Smoked Pork Shoulder

Brent Dowell

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Well, I'm smoking a small pork shoulder (butt) today.

I'm using my goto rub "Wild Willy's Number One-derful Rub" from the book "Smoke and Spice".

It's an all-purpose rub, good on ribs, brisket, chicken, and more. I generally make up a double batch and put it in a big spice shaker.

"Wild Willy's Number One-derful Rub"
3/4 cup paprika
1/4 cup ground black pepper
1/4 cup salt
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons onion powder
2 teaspoons cayenne
Mix the spices thoroughly in a bowl. Store covered in a cool, dark pantry. Makes about 2 cups.

I fired up the smoker around 8 and put in a mix of pellets, cherry, maple, oak, hickory.

I put the pork on and will run it at 225 with the smoke for a few hours. Later I'll dump in a half a can of coke and cover it with foil and let it just braise most of the afternoon.

Then I'm planning on taking 1/2 of it and pulling it to make bbq pork sandwiches. The other half will be used in a 'chile verde' type preperation for later in the week.

By the way, my pid quit working, so I'm testing out the one I made for Carol today! :rolleyes: Let's just call it a little QC check...

Here's a 'before' picture.

FWW-9533.jpg
 
Man you making me hungry. Thanks for the detail this is just what I need as backup. Still waiting for the depot to drop their price for me to buy. They still stuck with same stock so its got to happen soon. :) My little contest with them. Got to be soon cause I got to pull the trigger and have one all setup by mid August for a visitor. :)

I have been thinking about the questions you posed about driving the SCRs. These solid state switches came to market after I gave up the design bench and moved away from engineering that required that level of switching. So my experience with these and forerunners (thyristor switches) is not there.

Enjoy that pork. Can just about taste it.
 
Been reading up on Boston Butt smoking and am finding all kinda nuances....like the meat "stalling" at 160* for a long time, and then the need to get the internal temp over 190* to break down all the fat and connective tissue. I did an 11 pounder yesterday and after 12 hours at 230* with the last 4 hours in foil the internal temp was still only at 180*. Family was getting hungry so I stuck it in the oven at 350* for two hours and got it up to 190. Bone came right out and it pulled nicely, but was a tad bit dry. I'll allow more time for the next one and maybe up the temp a bit?
 
I read his recipe for the chile verde and it has CILANTRO in it...yum :):):)...:stick: Vaughn:rofl:

Aw man, I was already loading up the car to head over there for a late dinner (real late), but if he's poisoning things with the devil's weed, I'll just have to stay here. :gonnagetit: :rofl:

Of course, you could replace the cilantro with some of that NM green chile I left in your freezer and have real chile verde sauce. :whistling: :D Warning, though.That batch is pretty spicy. I just finished an omelette with some it it and I've got a nice little endorphin sweat going on. :)
 
Been reading up on Boston Butt smoking and am finding all kinda nuances....like the meat "stalling" at 160* for a long time, and then the need to get the internal temp over 190* to break down all the fat and connective tissue. I did an 11 pounder yesterday and after 12 hours at 230* with the last 4 hours in foil the internal temp was still only at 180*. Family was getting hungry so I stuck it in the oven at 350* for two hours and got it up to 190. Bone came right out and it pulled nicely, but was a tad bit dry. I'll allow more time for the next one and maybe up the temp a bit?

Yeah, Mine was stalled for quite a while. Cranked the heat up on the smoker to 300 and went to the pool for an hour and guess what, 192!
 
That looks mighty nice, Brent! Did you use any type of injection or just the outside rub?

Speaking of BBQ, our recent trip gave me an opportunity to have some real, Texas brisket. Ain't nothin' like it!!!
 
...Speaking of BBQ, our recent trip gave me an opportunity to have some real, Texas brisket. Ain't nothin' like it!!!

I was raised by a Texan with a knack for cooking brisket, and I've eaten Brent's brisket. I must say, Brent's got the process down pretty good. :thumb:
 
That looks mighty nice, Brent! Did you use any type of injection or just the outside rub?

Speaking of BBQ, our recent trip gave me an opportunity to have some real, Texas brisket. Ain't nothin' like it!!!

Just the outside rub. I did put in a 1/2 can of coke for a braising liquid and covered with foil for last couple of hours.

Trying to keep it simple, as I wasn't going to do it all up with BBQ sauce.

I was raised by a Texan with a knack for cooking brisket, and I've eaten Brent's brisket. I must say, Brent's got the process down pretty good. :thumb:

Aw shucks.... Thanks!
 
Just the outside rub. I did put in a 1/2 can of coke for a braising liquid and covered with foil for last couple of hours. Trying to keep it simple, as I wasn't going to do it all up with BBQ sauce.

The butt or even the whole shoulder has enough fat marbling to keep it moist, but I'll inject apple juice mostly for flavor, then add a wad of butt rub on the outside. After it starts getting a good smoke on it, I'll begin spritzing with apple juice. When it's time to wrap it, I'll add apple juice and keep it wrapped tight until it hits 195°, then take it out of the wrap and set it back on the grate to refresh the bark.

Something that just struck me is whether to use an apple cider vinegar and juice mix for the injection next time to give it more of a Carolina touch. :dunno:
 
Brent I see you mentioned use of a can of coke, Linda cooks ribs in coke in the slow cooker for a few hours. When done she then puts them either on the BBQ or under the grill with some rib sauce we use. Coke really works well in this case. :D

Off to the depot today to negotiate with the manager. I gotta have that smoker now!!!! But i aint paying what they want. Just my frugal ways.:rofl: They have been sitting now with 101 online for weeks now and summer is winding down given we have started getting shorter days since a few days ago. ;)

Lets hope i am victorious. :rofl:
 
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I use Coke and/or apple juice in most of my mopping recipes. (I use the term "recipe" loosely, since I just start pouring stuff into a bowl until I like what I see and taste.) :D
 
Aw man, I was already loading up the car to head over there for a late dinner (real late), but if he's poisoning things with the devil's weed, I'll just have to stay here. :gonnagetit: :rofl:

Of course, you could replace the cilantro with some of that NM green chile I left in your freezer and have real chile verde sauce. :whistling: :D Warning, though.That batch is pretty spicy. I just finished an omelette with some it it and I've got a nice little endorphin sweat going on. :)

Sounds like my kind of an omelete... I like them to bite back when I bite into them.

My wife make a Pakistani dish that we call Kemah (but Kemah really just means meat)... it's served over rice with a cucumber/Yogurt sauce to tone it down slightly... it will bring tears to your eyes..:eek:. both going in and going out...:rofl::rofl:
 
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