A Tribute for my friend Luis: all-night Shoulder Picnic

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Feared by some, dreaded by even more, the stall is here @ 7-3/4 hours and the temp was 149 @ 7-1/2 hours...temp climb rate has dropped to less than 1/2 of my previous observations, at a minimum.

If I can squeeze a 3-hour stall out of it, I'll be pulling it off at about 1:30 pm MST for a 2 hour rest. Then, it's time for the forks and some flour tortillas...yum!

My calculations are based on 3-hr stall and the 8.5*/hour temp climb I have observed for the past several hours. If it doesn't play some strange trick on me, that is. Chamber temps have been dead on at 210* for quite awhile now. I bumped it down when I hit about 135* internal to get let the higher temp (255*) soak in and finish into the 140*+ range. I did have one drop for a bit, at 180*. Seems to be working out great. I will mess with nuthin' at this point. Let the time tic away!

I just checked it again, 8 hours and 150*...

More to follow later. Thanks!

Eric
 
Hey, Dan McG! Sorry I missed your exit from chat...yea, it was great to have you hangin' with me. I was browsing the forum for a bit and lost ya!

Thanks for being there, Dan, and all the others who were around, too. I must be tired, 'cause I can't remember all of you now.

Anyway, I almost zonked out right here about 30 minutes ago, so I'm setting an alarm for 2 hours and catch a quick one. It's 5:45am MST now.

Back on later.

Night all!

Eric
 
Nice job, Eric. Sorry I crashed so early.
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I'm looking forward to seeing the final qview. I'm glad things are going so well for you.
 
Hey Eric,

Just up. Getting ready for 2 soccer games and 1 baseball game. Looks like things are moving along and that you had a good night with a positive attitude. Kudos to you for hanging in there.

Will check back later. I can almost taste that pig.
 
Hey, all thanks for checking in with me. It's going to be a longer smoke than most here would expect, the 1:30 pm pull for rest time may end up delayed for a couple hours, pushing the 18 hour mark and then some.

I tried to do a couple of hours of eye-lid inspection after the stall hit. No dice on that idea, and when I got back outside, the smoker was @ 200*, internal was 153*.

Looks like a slow creeping stall, just like I wanted...I guess I'll be more careful what I wish for---------heh-heh! I let it go as was because of the gas burner control valve issue, and about 20 minutes later it was back to 210*. Another one of those patience things, give it a chance to recover and it did
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! Gotta love these GOSMs, for being relatively trouble-free for her 5th year now, and, predictable.

On the 12 hour mark, internal temp is now @ 154*, so a bit less than 1*/hr of internal temp rise...this could be a gargantuous stall period! But, the benefit is, really tender meat and well broken-down connective tissues.

Seeing what has been happening for past several hours, with a 149* - 154* (so far) stall begining @ 7-3/4 hours, and continuing thru 12 hours (and counting)...I will put it into a foil pan and cover with a foil tent when she wakes up again. Even though I'm wet cooking, I don't want to take the chance on a dry shoulder...this gets way too involved to destroy it. I'll dig out some sort of fruit juice to give it a splash, and skim as much drippings from the 8 quart pot as I can...that should make a great brazing liquid.

Been a long night, but, thanks to everyone in chat, man the time flew by...been alot of fun! Thank-you members for hangin' with me and checking it all out.

Eric
 
Eric,

If I was you I would be cooking with a chamber temp of 225 at 210 I do not know if you will make it in time for the gathering. Good luck and i cannot wait to see the finished product.

Brian
 
Yea, Brian, I've been fighting with the burner control valve, and it's been winning. I had to just set it were it would run without spiking the temps, and 210* was the best I could get, so double-low-n-slow was the all I could do.

Eric
 
During a chat with bmudd and another a new member (sorry, misplaced his name, sc for short), Brian mentioned thermo probe placement. I jumped up and moved my probe a bit and the temp came up from 159* to 164*, so, I was a little too close to the bone, though I was still just coming out of the stall, so no harm done.

Thanks to Brian, I think I caught it just in time!

You saved my bacon, dude, well, my picnic, anyway!

Thanks again, Brian!

Eric
 
I almost had an over-run on temps, and even with the wet smoke, I felt that I definately should braise to finish it up.

So, here's my added liquid:

1/3 cup SunnyD OJ

2 Tbls Apple Cidar Vinegar

I wanted to do a regular OJ, unsweeten if possible, none on hand though.


I intended to skim the drippings from the large water pot...boiled them into oblivian...skimmer came up empty. I guess it was a nice thought anyway.

Here's more drooling photos...be careful now, sit back from the keyboard just a little...lol!

This was the internal temp @ 13 hours:



Careful now, this is after the probe was moved and I decided to get busy panning it up:


Liquid was poured over the top and it's ready for tenting:




It fits nicely into the 1/2 size steam table pan after the shrinkage:


Time for a tent and back into the GOSM @ 250*:




My busy time just got busier...time to prep ingredients for Beans...and keep a watch on the GOSM in case the chamber temps go berzerk again.

I'm the downhill side of the mountain now, though...wheeeeeeeeeeeew!

Thanks

Eric
 
Meat has been hovering once it hit 202*, last look was 203*, and the smoker's steady @ 250, just waiting, now. Weird, can it stall in the pan/tent? Wouldn't think so. I'll check bone pull in a bit.

So, onto the beans. I didn't have everything on hand for Dutch's, as good as they are...I'm too tired to fuss over technicalities at this stage. I did them this way once before, except these don't have the green chiles...no problem.



A large yellow onion and a med/small head of garlic:


2 lbs Hickory Smoked pre-cooked lean Pepper Bacon:


All that in the pan:


Going for the mixing bowl and then, the "O", here's the Dark Brown Sugar:


And, the last of the crushed Pineapple, small can:


And, we're into the dreaded "O"...I'll get over it, there's plenty of smokey bacon to get the flavor:


So, there's my end of the meal. Oh, I just found out about 15 minutes ago that the get-to-gether was post-poned until May 10th, due to scheduling probs with the church. It was to be a spiritual event as well as a personal gathering of the souls...oh, well.

I'm not upset, we'll plan something else for that day. It was a great experience to this point...learned alot from it. And you great folks here watching my back the whole time...it doesn't get any better!

I may wait to post the finals 'til Sunday after I get back home from work. I've been up since 5:45 am on Frioday...33 hours to the minute (as I wrote this line). I'll try my best not to keep you hanging...

Thanks everyone. Gonna clean-up a bit so that when dinner is ready I can eat and crash for the night. I don't dare even look at a bed right now! LOL!!!!!!!

I won't forget some more good pics...I hope...I'm getting pretty wirey already
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!!!

Back as soon as I can. It's been great sharing this experience with everyone here! Take care.

Eric
 
Bummer it got postponed but you sure did a nice job on that! Looks awesome!
 
I just finished a plate, took a break, and I just got my second wind, so here goes the finale! This entire smoke was experimental: the rub, the temps to prolong the plateau, and the cool-down method. I didn't use a cooler and towels, just turned the burner down a few times and watched the meat probe come back down.





A thief is amoung us! Apparently my kid's know the sights and smells of good Q too. A little finger slappin' while I had a camera in one hand and a fork in the other! lol!


The bottom bark:


Nice deep smoke:


No finishing sauce needed here, I tossed it in it's own juices that were mixed with the braising liquid:




The duet:


And, this is my plate, with a 6" hoagie:



My wife said it didn't bother her stomach at all, even the beans. It was a hit! Kids were pretty impressed too. I'm stuffed with just one plate. The pork reminded me of a low/no salt ham, with alot of exta bells and whistles. The beans, mmm-mmm-mmm, crispy bacon chunks, some chewy beans and some tender beans, a great texture sensation. A nice amount of garlic, perfect onion flavor. Oh, beans went in @ 350 until they started to brown and were bubbling nicely, turned it down to 250* for about another 30 minutes, then turned off when I started pulling pork.

The time tally is: 6-1/2 hour plateau, total smoke time was approx. 10 hours, total pan/tent time was 3 hours, and total cook time was 17 hours. Cool-down was just over 90 minutes.

Been fun, but now, I need about 10 hours of sleep before work in the morning...I'm past the 36 hour mark...stick a fork in me, 'cause I'm DONE!

Thanks everyone!

Eric
 
Congratulations Eric!

We've all been watching this post closely. It's great to hear that this is your best ever! We've all been pulling for you on this one and are very happy to hear that this was such a successful smoke.

Hopefully everyone appreciates what great lengths you went to for this meal.

Get some rest...you've earned it!
 
Thanks, Guys & Gals!

It was a monumental and unique smoke for a great 'lil lost friend. I wanted to do something I had never done before, just for him. Turns out, alot of it was new for me. It was a great experience, which taught me alot about myself and my skills for cooking. I have gained a few more insights on "shooting from the hip". I still feel that he was with me all along the way. I would probably have had difficulty finishing this smoke without Luis, standing by me, giving his support, along with members here on the forum. I thought about him ocassionally during this long and, sometimes difficult event. I feel his presence from time to time, and I felt the need to make a dedication to him for the good times he & I shared.

I didn't know him very long. They moved in across the street from us about 3-1/2 years ago. And then, 2 years ago, he was gone. He carried a strong, pleasant and unique charactor with him everywhere he went. I've never heard of him talking or thinking negatively of someone else, or, the world around him. I do wish that we all could have shared his attitude towards others, and life in general.

I still miss him, but I feel privileged to have known him...I hope and pray that he may always bless us with the memories he is so well known for, and that the grieving and sorrows of his family, and others who knew him will be eased.

For knowing Luis, and having shared some time with him, I am grateful.

For the members here @ SMF, you are the greatest! Chat users were coaching me along, and just being there for someone to hang-out with while I labored through this smoke. Viewers on this thread have posted showing thier support as well...you've all been great.

Thankyou, everyone.

Eric
 
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