Suggestions for First Pork Shoulder


 
C

Chris OH

New member
Hello,

This Saturday, I'll be smoking my first pork shoulder - a small, bone-in 5.5 lb butt I picked up today. I plan on following the instructions below other than only smoking one since it's my first go at it:

http://virtualweberbullet.com/pork1.html

Much like my first ribs cook, Saturday is projected to be very cold with potentially a couple inches of snow. Are there any tips I should keep in mind that may differ from the link above - especially given the forecast and that I'll only be smoking one small butt?

Thanks,

Chris
 
Check out the Renouned Mr. Brown recipe. You won't be sorry if you go that route. Good luck! You can't go wrong with a pork butt!
 
I would just make sure and use plenty of charcoal. I'd fill the ring up if it's going to be super cold. You don't want to be adding fuel if you can help it. If you feel comfortable with it, you might ditch the water, but that's up to you. Good luck. I checked out that recipe as I haven't read it in a while. I think it'll work out great!
 
I'll concede and assume the article is accurate but in my couple years of smoking I've never pulled a shoulder at 190*; I pull--I think--at 198*-to-201* judging by how a thermometer probe pierces the meat and I tug on the bone to get a glimpse as to whether or not it feels as though it would separate easily. In Cincinnati the winds may be fairly strong tomorrow, too. I have a wind (and rain/snow) shield, so I don't have experience with knowing what adjustments to make for windy conditions but I know from reading that it can affect your smoke. Regardless of what size WSM you have I agree with filling the ring full of charcoal. I actually do not use water but there is no right or wrong decision on its use; I mention it to say that even in winter months I do not start with 20 lit coals. I personally light 10-12 (and as few as 8 in warmer weather). On New Years Eve I started a smoke when the outdoor temp was 5*, lit 12 coals, and maintained 250*-270* at the grate.

Good luck and welcome!
 
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I looked up a video I watched before my first Pork Butt cook because it shows a cold weather cook with a WSM. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFO3TJ27m6w The video is 11 years old but it still covers the subject nicely. I liked it because it showed me the entire cook and his method of skewing multiple pork butts to fit on the WSM. I once dd 3 butts on the top grate using the method. It's been several years since I did my first butt but I do remember my anxiety before that cook. Mine went fine and so will yours. It might be so good it surprises you. :wsm: I cook in the 250 to 275 range. We all find our comfort zone. I start checking tenderness when the internal temp hits 195° and don't take it off until my temp probe slides easily into several parts of the butt. That's usually over 200°. I have held pork butts wrapped in foil and towels in a cooler for up to 4 hours. Enjoy the cook.
 
Pork butts are very forgiving. A little fluctuation in temperatures in the WSM won't hurt anything I've had my mini run from 125 to 300 on the same cook due to high winds and snow and it came out just fine.
Put a full load of charcoal in it and try not to open it up. If you have a remote thermometer run it until the temp hits the high 190s, then start probing for a no resistance probe also wiggle the bone if it feels like it will pull right out that's another sign its good to go. You should see that at about 201-205. Pull it off, rest it, pull it, and enjoy it.
 
I'm relieved to read others are not pulling at 190, lol; started fretting that I had it wrong these couple years.
 
Rich Dahl said:
Pork butts are very forgiving. A little fluctuation in temperatures in the WSM won't hurt anything I've had my mini run from 125 to 300 on the same cook due to high winds and snow and it came out just fine.
Put a full load of charcoal in it and try not to open it up. If you have a remote thermometer run it until the temp hits the high 190s, then start probing for a no resistance probe also wiggle the bone if it feels like it will pull right out that's another sign its good to go. You should see that at about 201-205. Pull it off, rest it, pull it, and enjoy it.
Click to expand...

What Rich said.
 
Yep, what Rich said!
The only thing I can offer about cold weather smoking (after a -5 overnight brisket smoke) is if you can eliminate as much wind as possible you will greatly reduce problems. It was brutal setting the bullet up but, I used probably 40% more charcoal than I would at 70 ambient temp and still had to recharge after nine hours. 14 pound brisket took 18.6 lb. of coal.
 
The only thing to watch out for with the WSM and precipitation is the lid design causes the water and snow to go into the smoker and down the sides because of the lip...So you might get water under your coals or steaming...

Oh and I tried the Weber charcoal from Lowes (on sale big time) for a brisket i did in the cold for christmas eve, SO HOT! I had to close some vents. It was the first time ever I had a "too much heat" situation with the WSM...Love those coals now.
 
Thanks a lot for everyone's helpful input. Based on the feedback and suggestions, I intend to fill the ring full of unlit charcoal with 10-12 lit coals on top. I'll start checking for doneness around 195 but won't actually remove until the bone indicates it's ready. I've read a lot of conflicting opinions on whether to rest or not, but that's generally something I do. If I do so and am able to time it so the pork is ready to be pulled around dinner time (or later), what's the best method for that - removing it from the WSM and letting it rest (covered or uncovered?) while it cools down for ~30 minutes to the point that it can be handled?
 
I try to time my cooks so that the butt comes off a couple of hours before dinner. I double wrap it in heavy duty foil, put towels in the bottom of a cooler, put the wrapped butt in and cover it with towels. I take it out about 30 minutes before we eat. If I'm not ready early I put the butt in a foil pan, try to rest it for 30 minute, unwrap it keeping the juice in the pan, and pull it using 2 forks. I'm sure others do it different but that works for me.
 
So I'm about an hour and a half into the cook, and the pork is currently at 150 degrees. For the past 45 minutes or so, I've hit a temperature spike that has gotten as high as 308 degrees at the grate level and is currently 299 degrees. Based on feedback here, I did not use water (I foiled the pan) and started with a full ring of Kingsford Blue coals with 12 lit coals on top. The bottom vents are all about a quarter of the way open. Is the spike anything to be concerned about (due to starting with too much fuel relative to the amount of food or due to not using water)?
 
The spike won't hurt a thing. It's easier to get spikes when not using water and you started with the right amount of fuel. If you have to close all the lower vents to get the temp down that won't hurt anything either. My guess is you had a tense but good cook..
 
Thanks - yes, it took some playing with the vents (had them all nearly closed at one point), but I got it under 300, and it's been in the 250 - 275 range for most of the cook. Currently, the pork temp is 190 with a probe temp of 263. Looking forward to trying it soon enough!
 
The pork temp got as high as 192 before it dropped to 190. The smoker temp didn't have a major drop, so it took me a while to realize I was low on charcoal, and when I checked, I was pretty low. I added half a chimney of unlit coals and stirred everything, and that seems to have done the trick for now, as I'm back up to 191 with a smoker temp of 238.
 
Good luck with it! As a side note, once you are that close to being finished you could also put it in the oven for the final duration. It is not uncommon for my lower vents to be choked-down to approx 1/8 open for the first part of the smoke and I start closing them down once the pit temp exceeds 200'ish.
 
I was able to take it off once it hit 196, as the bone would have easily pulled out, and there was no resistance with the probe. I foiled it and let it rest for 45 minutes. Everything turned out great, and we have plenty of leftovers. Thanks for everyone's help!
 
Congrats! If you are fans of PP lots of people freeze leftovers in Foodsaver bags and throw them in boiling water for a few minutes for a good, quick meal.
 
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