Pulled Pork Without Foil for the First Time.

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Well done disco. Can believe I missed this when it was first posted.  Work keeps getting in the way. Also happy you're taking your heart medicine "Cabernet" to cut the cholesterol of the butt. Smart idea. 

Brian
Thanks, Brian. I hate to admit it but I am past Cabernet and I am on to the hard stuff. It was Valpolicela.
 
Disco, Very nice lookin smoke !! :drool Wish I could reach thru the screen and grab just a nibble. Great lookin bark, nice pics & video.... Very well done sir. Take care, Justin
 
Disco, Very nice lookin smoke !!
drool.gif
Wish I could reach thru the screen and grab just a nibble. Great lookin bark, nice pics & video.... Very well done sir. Take care, Justin
Thanks, Justin. If you could slog through the heavy snow we're having, I would serve you some!

Disco
 
Looks great and fantastic job on the video. The nice thing about 10 hours in the oven is you get some of the smoke and pork smell and it helps heat the house a it when it is cold out.

Oh and not that it matter or anyone cares but I have never foiled a butt except at the end, I usually lay a towel on the counter and foil the pan like you then cover it with a few more towels.
 
 
Remember we are supposed to be a PG13 site here!
Wait until I break into the Grand Syrah!
 
Looks great and fantastic job on the video. The nice thing about 10 hours in the oven is you get some of the smoke and pork smell and it helps heat the house a it when it is cold out.

Oh and not that it matter or anyone cares but I have never foiled a butt except at the end, I usually lay a towel on the counter and foil the pan like you then cover it with a few more towels.
Thanks Dave. It seems like the real smoke hounds like that darker bark. I have to admit, I like a little less carmelizing. However, I see why people like the unfoiled for that great texture of the pork. There is no doubt She Who Must Be Obeyed prefers the bark on the foiled but she had two helpings and leftovers the next day of the unfoiled so I don't think it is a deal breaker. I will likely do both methods as the mood (and the missus) hits me.

Disco
 
As a side note, I have this friend.., no it actually is a friend and not me, who was utterly insistent on smoking a picnic "au naturel" despite many gentle suggestions from me that he foil it, especially after it coasted past 14 hours and was still in the 165˚ range. He wouldn't be deterred, and it eventually ended up taking something like 21 hours. When my wife and I joined them for dinner the next day, I was expecting to see lots of caramelized, crunchy bark mixed in with the pork. Alas, all I saw were perfectly pink strands of pork. He'd sent quite a few pics of the process, and I knew it had had a really heavy, dark crust, so I asked him what happened to it.

"Oh, I cut that off and threw it out", was his reply.
huh.gif


In his defense, he and his wife were the ones who introduced me and mine to Syrah and Shiraz back in the early aughts, so I can forgive him a little overzealous carving. I can't complain too much, however, as like I said I'm not a huge fan of all that burnt crust.
 
 
As a side note, I have this friend.., no it actually is a friend and not me, who was utterly insistent on smoking a picnic "au naturel" despite many gentle suggestions from me that he foil it, especially after it coasted past 14 hours and was still in the 165˚ range. He wouldn't be deterred, and it eventually ended up taking something like 21 hours. When my wife and I joined them for dinner the next day, I was expecting to see lots of caramelized, crunchy bark mixed in with the pork. Alas, all I saw were perfectly pink strands of pork. He'd sent quite a few pics of the process, and I knew it had had a really heavy, dark crust, so I asked him what happened to it.

"Oh, I cut that off and threw it out", was his reply.
huh.gif


In his defense, he and his wife were the ones who introduced me and mine to Syrah and Shiraz back in the early aughts, so I can forgive him a little overzealous carving. I can't complain too much, however, as like I said I'm not a huge fan of all that burnt crust.
Har! You have to love people. However, anyone who introduces you to a fine wine can be forgiven almost anything.

Disco
 
 
Thanks, Todd. The texture of the pork was so good, I can see why people wouldn't foil. I think the problem is I love food. I love all kinds of food. So, when I tend to love the differences and have always had a problem making up my mind. 

Thanks, Smoke. Home smoking has ruined me for restaurant pulled pork.

Disco
i cant do it either disco haha
 
 
Thanks, Todd. The texture of the pork was so good, I can see why people wouldn't foil. I think the problem is I love food. I love all kinds of food. So, when I tend to love the differences and have always had a problem making up my mind.

Thanks, Smoke. Home smoking has ruined me for restaurant pulled pork.

Disco
Its funny you say that.  My wife and I did a pilgrimage to Memphis last month and hit some of the most popular joints around those parts.  Secretly, I was slightly disappointed.  This weekend when I made pulled pork I mentioned to my wife "I really believe my stuff is as good as the pulled pork and ribs we had down in Tennessee."  She replied "Yeah, I could tell you were disappointed, and I agree you're right there"

That said, I reminded her I am not pushing out food for thousands of people a day.  I've owned a restaurant, its easier said than done.
 
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Its funny you say that.  My wife and I did a pilgrimage to Memphis last month and hit some of the most popular joints around those parts.  Secretly, I was slightly disappointed.  This weekend when I made pulled pork my I mentioned to my wife "I really believe my stuff is as good as the pulled pork and ribs we had down in Tennessee."  She replied "Yeah, I could tell you were disappointed, and I agree you're right there"

That said, I reminded her I am not pushing out food for thousands of people a day.  I've owned a restaurant, its easier said than done.
In another life I was a cook. I know that you have to change things for public service. There is the volume and the fact that they have to aim for the average taste. I ate a lot at restaurants while I was working as I spent extended time on the road. Some make good food but I just don't think they can match home made. It doesn't hurt I can cook it exactly the way I like it!

Disco
 
 
In another life I was a cook. I know that you have to change things for public service. There is the volume and the fact that they have to aim for the average taste. I ate a lot at restaurants while I was working as I spent extended time on the road. Some make good food but I just don't think they can match home made. It doesn't hurt I can cook it exactly the way I like it!

Disco
Well I would love to have people standing in line for my BBQ like those joints did!
 
 
 

She Who Must Be Obeyed doesn't like heavy smoke and it is cold here so I didn't put it back in the smoker but moved it to the oven to finish.

I sprayed with apple juice every couple of hours. 10 hours later, the internal temperature was 205 F. I foiled the pork wrapped it in towels and put it in an ice chest for an hour.

The Verdict: The texture of the pork without foiling was great. It isn't as mushy and has a nice texture. The flavour with the new rub was great. The bark was very tasty. However, I prefer the softer bark of foiling. Now I am in a quandary. I like the texture unfoiled and the bark of foiled. Is very good pork with great bark better than great pork with very good bark? Sigh. 

Here is a Facebook video of this smoke.
First off, everything looks great and I loved the video.

Secondly I am in the same boat with "She Who Must Be Obeyed doesn't like heavy smoke)

And since I am a chatterbox I'll keep going...

...what I have noticed is that Picnics seem to have a softer texture and sweeter taste than butts, furthermore a frozen product will also yield a diffrent texture (I see yours was fresh so this is a moot point, just an FYI)

If when I do picnics, I always try to do a butt with it as well and mix.

For picnics alone try pulling the meat at barely 200°, no more.

You can foil just to get through the  evaporative cooling process ( stall ) and unfoil to get that bark you prefer.

This is prior to foiling, foiling does have another advantage other than helping it through the stall, you can halt the bark formation wherever you want


This has been my experience on the pit and I'm sure others have different results and the others are spot on, flip a coin.

Thanks for sharing and taking the time to make a video.
 
 
I have a feeling you'd enjoy my wine collection
Well, I have been known to drink some wine. I also make my own wine and I can still see!
 
First off, everything looks great and I loved the video.

Secondly I am in the same boat with "She Who Must Be Obeyed doesn't like heavy smoke)

And since I am a chatterbox I'll keep going...

...what I have noticed is that Picnics seem to have a softer texture and sweeter taste than butts, furthermore a frozen product will also yield a diffrent texture (I see yours was fresh so this is a moot point, just an FYI)

If when I do picnics, I always try to do a butt with it as well and mix.

For picnics alone try pulling the meat at barely 200°, no more.

You can foil just to get through the  evaporative cooling process ( stall ) and unfoil to get that bark you prefer.

This is prior to foiling, foiling does have another advantage other than helping it through the stall, you can halt the bark formation wherever you want


This has been my experience on the pit and I'm sure others have different results and the others are spot on, flip a coin.

Thanks for sharing and taking the time to make a video.
Thanks, Sqwib. Good input.

Disco
 
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