Cook Times on TV Shows

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bpinmi

Smoke Blower
Original poster
Sep 13, 2014
84
118
New Baltimore, MI
I've been watching a lot of old episodes of BBQ Pitmasters that I had DVR'd lately and it seems their cook times are always much shorter than what I'm used to. Like smoking a pork shoulder in 6-8 hours? Are they smoking smaller cuts of meat than the 8-10 pound shoulder I typically do that can take anywhere from 10-14 hours? Or are their cook times exaggerated for TV?

Or is the difference between having high end equipment versus my Weber Smokey Mountain and they get faster cook times with better equipment?

My other thought is maybe they do not run the temps all the way up to 190+?
 
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The cooking times are much faster due to the fact that the pitmasters cook at higher temperatures. Not time for low-n-slow.
 
I've noticed that also. However I doubt it's because of better equipment. 225* is the same in a webber or some high dollar custom unit.
 
As mentioned they are cooking at higher temps. Give it a try. Running your pit at 285-300 will give you good smoke and shorter cook times.
 
High end or low end smokers - providing they deliver the temperature required evenly then this will not significantly affect the cooking time. Usually the time is down to when the meat is "done" to your satisfaction. You have cooked shoulder for 10-14 hours but have you only tried cooking it for 8-10?

Each piece of shoulder will cook at slightly different rates depending on the ingoing temperature and the animal itself, and each is "done" when they have reached temperature and passes the fork test. If you leave it in longer than that then this may be unnecessary. It usually comes down to personal preferences and cooking habits. I usually find for pork shoulder that 8-10 hours is usually sufficient - so half way between.

Regarding your WSM - I would certainly personally rate that as being a fairly high end smoker. 
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High end or low end smokers - providing they deliver the temperature required evenly then this will not significantly affect the cooking time. Usually the time is down to when the meat is "done" to your satisfaction. You have cooked shoulder for 10-14 hours but have you only tried cooking it for 8-10?

Each piece of shoulder will cook at slightly different rates depending on the ingoing temperature and the animal itself, and each is "done" when they have reached temperature and passes the fork test. If you leave it in longer than that then this may be unnecessary. It usually comes down to personal preferences and cooking habits. I usually find for pork shoulder that 8-10 hours is usually sufficient - so half way between.

Regarding your WSM - I would certainly personally rate that as being a fairly high end smoker. 
icon14.gif
 
 
As for the "high end" equipment, the newest thing is the drum smokers. Same theory of cooking hot and fast, usually in the 325° range. The Smokin' Hills won the American Royal Invitational on 2 55 gallon drum smokers.
 
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