Live-updates: setting up first smoker and smoking a pulled pork shoulder!

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No not necessarily. Butt's have a ton of built in moisture. To tell you the truth I have never had one turn out dry, especially if you save the drippings and add back in at the end. I would also highly recommend chef JJ's finishing sauce for pulled pork at the end. It is to die for.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/122319/jjs-finishing-sauce-awesome
OK noted about the dry-ness :)

I have a Levi Roots (he's a Caribbean chef) branded one here - I know sacrilege etc etc, but I'm looking to get a good homemade one once my meat prep skills are up to scratch :D

As I wrote that, the Maverick 733 has just sounded an alarm that the smoker is now over the 225 F threshold. Good news!
 
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I am glad you don't mind me adopting your smoke session today and totally overloading you with info. Rainy day here so no work for me. I am hoping for a break in the weather as I am wanting to smoke an Elk meatloaf this evening.
 
Haha it's completely fine. I work in IT as a day job and it's a field where you listen 1000% to anyone talking because if you don't pick up the basics and understand the theory behind it all, you don't stand a chance in later career progression.

This is the sauce I mentioned. It's nice and spicy and a great sauce for chips (aka fries) and pizza!

 
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We call it TBS. Thin blue smoke. If you can smell it and it smells good you are smoking. Heavy smoke is not preferred for a long smoke like what you have going there. Good job!
Yes yes, the mythical TBS. I didn't expect to get to it that easily though!

It smells amazing to me, but then I have always loved that barbeque smell on family holidays in a caravan or tent. Ah the good memories.
 
 
Haha it's completely fine. I work in IT as a day job and it's a field where you listen 1000% to anyone talking because if you don't pick up the basics and understand the theory behind it all, you don't stand a chance in later career progression.

This is the sauce I mentioned. It's nice and spicy and a great sauce for chips (aka fries) and pizza!

I love me some good hot sauce. Finishing sauce is more vinegar and citrus juice with some hot sauce for heat. You could make chef JJ's with that for the heat at some point in the future and I bet it would be killer. I can't stress enough how awesome the finishing sauce is. Once you try it 1 time you will never do PP without it again. If you wanted to really impress someone that has had a lot of Q in their lives that is your secret weapon.
 
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I love me some good hot sauce. Finishing sauce is more vinegar and citrus juice with some hot sauce for heat. You could make chef JJ's with that for the heat at some point in the future and I bet it would be killer. I can't stress enough how awesome the finishing sauce is. Once you try it 1 time you will never do PP without it again. If you wanted to really impress someone that has had a lot of Q in their lives that is your secret weapon.
Hmm that Q again. I see a lot about Q-View. What even is that? :P

Will look up Chef JJ's for the next time. I'm a complete sucker for pulled pork as it is. We went to a holiday camp two years ago, and the pulled pork morning rolls were just to die for. They were using a pellet smoker - big beast of a thing. Even though the rolls cost £5.50 each (8-9$), me and my girlfriend had two or three each, each morning!

19:45 -  2 hr 15

Meat 133 F

Smoker 226 F - closed the bottom vents to 50% but it looks like that was too much. Smoker has been stalling 225-226 for the past 15 minutes.

Reopened all bottom vents to 100% as smoker temp wasn't climbing. I see a lot of folk smoke 225-240 and I don't really want to be on the bottom end of that. Especially considering its almost 8pm here and I have a good way to go yet!

Edit: couldn't resist a small peak. Jesuuuuuuuss this is amazing so far! :D

 
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Hmm that Q again. I see a lot about Q-View. What even is that? :P

Will look up Chef JJ's for the next time. I'm a complete sucker for pulled pork as it is. We went to a holiday camp two years ago, and the pulled pork morning rolls were just to die for. They were using a pellet smoker - big beast of a thing. Even though the rolls cost £5.50 each (8-9$), me and my girlfriend had two or three each, each morning!

19:45 -  2 hr 15

Meat 133 F

Smoker 226 F - closed the bottom vents to 50% but it looks like that was too much. Smoker has been stalling 225-226 for the past 15 minutes.
That is what you want. 225 all night, or day or whatever it is there. I provided the link to his recipe. just click on it if you want to check it out. It's really easy. Q-view is what I posted up there. We sometimes like to share our whole smoke session like you are doing with periodic pics of what's happening. Drool view might be more accurate. I always make something that will be done in a reasonable amount of time to go in there too and that is where Q-view comes in too, like this.







That last one is my favorite, hence posting it twice. lol
 
Dang they look amazing! Are those eggs in that picture? How the heck did they turn out at the end?

Sorry, in UK we say "look up" when we really mean "take a look at". "I'll look it up later" = "I know where it is, but I'll take a look at it later". The joys of intercontinental phrases!
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20:00 - 2 hr 30

Meat 142 F

Smoker 230 F

Smoker has been stable 225-230 for the last 18 minutes so it looks good.
 
 
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Sounds like everything is cruising along perfectly. Those smokers are really good at keeping a stable temperature for a really long time once you get it dialed in. Yes eggs are great smoked. You can just put them in whole on the grate for 2 hours as well and then treat just like hard boiled eggs. I like deviled myself so I smoke them like that and then peel, cut, make the filling and smoke again for a little bit for a little color and more flavor. It is amazing what you can do now that you joined the club.
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Sounds like everything is cruising along perfectly. Those smokers are really good at keeping a stable temperature for a really long time once you get it dialed in. Yes eggs are great smoked. You can just put them in whole on the grate for 2 hours as well and then treat just like hard boiled eggs. I like deviled myself so I smoke them like that and then peel, cut, make the filling and smoke again for a little bit for a little color and more flavor. It is amazing what you can do now that you joined the club.
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Aww dude that sounds amazing. I freaking love eggs too...

Meat has only gone up 5 F in the last 15 mins. Might be reaching the first stall :(

20:15 - 2 hr 45

Meat 145 F

Smoker 226 F (Stable last 35 mins @ 225-230)

 
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Ewan,

Q is short for barbecue. Basically anything we cook outside over coals...Well, the easiest way to understand it is look on Wikipedia.

Q-view is just pics of your smoke. The more the better.
 
 
Aww dude that sounds amazing. I freaking love eggs too...

Meat has only gone up 5 F in the last 15 mins. Might be reaching the first stall :(

20:15 - 2 hr 15

Meat 145 F

Smoker 226 F (Stable last 35 mins @ 225-230)

another great smoked egg concoction is the dino egg or scotch egg thing. That is where you smoke the eggs for 2 hours, peel, wrap in ground sausage or ground beef or whatever you have and then smoke the whole things like big meatballs until the meat is done. Very good as well.
 
 
another great smoked egg concoction is the dino egg or scotch egg thing. That is where you smoke the eggs for 2 hours, peel, wrap in ground sausage or ground beef or whatever you have and then smoke the whole things like big meatballs until the meat is done. Very good as well.
I would have never thought you could do that kind of cook on a smoker like this.

When I first looked up smokers I thought of ribs, pulled pork and brisket.

Now my eyes are opened - bell peppers, potatos, now even eggs!
 
Ewan,

Q is short for barbecue. Basically anything we cook outside over coals...Well, the easiest way to understand it is look on Wikipedia.

Q-view is just pics of your smoke. The more the better.
Ah well, it makes complete sense if you say it that way :P

My next smoke I will do in the daylight. Currently been dark for about 1 hour over here... Today was a bit of a rush as the Maverick was only delivered at 11am, and today is my only chance to get a smoke done until next week.

20:30 - 3 hr

Meat 149 F - definitely plateaud a bit.

Smoker 223 F
 
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I have the feeling I'm speaking to a barbecue legend. Holy crap :P

Hope to one day aspire to do things like that... The chicken cordon bleu is a personal favourite. Blue cheese is just amazing, but the girlfriend isn't a fan at all :(

20:45 - 3 hr 15

Meat 153 F   (+ 4 F in 15 mins) - reading up about it, it seems the stall temp is 150-160 F, so I'm not too worried actually.

Smoker 225 F (stable for a good hour+ now)

I should also say that it is currently about 1 C (33 F) outside, so that also may not be helping!
 
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I have the feeling I'm speaking to a barbecue legend. Holy crap :P

Hope to one day aspire to do things like that... The chicken cordon bleu is a personal favourite. Blue cheese is just amazing, but the girlfriend isn't a fan at all :(

20:45 - 3 hr 15

Meat 153 F   (+ 4 F in 15 mins) - reading up about it, it seems the stall temp is 150-160 F, so I'm not too worried actually.

Smoker 225 F (stable for a good hour+ now)

I should also say that it is currently about 1 C (33 F) outside, so that also may not be helping!
Yes, you are!! I backed out of this because I knew Timberjet would show you the right path and I didn't want to get in the way! You're in great hands. Enjoy your smoke, David.
 
 
I have the feeling I'm speaking to a barbecue legend. Holy crap :P

Hope to one day aspire to do things like that... The chicken cordon bleu is a personal favourite. Blue cheese is just amazing, but the girlfriend isn't a fan at all :(

20:45 - 3 hr 15

Meat 153 F   (+ 4 F in 15 mins) - reading up about it, it seems the stall temp is 150-160 F, so I'm not too worried actually.

Smoker 225 F (stable for a good hour+ now)

I should also say that it is currently about 1 C (33 F) outside, so that also may not be helping!
225 is perfect, I'm telling you. That is the temp. I strive for on everything I do except for poultry. Poultry can be cooked hot and fast. You are probably set for a stall here pretty quick I bet. I have had it happen as low as 150 and as high as 170. It always happens to some extent. Just remember that is where the magic happens. 
 
 
225 is perfect, I'm telling you. That is the temp. I strive for on everything I do except for poultry. Poultry can be cooked hot and fast. You are probably set for a stall here pretty quick I bet. I have had it happen as low as 150 and as high as 170. It always happens to some extent. Just remember that is where the magic happens. 
Yes it has risen 149 - 154 in over 30 minutes so definitely hit it.

Smoker has just dropped slowly to 219 F. Any tips, or just leave it as it is for now? There is a good amount of charcoal in the bottom, I guess it's just the low outside temp that may be affecting it.

21:00

Meat 154 F (stall time)

Smoker 219 F (went down 6 F in about 15 mins so not too much to worry about I guess)
 
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I am no legend except for in my town. My cooking is pretty popular here. I just cooked for a 300 plus person wake the other day and I may have gained some noteriety with my smoked mac and cheese. All ten gallons of it gone in 15 minutes lol.... 
 
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