Whole Pork Shoulder


 
Originally posted by Andrew Feldman:
Follow up question on foiling ribs....the ones I made last night were among my best efforts so I want to continue to tune this approach.

a) how long into the smoke do you put them in foil
b) for how long do you leave them in the foil
c) when you pour the pineapple/tamarind into the foil packet, do you put the ribs meat side down or up?
d) do you take them out of the foil for the final part of the smoke? How long does this phase last?

Thanks,
Andrew
Click to expand...

Andrew, at what temp. are you smokin your ribs? What kind of ribs are you using?

a. I use time only as a reference and foil the ribs after it reaches a rich mahogony color (if I am smoking st. louis style ribs at 225°-250°, it usually takes anywhere around 2-3.5 hours).

b. Since I mostly smoke st. louis style ribs, and depending on my guests preference, it's anywhere between 45 minutes to 2 hours. Remember, there is no right answer. Do you like your ribs falling off the bone? Everyone in my family equates this to the quality and success of the bbq. If they're not falling off the bone, then the ribs are not as good.

c. I like to foil meat side up.

d. I definitely like to, but be careful. Depending on what you add during this process (or when you foil the ribs), if a lot of sugar is added, it might burn. I like to leave it on the smoker to firm up for another 45 minutes to an hour.

Erik
 
I smoke the ribs with a target temp of between 225 and 250.

I use babby backs or st. louis style spares.

Last night I put them in foil about 2 hours into the smoke and kept them in the foil for a about 1 hour and then took them out of the foil but in the smoker for another 45 minutes, glazed them waited 15 minutes and then ate them.

When the came out of the foil they were very tender perhaps even a bit soggy, I could slide a bone out...they did firm up beautifully, but I thought maybe I had left them in the foil with the liquid a bit long...What exactly are we looking for in deciding that its time to remove them from the foil?

Thanks for the help...
 
My approach is different.

When I used to low/slow, I foiled when the color was very deep--for spares, often 4.5 hours or so. I always cook till tender while still foiled. After that I remove. Refirming the bark takes only 10 min tops so little additional cooking occurs.

I foil meat up.

I still follow the same approach now, but cook at higher temps (I have always cooked babybacks at higher temps, ~325/335, then 350-375 once foiled, if I foil). Spares I cook at ~290/300 (but have gone higher), 325-350 once foiled, if I foil.

I do not cook FOTB ribs and never sauce them. (I do occasionally glaze very thinly). I catch the ribs when they are just tender--when a probe inserted between the bones goes in effortlessly (I probe right through the foil)--and they will be tender and bite-off-the-bone at that point, my preference. At high temps the ribs will firm sufficiently in under 5 min in most cases. The bark is well established before foiling (it is also well established if cooking low/slow if you wait to foil) so all this time returned to the cooker unfoiled is not at all necessary.
 
Originally posted by Andrew Feldman:
When the came out of the foil they were very tender perhaps even a bit soggy, I could slide a bone out...they did firm up beautifully, but I thought maybe I had left them in the foil with the liquid a bit long...What exactly are we looking for in deciding that its time to remove them from the foil?
Click to expand...

Andrew, what makes you think that? If you were happy with the end results, why change anything? There are millions of ways to do them and at the end, if you're happy, that's the way you should do them. Most bbqers would think Kevin's way is unorthodox, but he's happy with the results. Who's to tell him he is doing it wrong. Most say if the ribs are FOTB, then they're overcooked. Try telling that to my family and see what you get as a response.

I remove the ribs from foil when I can easily insert a probe in the meat without any resistance. And then I'll throw them back on to firm up the bark, as Kevin mentioned. I, too, do not like to sauce my ribs. One thing to note, each foiled rib pouch is different. I have made the mistake of unfoiling all the ribs at the same time. The end results were some were FOTB, others were too firm. Lastly, I meant to say I foil meat side up, not down.

Erik
 
Thanks Erik and Kevin, that was really helpful.

Erik, I appreciate the question. I thought I had cooked them a bit long since I had never seen a bone slide out of a rack of ribs. They did firm up and tasted pretty darn good...But my thought at this stage is to try as many different suggestions as possible so that when I chose my favorite it will be based on experience...


A couple follow on questions

a) what advantage or disadvantage does the higher heat bring? Obviously shorter cook times but anything else?

b) for ribs which woods do you prefer? For Shoulders? and what about for Brisket or chuck rolls?

c) the "probe" you guys use to test for doneness is just skewer or fork?


Thanks so much...
 
Originally posted by Andrew Feldman:
A couple follow on questions

a) what advantage or disadvantage does the higher heat bring? Obviously shorter cook times but anything else?

b) for ribs which woods do you prefer? For Shoulders? and what about for Brisket or chuck rolls?

c) the "probe" you guys use to test for doneness is just skewer or fork?


Thanks so much...
Click to expand...

a. This is highly debatable. I would love to hear the responses from everyone on this question. Honestly, from my experience, it's not much. I have used both methods, but mostly stick to the slow n low method. I am embarrassed to say this but it's mainly to tell my guests how long it's taken to cook. This especially holds true with pork butts, brisket and chuck rolls. There's nothing like saying "it's been smoked for 20 hours," and the responses that follow. Frankly, if I owned a bbq restaurant, I would definitely capitalize on this marketing method. The other reason is I like bbqing long hours, that's just my preference. If time is an issue, I usually smoke high heat, but when going this route, foiling is key IMO.

b. Ribs - a combo of cherry and apple.
Shoulders - a combo of apple and apricot
Brisket - Mostly oak, with a chunk of maple
Chuck rolls - Mostly hickory, with a chunk or two of apple
Tri Tip - A chunk of Oak, cherry and maple. God I love that combo for tri tip.

I have an unlimited amount of almond wood which I should probably start playing with. Have you tried almond wood?

c. toothpick, skewer, fork, thermometer probe.

Where exactly is Portola Valley?

Erik
 
Much appreciated Erik.
I've never tried Apricot or Maple.
I'll give it a go.
I've got plenty of Oak so that should be easy...

Portola Valley is about halfway between San Francisco and San Jose.

Thanks so much.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

 

Back
Top