Tips for cooking a pork shoulder, minion method on a webber kettle


 
B

BryanJSmith

New member
Hello

My first ever post after finding this amazing site whist googling around looking for BBQ tips. Ive bee BBQ for a few years and I would say i'm an experienced beginner. I love cooking on the BBQ and want to experiment and broaden my skills.

I'm intending to try to cook a smallish Pork Shoulder joint on my kettle. Ive read a few threads on here and I understand the method using a WSM but what tips would you give me on adapting the method to a Webber kettle ?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated....

Thanks
 
I would use the Snake/Fuse method

fuse_in_kettle.jpg
 
I've used the method above many times before I bought a WSM. The key is finding a sweet spot for your bottom vents. I've found that maintaining temperature in a long cook in the kettle is a fair bit trickier than the WSM. Definitely want to have a remote thermometer to monitor kettle temp (high and low) and meat temp.
 
I use the snake method as well. Temp control can be tricky, once the fire is established I have the bottom vents as close to closed as possible and use the top to control temp. The top too is almost closed once the fire is established, it just doesn't seem to need much air to keep it going. It's usually running between 225 and 250 if I'm lucky. It's actually better on a colder days because it's difficult to keep the kettle under 240 on a very warm day.
 
I build a two level fire using a pair of thin fire bricks:


Put a throw-a-way pan under the roast on the indirect side. Put the butt directly on the grate. I try to keep my temps at around 275 degrees. It takes around one to one and a half hours per pound. When the butt's internal temperature hits 165 degrees, I wrap the butt in such a manner that I capture all of the juices (useful when the pork is pulled). It is often easier to simply put it in a throw-a-way pan and tightly cover it with aluminum foil. I defat the juices and use them to moisten and flavor the pulled pork, as necessary.

The only thing you give away to a WSM is the WSM is LOTS easier to maintain temperatures. I might mention that I put a whole chimney of unlit behind the bricks and then light about a dozen briqs and spread evenly over the top. I put my smoke wood even with the top of the unlit.

Keep in mind, now that I have a couple of WSM's that's what I do mine in simply because it is easier to maintain even temps (and you have MUCH greater capacity. However, in all fairness, the quality of the pulled pork done on the Weber grill is absolutely equal to what you will get with the WSM.

Just a thought or two...

Keep on smokin';
Dale53:wsm:
 
Brian
First welcome to the forum!
Second, no doubt. You need snake method or call it fuse method. A 2, 3, 4, 5 briqs in a row + some chips over those.
You can start the minion method wit 8-10 lit briqs. And you can cook for hours!
 
Hello Bryan and welcome to this site. As you've seen, you'll find some great information here and people who are more than willing to share their knowledge.
I started smoking on a Weber kettle a few years ago and used the snake/minion method. What worked best for me in keeping the temps low was using a 3 bricquette
method (two on the grate and one sitting on them) with my wood chunks sitting on the top. It worked very well and I also kept my vents near closed at the bottom
and adjusted them as needed. Enjoy the food and the process.

jon
 
Hi again guys.

Tomorrow is PB-day. Cant wait to enjoy the process and food at the end. So i'm going to use the snake method with waterbath following the Renowned Mr.Brown recipe.

Question I have is, to foil or not to foil ?

Or should I only foil if I'm struggling to get the IT to 190/205 ?
 
Has anyone used a Vortex ring instead of a snake?

What were the results? Any better any worse? Any easier more difficult to set? . . . clean up?
 
The snake is what I started with before my WSM. It was always great. I think I had to extend the snake and empty some ashes on a few of the smokes, but it just takes a few minutes....good luck!
 
Hi Bryan. I neither foil nor mop my pork shoulders and I've never had an issue. If you foil them, the bark will steam and soften. some people prefer a crunchy bark (me) and some prefer the softer/steamed version. The great thing about this is that there's no right or wrong, rather it's what you prefer. As far as the IT, you WILL hit a plateau point somewhere between the 150's-170's, don't worry about it as you will break through that point. Use the IT as a guide but not as the test for doneness rather probe the shoulder with a skewer and wait until you're able to push it in as if the butt was butter. Make sure you probe it in all different spots as parts may finish faster than others. Pork shoulder is very forgiving so if one part is still tough to probe, be patient! Enjoy the process and if you have any other questions feel free to ask.
 
I do foil mine as I prefer a softer bark. I wait for it to come out of the stall, which can take hours so don't panic, then I foil with a little apple juice with it. But not foiling produces excellent results also. Just be patient and rely on the probe test and you'll be fine. Also pork butts/ shoulders are very forgiving on temps so don't over react to temp swings that's going to happen in a kettle.
 
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