Picnic cut shoulder questions

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kranders

Fire Starter
Original poster
I'm new to smoking, but my whole chicken worked out great on Saturday so I went to the store looking for meat on Sunday morning. I picked up a rack of Baby Backs for dinner and couldn't help myself in buying a bone in Pork Shoulder Picnic cut at 4.35 lbs, planning on pulled pork for later in the week.

I put the ribs in first using the 2-2-1 method with the Picnic following about 15 minutes later with some simple SPOG rub. I figured 6 to 8 hours on the shoulder. The ribs came out great and I put the Maverick 732 IT probe in the shoulder after I took the foil off the ribs (5 hours in). It read 165. It stayed there for over an hour and then it ramped up to 176 and stayed there for over an hour. I wrapped it in foil at 176 about 7 hours in. It finally came up to 180 and sat there for about half an hour when I was out of time (over 9 hours in the smoker) since it was time for bed. I pulled the meat out and wrapped it in foil and put it in the fridge.

What should I do with it now? See if it pulls apart? Put it in the oven and bring the IT up to 205? Just use it as a smoked roast if it doesn't pull apart?

I'm using my new GOSM 38" vertical propane smoker and kept the temps right around 235 once it settled in. At first it was hard to keep the temps stable but I kept it between 225 and 250...most of the time below 240.

Thanks for any advice!!!
 
 
Well...it probably won't pull too well, but you could still slice it or chop it...I usually chop my butts even if they do pull well (I like a shorter strand myself). Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the time needed to reheat to 205 might cause the meat to dry out.Wonder if you could pull apart some, return juices and meat to pan, foil and bring to 205 in oven? Guys? Input needed!!
 
I seriously doubt if it will pull since it only made it to 180* If it was me I wouldn't chance drying it out heating it up to pulling temp - I would slice it & heat it up with any juices you have. Let us know what you decide to do with it
beercheer.gif
 
Since it is safe (a cook book references a pork roast as being well done at 160*) I will take your advice and not chance drying it out by reheating it. I will let you know how it looks and tastes when I get into it after work today. So far I have been very impressed at the smoky flavor of the chicken and ribs that I have done. Low and Slow is a process...but the results are incredable!!
 
Well...it was about the consistency of ham. I chopped it and served it on sandwiches. It didn't have quite the smoky flavor everything else I've smoked has. I'm thinking that maybe the layer of fat kept the smoke from the meat. The bone was bigger than I thought. I'm looking forward to trying a pork butt and doing it the right way...with plenty of time!!


 
I've done a few shoulders and I always trim all the rind and fat off so the rub and smoke can get to the meat. I'm not going to eat the rind so I'm not going to bother cooking it.
 
I've done a few shoulders and I always trim all the rind and fat off so the rub and smoke can get to the meat. I'm not going to eat the rind so I'm not going to bother cooking it.
Definitely remove the skin. I try to leave a thin (1/8 inch) layer of fat, but I'm Southern, and enjoy pork fat (probably to a fault lol). Also, on large cuts, the interior doesn't really get super smoky; when you pull or shred, the smoky exterior parts distribute their awesomeness to the rest of the meat that wasn't in direct contact with the smoke. Ymmv. :)
 
I agree with the above.....the final temp would dictate slicing/chopping, but not pulling..to get the smoke flavor....chopping and mixing the outer bark in with the center meat is the way to go at this point.

I normally foil the roast at 170F, continue the heat till 195, then set the foiled roast in a foam cooler..I have a foam cooler dedicated to this....towels in the bottom, a metal pan for the foiled roast, and some towels for the top.......I typically leave the roast resting in that cooler till the morning, pull it, have some for breakfast, and then the rest goes in the fridge at that point........

I filet off that skin, smoke it separate, cut into chips ....my dog LOVES those snacks, and you can fry it and just make your own skin snacks.....
 
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