Just picked up a shoulder

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ricklarge

Fire Starter
Original poster
Jul 6, 2010
39
11
Mesa AZ
Ok, first time for me smoking a pork shoulder. Found a 7lb bone in shoulder cut that looked big enough to feed 6 so I grabbed it. It's my first time attempting a piece of meat this bit. I got it rubbed and will be doing an all-nighter tonight. Q-View to come later. Seems like my last smoke (a 2lb chuck) took way too long (13 hrs to 205) but I added a cup of braising liquid and that may have added to the time. I'm worried about timing and hope it doesn't take more than 20 hours.
 
7 lb shoulder smoked at 250 shouldn't take more than 11 hrs max.

 2 lb chuckie should be 6 -7 hrs max liquid or not.

 you might want to check your calibration on your thermos.

 something doesn't seem quite right???
 
That and I was using a wood fire only so I fought temps and smoke all day. I was figuring on shooting for 230-250 temps. This time I'm using lump wood charcoal to help maintain better temps. I boiled my digital thermo at mesa az altitude I got 207 (close enough for me). I  better go look for some smoking chunks now... Hoping for Cherry but will settle for apple.
 
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Yea if you are smoking a 7lb shoulder it should only take maybe 10-11 hours max to me. So I would maybe start early in the morning maybe. I always run my smoker at about 230°-250° for most of my smokes so I would crank up your smoker a bit. So good luck and don't forget the Qview. 
 
Found some cherry wood! I hope it's tasty. I'm having the when to start discussion right now w/ my family :)  Maybe I'll get up at 3 and get things started. I could always towel it in a cooler
 
What time do you want dinner?  If you want it around 5 then I would get it in by 4 at the latest then if it does take longer then 10 hours your have some wiggle room If its done at 2 I would cooler it until dinner.
 
Thanks bmudd14474! I ended up starting the fire at 4 and playing w/ it to make sure it was what I wanted then put the shoulder on at 6. Hoping for dinner by 6 or 7 at the latest :).

Now I better start reading some older posts to make sure I get this thing moist & tender by then!
 
For me it seems they cook at 2 hrs per pound more then 1.5.  That is just me though.I have learned to use that as a guide more then the 1.5, I always get a long stall. 
 
Wow, it went much quicker than expected. Started at 6AM but by about 10 I was having trouble keeping my heat down and got as high as 275. Struggled like that for a good hour or so until I finally just pulled some of the coals off. It did stal but only briefly at 155. I ended up finishing it in a 245* oven just because I was sick of fighting the fire in the heat out here.  I'll get some pictures up once it's done resting & I get it pulled.
 
Ok, here's the qview - I'm going to go enjoy it with the family so no comments on the pics but just for your drooling pleasure. The taste was awesome and so were the ABTs! Thanks to all SMF for everything I've learned!!!
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Had to do some swimtime while we were waiting!

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looks good...

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Tastes good too - Super happy w/ the results (the wife liked it!)

Thanks again - this smoke would not have been possible w/o SMF!!!!

:) :) :)
 
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