suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
Main questions: Why did it take so long when my ave. temp was 250 - 260 degrees? (11 hrs for 6Lbs and never did reach 200 degrees I quit at 195 degrees)
Should I cook at a higher temp say 275 degrees?
Should I not use water in the water pan?
Will wrapping the meat when it reaches about 175 degrees cut down on the amount of bark and decrease the cooking time?
Should I tie the meat since it came with large divisions in it? Purchase a 13 Lb Pork shoulder Butt boneless then cut it perpendicular along its natural division leaving me with a 6Lb piece and a 7Lb piece which is now in the freezer both of these smaller pieces had large divisions in them, but not all the way through.
What is the purpose of cooling the meat in a cooler?
Procedure for: FIRST PORK SHOULDER BUTT SMOKE 5/20/2021
CONDITIONS: 70 - 80 DEGREES W/ LITTLE TO NO WIND FROM THE SW
Meat Weight 6 lbs with one 4 oz piece that broke off.
Used Weber Apple and Hickory wood chunks for smoke flavor. Used 3 chunks of each.
Coal ring was filled to top with Jealous Devil Hardwood Lump Crucial and started with one small chimney full of Kingsford Long Burning charcoal briquets but chunks were spaced lightly. Expecting a 8 - 10 hr cook time.
Water pan was filled 75% with hot water w/ 1 cup Apple Cider Vinegar added.
Coated meat with brown mustard and rubbed with Pork Barrel BBQ All American Seasoning and Rub from Costco
Start time: 10 AM
Time: 10 AM to 12 PM: Average WSM Temp 252 degrees Meat @ 138 degrees Vents fully opened
Time: 1 PM WSM Temp 248 to 256 Meat @ 158 degrees
Time: 2 PM WSM Temp 256 Meat @ 164 degrees
Time: 3 PM WSM Temp 240 Meat @ 164 degrees (5 hrs into cook)
Note: At 3:30 Stirred coals and added a few more chunks and brickets due to WSM temp drop to 230 degrees
Time: 4 PM WSM Temp 254 degrees Meat @ 166 degrees
Time: 5 PM Stirred coals due to WSM temp drop to 240 degrees WSM Temp increased to 278 degrees Meat @ 170 Began spritzing meat with 50% water 50% apple cider vinegar mixed with 1T brown sugar. Continued spritzing about every 45 min until done. Dark bark observed.
Time: 5:30 PM Stirred coals due to temp drop to 240 temp increased to 290 degrees. Closed dampers 25%.
Time: 6 PM WSM Temp 279 degrees Meat at 180 degrees
Continued smoke until 9 pm 11 hrs overall. WSM average temp of 250 degrees quit cooking at a meat temp of 195 degrees (Goal was 200 degrees)
Wrapped meat in foil and placed into cooler for 1 Hr. then pulled apart. Do I really need to let it cool down in a cooler?
Meat had a heavy blackened bark. The meat pulled apart very easily and was very tasty. Small piece was turned to jerky status chewy but tasty.
Notes:
Next time use more coal chunks spaced closer together and make sure fire is burning strong before beginning. Place seasoned wood so it is mixed in with coal.
Problems maintaining temperature meat never made it to 200 degrees before I finally quit.
Next time consider skipping the water and increasing the average cook temperature to 275 degrees rather than 250 degrees. The goal being to reduce cook time to 1-1.5 hrs/pound. Maybe just increase temperature and continue the use of water? Difficult time getting WSM temp above 250 for first 5 hrs of cook time. After stirring coals temp increased to 290 degrees, before closing bottom vents 25 %.
Try spritzing earlier in the cook, after 3 hours.
Try wrapping meat in foil after it reaches 175 degrees to finish the cook.
Thanks for taking the time to read all this!
Mike in Traverse City, MI
Main questions: Why did it take so long when my ave. temp was 250 - 260 degrees? (11 hrs for 6Lbs and never did reach 200 degrees I quit at 195 degrees)
Should I cook at a higher temp say 275 degrees?
Should I not use water in the water pan?
Will wrapping the meat when it reaches about 175 degrees cut down on the amount of bark and decrease the cooking time?
Should I tie the meat since it came with large divisions in it? Purchase a 13 Lb Pork shoulder Butt boneless then cut it perpendicular along its natural division leaving me with a 6Lb piece and a 7Lb piece which is now in the freezer both of these smaller pieces had large divisions in them, but not all the way through.
What is the purpose of cooling the meat in a cooler?
Procedure for: FIRST PORK SHOULDER BUTT SMOKE 5/20/2021
CONDITIONS: 70 - 80 DEGREES W/ LITTLE TO NO WIND FROM THE SW
Meat Weight 6 lbs with one 4 oz piece that broke off.
Used Weber Apple and Hickory wood chunks for smoke flavor. Used 3 chunks of each.
Coal ring was filled to top with Jealous Devil Hardwood Lump Crucial and started with one small chimney full of Kingsford Long Burning charcoal briquets but chunks were spaced lightly. Expecting a 8 - 10 hr cook time.
Water pan was filled 75% with hot water w/ 1 cup Apple Cider Vinegar added.
Coated meat with brown mustard and rubbed with Pork Barrel BBQ All American Seasoning and Rub from Costco
Start time: 10 AM
Time: 10 AM to 12 PM: Average WSM Temp 252 degrees Meat @ 138 degrees Vents fully opened
Time: 1 PM WSM Temp 248 to 256 Meat @ 158 degrees
Time: 2 PM WSM Temp 256 Meat @ 164 degrees
Time: 3 PM WSM Temp 240 Meat @ 164 degrees (5 hrs into cook)
Note: At 3:30 Stirred coals and added a few more chunks and brickets due to WSM temp drop to 230 degrees
Time: 4 PM WSM Temp 254 degrees Meat @ 166 degrees
Time: 5 PM Stirred coals due to WSM temp drop to 240 degrees WSM Temp increased to 278 degrees Meat @ 170 Began spritzing meat with 50% water 50% apple cider vinegar mixed with 1T brown sugar. Continued spritzing about every 45 min until done. Dark bark observed.
Time: 5:30 PM Stirred coals due to temp drop to 240 temp increased to 290 degrees. Closed dampers 25%.
Time: 6 PM WSM Temp 279 degrees Meat at 180 degrees
Continued smoke until 9 pm 11 hrs overall. WSM average temp of 250 degrees quit cooking at a meat temp of 195 degrees (Goal was 200 degrees)
Wrapped meat in foil and placed into cooler for 1 Hr. then pulled apart. Do I really need to let it cool down in a cooler?
Meat had a heavy blackened bark. The meat pulled apart very easily and was very tasty. Small piece was turned to jerky status chewy but tasty.
Notes:
Next time use more coal chunks spaced closer together and make sure fire is burning strong before beginning. Place seasoned wood so it is mixed in with coal.
Problems maintaining temperature meat never made it to 200 degrees before I finally quit.
Next time consider skipping the water and increasing the average cook temperature to 275 degrees rather than 250 degrees. The goal being to reduce cook time to 1-1.5 hrs/pound. Maybe just increase temperature and continue the use of water? Difficult time getting WSM temp above 250 for first 5 hrs of cook time. After stirring coals temp increased to 290 degrees, before closing bottom vents 25 %.
Try spritzing earlier in the cook, after 3 hours.
Try wrapping meat in foil after it reaches 175 degrees to finish the cook.
Thanks for taking the time to read all this!
Mike in Traverse City, MI