Just started smoking my 2nd pork shoulder....

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finsfree

Smoke Blower
Original poster
Jun 6, 2013
138
39
I'll be posting all day during the 8hr cook because I'm trying new stuff.

I've got an Oklahoma Joe Longhorn Offset smoker. The only mod I did was a charcoal basket.

Just put the meat on at 8am. I have 2 temp gauges on the lid (not grate level keep in mind). The left temp gauge (exhaust side) reads 230 and the right (firebox side) reads 410.
 
The right side gauge is new (first time using it). The one on the left is about 9 months old.

Funny you mentioned that because i noticed that the older left gauge is kind or loose (meaning you can turn the top with your hand even though it's bolted tight to the lid). When you turn it with your hand the just the numbers route not the needle. It only turns about an 1/8 of a turn.

Maybe it's time for a new gauge.
 
Nice looking shoulder there, congrats!

Fwiw - I have a new Oklahoma Joe's Longhorn, and did my second smoke yesterday. It only came with 1 temp gauge on the side nearest the smoke stack.

When I was shopping in grocery store, I picked up a couple of oven thermometers, that hang or stand, and set one on each end of the cooking grate, near where the meat ended on each side.

The right side was hotter than the left, by about a 30- 40 degree difference.

I also found the temp on the left hand side of the cooking grate, to be about 50-75 degrees cooler, than what the thermometer read on the top of the smoker, that came with it. However it was raining hard, I was under a pop up canopy, and the high only got to like 68 degrees.

I have ordered a custom convection plate for the OKJ, and custom charcoal basket as well, from Horizon. I am hoping the plate will help even up the temps across the smoker.

Enjoy that shoulder, it is looking delicious!

Don
 
Lookin good!

Do yourself a favor and purchase a digital temperature probe.  

I recommend the Maverick ET-732.  It has dual probes, one for your pit and one for the meat.  The pit probe has an attachment that allows you to mount it at the grate level if desired.  The cost is about $60.00 and is well worth the money!

Good luck,

Bill
 
I'll keep that in mind PGSmoker64.

Ok so I pull the shoulder off with an internal temp of 198 degrees. I then FTC (foil, towel & cooler) for about 1hr.
The pork was very very moist and tender! I'm very pleased with my new charcoal basket! Wow, what a difference!
 
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