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A Honest Smoking Recipe for Port Butt/Shoulder Please

probablecause

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Going to be doing two 8 lb pork shoulders tomorrow. Trying to narrow down cooking time and temp but the internet is all over the place. Some say 225 @ 2 hours per pound and expect a cook time of 15-20 hours. Well, that is a 5 hour window that is no good to me. Others say 250 @ 60-90 minutes per pound. Well, that is a 30-minute difference per pound and at 8 pounds, 240 minutes or 4 hours which again, is too much of a spread. Don't know if I need to wrap in foil at the stall point or just push through. I have a pellet smoker.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,

Brendan
 

OldSchoolBoats

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When I do pork butt I usually do a 4-5lb'r and cook at 190 - 205 for 6-8 hours, raising the temp 5 degrees every 60 - 90 minutes. Pellet smokers don't really get you the good smoke flavor or ring at the higher temps. Would stay away from going north of 225.

I cook it to 192 degrees and then pull it off, wrap in foil and a towel and then let it sit in a cooler for 30 - 45 minutes.
 

sintax

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youre not going to like my response to this, but i'll give it anyways....

There is no magic formula, It really boils down to your pit, your style, and hell, sometimes I even feel the moon and tides.

How I do mine, on my pit.... 225-235 until its done. Sometimes i'll wrap, sometimes I wont, it all comes down to how i'm feeling, my time, and what i'm seeing. I like avoid the wrap because it wrecks my bark, but sometimes I'm running short on time. I usually get the whole big dog pork butts, not the full shoulder. My time is usually 11-15 hrs on my pit, which is a Kamado.

I'm guessing youre doing this for a gathering, since its so many lbs. If you want my advice, start WAY early, these butts rest VERY well in an ice chest for 4-6 hrs until you're ready. You honestly want to rest them for 1-2 hrs anyways after. So what i'll do is when they're ready to be pulled, I'll wrap them, put them in some foil tubs, and put them in a towel lined RTIC cooler. This will more or less keep them golden for HOURS, while allowing them to rest. When you're ready to use them, pull them out and they'll be ready.

**Pro-tip** make sure you save ALLLL that juice that you find in the foil, mix it in with your pulled pork when you get to the pulling step.
 
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f12517

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You should be cooking the meat to temp, not by time. This is why you’re getting such a large time swing from people. Get a temp gauge and cook until 195 is my preferred temp to cook to. I’ve had 8 pound butts done in 8 hours and taken as long as 12-14 hours. All depends on temp of smoker, technique used and the meat itself.
 
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ArizonaKevin

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if you are trying to plan for a timed meal, always go way early. An extra long rest is always better than having to rush it in the last hour by cranking the temp
 

jeteater1

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IMG_264922941952901.jpeg

I use this chart as a base
 

shintoooo

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I watched this guy one time and I've been following it ever since. It comes out great every time.

 

eliminate-her

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As everyone has mentioned there are a ton of variables. Using a Traeger I cook my shoulders/butt at 225 until 180 internal temp. I will pull it off and wrap in butcher paper and pull off at 204. The cooler method is a great way to let it continue to cook and breakdown.
 

Sandlord

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Everyone pretty much covered it.
I cook (1) 9lb butt every month.
Slather with mustard, (acts like a glue, you wont taste it) and generously cover it with a rub, I use Rudys, but modified a little.
I start at midnight and set the temp for 220 on my pit boss. Therm probe installed so I’m not poking holes later.
I start checking the probe around 11:00 AM. At 195 degrees, I remove it, wrap it in grill foil and place it in a cooler for at least an hour.
Then I bust it down on a cookie sheet, remove bone and any extra slabs of fat. Sprinkle it with a little rub and mix it up.
 

jones performance

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i dont cook by time but by internal temp, that being said, my cook times vary a little but on average they are typically 11 hours at 225*

i wrap em at 175* and pull em off when internal hits 198* and i open up foil for a couple minutes to vent heat, then close back up and place in cooler to rest for an hour then pull it apart. View attachment 1002092
 
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checkrd past

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Salt,Pepper and garlic,225 until the temp reads 205, Don't make it a big deal than it is.
 

sixdays

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Salt and pepper, maybe paprika or chili powder for some bite. 225 for 4-5 hours or until it hits 170 IT. I usually leave a cup of ACV in the smoker to help out. At 170, I wrap in foil, add some ACV, and throw it in the oven until it hits 195-200. There’s no need to continue burning through pellets once it’s wrapped. I pull it and put it in the cooler for an hour or two before shredding and serving it.

Every butt and brisket cooks different. Don’t panic if it stalls around 160...do not crank the heat. Plan ahead, and leave a few hours buffer. The meat will stay hot in a cooler for several hours until you’re ready to eat.
 

SHOCKtheMONKEY

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As stated start early and IF it's done before chow time do the cooler trick.
Oh, and start early.
 

Racey

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First I rub with a cayenne and smoked paprika based rub, let that soak overnight in the fridge, then slather with French's mustard and a little bit of Louisiana hot sauce which acts as a glue for your main rub which is brown sugar, salt, seasonings.

Then I will smoke around 200 until it stalls at 160, from here just move it into a crock pot on low with no liquid, just one orange cut into quarter inch disc's, you could use an apple if you want more mild flavor. This goes for about 5 hours until the meat breaks down to pull.

Imo crock pot is easier with little downside once you reach the point where you are gonna wrap it anyway. There is no more smoke to impart at that point.
 

TeamGreene

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Internal temp of meat to 203 for pulling, your clock has nothing to do with it. As mentioned if its done early wrap it in foil and a towel and throw it in a cooler. Oh by the way when the IT gets to 170/180 its going to stall out but it will start climbing again patience is key. I run my stick burner 250/275 .
 

Cole Brewed

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Lots of good info already mentioned.

8lb nice size for what I cook.The night before cook, I trim the inedible fat, you may be surprised what you will trim away. Then I inject. Usually a sea salt, apple juice, soy sauce , Worcestershire sauce blend. Since these come out of the refrigerator they are pretty cold. Once injected I place in a plastic sealing bag then into a cooler. Little ice on top. 0600 or depending on chow time, next morning light the offset stick burner then dry rub.
Your scenario is definitely different so you may want to dry rub first with your preferred flavor for pork. Apply your binder , mustard , oil whatever you like. Mine is heavy brown sugar with sea salt pepper cayenne chili onion garlic and paprika. Let rest until wet. By now cook chamber to 250* put meat on.
I definitely wrap but I look for bark color and pullback on the bone. I wouldn’t wrap to soon. I do it by site not temp. Double wrap with heavy duty foil not the light weight crap. Use a decent digital thermometer and I pull off cooler at 202* Could be 6-8 hours.
Definitely let rest, cooler with towels works very well as previously mentioned. I try to toss the outer layer of foil first so it doesn’t taint the flavor before I pull the inner layer. This is where it gets hot! The liquid will be dripping the meat will be hot. If available I recommend cotton liner gloves under your food handling gloves. Or pull with two forks. Save the liquid also as previously mentioned. I try to to this step fast so meat doesn’t cool to much. Use of aluminum half sheet pans is about perfect per 8 lb cut. Wrap with foil and put back in cooler to keep hot. I like it served on Kings Hawaiian rolls with my sauce, but every body has a preference. Share pics of you finished cook.
 

Javajoe

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My 9lb shoulder took 7 hours at 225 to get to 170 then I wrapped with a bit of apple juice and thru it in the oven for 3 hours to get to 195 then wrapped in towels in cooler for 3 hours. Pulled great. Always mix a bit of the juice and bbq sauce and salt when pulling it. I use an Amaze pellet thing for more smoke. Works great
80FB49DA-79B7-441C-9D37-59E54B66B51A.jpeg
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Javajoe

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Lots of good info already mentioned.

8lb nice size for what I cook.The night before cook, I trim the inedible fat, you may be surprised what you will trim away. Then I inject. Usually a sea salt, apple juice, soy sauce , Worcestershire sauce blend. Since these come out of the refrigerator they are pretty cold. Once injected I place in a plastic sealing bag then into a cooler. Little ice on top. 0600 or depending on chow time, next morning light the offset stick burner then dry rub.
Your scenario is definitely different so you may want to dry rub first with your preferred flavor for pork. Apply your binder , mustard , oil whatever you like. Mine is heavy brown sugar with sea salt pepper cayenne chili onion garlic and paprika. Let rest until wet. By now cook chamber to 250* put meat on.
I definitely wrap but I look for bark color and pullback on the bone. I wouldn’t wrap to soon. I do it by site not temp. Double wrap with heavy duty foil not the light weight crap. Use a decent digital thermometer and I pull off cooler at 202* Could be 6-8 hours.
Definitely let rest, cooler with towels works very well as previously mentioned. I try to toss the outer layer of foil first so it doesn’t taint the flavor before I pull the inner layer. This is where it gets hot! The liquid will be dripping the meat will be hot. If available I recommend cotton liner gloves under your food handling gloves. Or pull with two forks. Save the liquid also as previously mentioned. I try to to this step fast so meat doesn’t cool to much. Use of aluminum half sheet pans is about perfect per 8 lb cut. Wrap with foil and put back in cooler to keep hot. I like it served on Kings Hawaiian rolls with my sauce, but every body has a preference. Share pics of you finished cook.
We do the same but put cole slaw on top also 👍
 

Chili Palmer

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Slather it in regular yellow mustard, sprinkle your favorite rub/seasoning, heat up your smoker to about 200-225, leave the fat cap on and set that end on the grille, check it in about 4 hours if it's around 160 put it in a foil pan, if not, keep checking until it gets there - it can take 4-6 hours depending on the weather, type of pellets or wood you're using, then spray it with ACV, stick a temperature probe in, cover it with foil, and let it go until around 200 degrees. Pull it off and either put in a cooler or wrap it with blankets or towels for 1-4 hours. When you do open them up drain off the juice and separate the fat, and after you break up (don't shred) the meat work the juice back in. Now you're ready for pulled pork sammies on Hawaiian bread, or smoky carnitas tacos, nachos, or whatever you want. Enjoy.

If you want to eat around 5:30-6pm start them around 8:00-9:00am.
 

probablecause

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Thanks everyone for all of the awesome info? Fat Cap up or down?
 

Chili Palmer

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Thanks everyone for all of the awesome info? Fat Cap up or down?
It depends where your heat source is. If you're using a Traeger or green egg/komodo where you heat source is from the bottom, put the fat cap down.
 

ArizonaKevin

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Thanks everyone for all of the awesome info? Fat Cap up or down?

Lot of schools of thought here. Some say fat side down to create a thermal barrier to your meat to help it cook evenly, others say fat cap up to allow the juice to get gravity fed through the meat as the cap breaks down. When I do pulled pork, I remove the cap altogether, allows me to get more seasoning and smoke into meat, there's plenty of intramuscular fat in a pork butt.
 

Bigbore500r

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Whatever you do, don't follow the 1st trager recipe that comes up when you Google it. Adding 2 CUPS of apple cider vinegar during the foil wrap will just make it task like vinegar.......ruined it!
 

f12517

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this is a good point. It WILL stall, this is normal and to be expected.
 

sintax

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Lot of schools of thought here. Some say fat side down to create a thermal barrier to your meat to help it cook evenly, others say fat cap up to allow the juice to get gravity fed through the meat as the cap breaks down. When I do pulled pork, I remove the cap altogether, allows me to get more seasoning and smoke into meat, there's plenty of intramuscular fat in a pork butt.

100%

you talk to 10 guys, you'll get 10 answers.

I trim 95% of my exterior fat off, along with removing all the arteries and other nasties
 

sintax

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leave it to the electric smoker guys to come up with a pellet toob. "we need more smokes!, throw more sawdust on the fire Charlie!"

So I see people talking about meat taking smoke, and building bark. These are two very different things, accomplished in two very different ways...

Spoiler alert, the meat itself will only take smoke for 2-3 hrs and then its done. (most people say only 2), BUT you can build that exterior bark up with layers of rub, spritz, and smoke that whole cook.
 

Racey

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Lot of schools of thought here. Some say fat side down to create a thermal barrier to your meat to help it cook evenly, others say fat cap up to allow the juice to get gravity fed through the meat as the cap breaks down. When I do pulled pork, I remove the cap altogether, allows me to get more seasoning and smoke into meat, there's plenty of intramuscular fat in a pork butt.

The fat juice will never go into the meat as oil and water don't mix, always fat side down. I used to think the same thing until someone pointed out this very basic fact that is often overlooked. 🤦🏼‍♂️

Definitely trimming the fat is good if you are running low temps , if you are running 275 or more fat side down creates that awesome crispy skin, this is less smoking and more grilling though 👌
 

ArizonaKevin

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The fat juice will never go into the meat as oil and water don't mix, always fat side down. I used to think the same thing until someone pointed out this very basic fact that is often overlooked. 🤦🏼‍♂️

Definitely trimming the fat is good if you are running low temps , if you are running 275 or more fat side down creates that awesome crispy skin, this is less smoking and more grilling though 👌

I'm with you, but this usually turns into a ford v chevy type of discussion
 

Tooned Up

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Malcolm Reed “How to BBQ Right app” for all things smoked or on a bbq.....

that is all....
 

probablecause

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Update: Came out perfect. Started at 8 am at 230 degrees. After six hours, at about 175, wrapped in foil and placed on a pan (to absorb juice if needed later) and back into smoker, same temp. Pulled at 4 PM when it was at 190. Wrapped in towels and into a cooler. Pulled it at 530 and it was awesome. If I didn't wrap in foil, I'm thinking it would probably have taken about another 1.5 to 2 hours to get to 190. Thanks again everyone. Brendan
 

ArizonaKevin

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This thread made me do some pulled pork today too.

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IMG_20210516_153930_01.jpg


 

AR33

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Perfection! When that bone pulls right out, you know it’s done right.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Riverbound

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Pork shoulder I always plan for 24 hour cook. Low amd slow at 225.
 
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