Quick Pulled Pork Q

[jehoric]

I'll try to avoid my normal tomes, it's bedtime for me.

I just got my GOSM yesterday and set it up (no mean feat when you're as un-handy as I am). I bought 12+lbs of pork from Costco as well, and just finished rubbing it down with my 5 pepper + salt haphazard rub (I made it using what I had... only 3 of the peppers actually add heat, though) that I probably can't replicate if I tried.

Anyways, the pork is actually 2 seperate pieces of meat. Roughly equal size, from what I can tell. I guess this is actually a two-pronged question:

1.) Should I put one meat above the other, or fit them onto the same rack? I think I have the room to put them on the same rack, but I didn't know if the fat melting from the bottom of one onto the other would be considered delectable or if it might "hurt the rub".

2.) For the rough estimate on time, should I consider it 6lbs or 12lbs? I'd guess six, but I figured asking was the safe bet. 'Course, the meat may have it's own agenda (the only other shoulder I did took about 4 hours longer than I expected... it was delicious), but the rough estimate on time helps.

Thanks!

Edit: I'll post Q-view when it's finished, but the pics will be fairly low quality since I only have my iPhone.

 

[DanMcG]

I don't see any harm in stacking them. some people consider that dripping fat good for what it's dripping on. I think it might take longer to cook if they are on the same shelf and to close together.

As far as time goes, I'd go with the 6 lb or around 9-10 hours. but that's just my guess, lets see what the pro's say.

 

[gnubee]

It really doesn't matter whether you stack em or have them both on the same rack.
Some like the dripping juices some don't. Go with the individual weights of the meat. Except if you put them both in cold from the fridge two will bring the temp down a bit more at the start than one will.

Yeah pork roasts always confound me when I try to estimate when they will be done. I start mine at least 3 hours early so if they are surly the meal still gets to the table on time. Double wrapped in foil in a cooler with towels can keep pork hot for hours on end if they finish way too soon.

When they are done , do not forget to rest them for at least a 1/2 hour for super tenderness and flavour.

The cooler is you friend.

 

[beer-b-q]

It really doesn't matter if they are on the same shelf or side by side...

As for time figure about 1½ hr per pound assuming each piece is 6# it should take about 6 -9 hrs...

However do not go by time but by internal temperature of the meat and take it to around 165º for slicing or 205º for pulling...

I slather with mustard then apply a heavy rub, it helps with the bark...

You can also pull it at 165º wrap it double in foil, spritz it with apple juice, and place back in the smoker until it hits 205º it if you want, I don't...

Her is a good sticky on Pulled Pork:
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/for...ad.php?t=49892

 

[raceyb]

I'd go ahead and place one over the other and swap em out after about 4 hours. The temps are probably gonna vary between the two racks and both pieces will enjoy a fat shower and plenty of space for smoke to circulate.

Timewise your probably looking at approx 10 hours if you maintain 225 degrees, but you know the drill. Temp is king. Keep plenty of your favorite beverage on hand.

Looking forward to some qview. I took my last bag of pulled pork out of the freezer last night and it's on speedy thaw. :)

 

[chisoxjim]

on my gas GOSM I average about 2 hours of smoke time per pound of each individual butt.. I dont foil the butts until they are 195, and then I pull them off the smoker, and wrap them in foil and a towel, and put in a cooler for a few hours.

I personally dont spritz, and I reapply rub during the smoke.

I alos inject and rub my butts the night before. The injection is rub, aplle juice, o.j., cider vinegar, lea and perrins, bown sugar, and hot sauce. Really makes the butt pop with flavor

Hopefully you seasoned the GOSM before using it.

good luck.

 

[jehoric]

Thanks everyone! Much obliged.

Just put the Pork in the smoker at 9:25pst. Using Apple Chips, it's pretty mild for pork I know, but I really dig Apple as my smoke of choice.

Put the two butts on one right above the other. Seasoned the smoker last night.

Should be done anywhere from 4 (unlikely) to 10 (more likely, though I hope not).

It'll be interesting. Never actually used the GOSM so I'm going to have a crash course on temperature management. So far, temps are low (about 175 after 20 minutes, I may up it soon (actually, it made it to 200 now, I'm less concerned)) in the smoker. 'Course, I'm use the thermometer that came with the smoker since I don't have my own yet (smoker arrived early), but I tested it in boiling water last night and it seems accurate.

Definitely getting the billowing white smoke, but I'm using a gas BBQ, have quite a bit of water in the pan, and chips in the box... I can get the TBS on charcoal, but no idea what I'm doing with gas, hopefully it goes away soon though.

 

[jehoric]

Actually turns out there's a new thread on the propane forum... I never realized people mixed in charcoal with their chips. It's probably super smoky because I thought I was supposed to use a ton of wood chips. Oh well, I'll make sure to grab Charcoal for next time.

 

[zjaybird]

I have tried that in my gasser, to be honest, I am not sure I noticed the charcoal taste, like I do on a charcoal rig. I was only putting in about 3 or 4, maybe you need to add more. With my gasser, I did notice that I would get a little more smoke out when they started to burn off. Hope this helps.

 

[tn_bbq]

Don't forget, if you find that you're running out of time you can always wrap in foil and crank the heat up.

The reverse is also true. If you find that it's finished sooner than you expected you can wrap in foil and keep in warm in an ice chest.

 

[jehoric]

Thanks for the reminder, TN_BBQ. Never foiled before (only done one butt before, though, and no ribs) but I might do it this time.

zjaybird (as a Jay-Z fan your name throws me for a loop, lol), I'm not sure the charcoal would add taste but I'm more thinking along the lines of not setting off the smoke alarms at the apartment (luckily, there's no alarm by my deck, the only reason I could risk getting a smoker here to begin with). Luckily, the smoke died down - probably means I need to check wood chips, which I'll do in about 40 minutes. So far, so good, averaging in the 240ish range which is fine by me.

Doing nothing all day but watching football, working out, and cooking pork - sounds like a nice day to me!

 

[mballi3011]

I would as everyone here has said to. Put them in one up one down then switch them at 4-5 hour mark and continue the smoke. I would foil them but thats the way I do it and that way you have some of the juices to mix in when you do pull them.

 

[jehoric]

Switched them a little while ago (had to figure out how to do that, ended up using two spatulas and praying).

Both are in the 145 degree range according to the super-cheap thermometer I bought. Been that way for over an hour, I'm hoping that means I'll get over the plateau soon (the other alternative is that I've been measuring the temp wrong, which isn't that implausible as I am TERRIBLE at measuring temperature with these thermometers).

My next check is in 40 minutes, at which point I'm hoping to foil. These butts make take a while, which I'm not pleased about (it's going to be put a crimp in my partying tonight) but I knew that was a risk going in. Kind of bummed that I may be the only one to eat them fresh (I don't own a cooler, so my storing capacities are fairly limited), but I'm sure there are ways to reheat them and get them nearly as delicious.

I'm now more curious than anything as to how these will turn out. I don't have any juice, or a spray bottle, and I'm tired of spending money (I'm a broke college student who is suddenly even broke-er) on this so I improvised - peach rum, bbq sauce, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and red pepper made a little impromptu mop.

Hoping for the best here. I'm planning on using Stubbs as my finishing sauce (primarily because it is here and I'm broke), with of course some added pepper for kick. I found a great cider-vinegar sauce last time that was almost perfect (needed... yeah, more heat) but I ran out, and the store I got it from is about 80 miles away.

 

[jehoric]

Well, a couple hours later... and STILL on the plateau. I'm beginning to hate the pig that these came from. Laughing at me from grand pigsty in the sky. One of the butts might have gotten past it (it showed at 155 or so, which is higher than any previous reading), the other (the one that was on top originally, so it is expected to be cooler even though now it is closer) is still in the 145 range.

I'm giving it another 30 or so, then I'm going to dial up the heat. Been running at 250 for the past 8 or so hours. I'm not sure how much I trust my 7 dollar thermometer combined with my terrible thermometer-poking skills. At least I'm used to staying up late, so a midnight dinner won't be a big deal. As long as it finishes by midnight.

 

[jehoric]

FINALLY! 1st shoulder done!

Just shredded it and ate a sandwich! Delicious!

Thanks to everyone who gave advice/put up with my frustration. I'll be posting Q-View tonight or tomorrow morning.

 

[jehoric]

Sorry for the late reply, let me see if I can't get this posted (first time with pics).

Sorry for the quality, my iPhone doesn't do a good job.

First, my new toy. Set it up Friday.

Rubbed and ready to go!

I started ripping up the big pieces of one shoulder, then remembered to take a picture!

Quality isn't good, but it shows the smoke ring a bit.

 

[raceyb]

Not a bad looking shoulder. The ring looks great and the meat is shredding, exactly what you want. I was watching the times on your posts, it looks like a 12 hour smoke? I know those plateau times really suck. It seems the meat will never get past it, but it does.

Thanks for sharing!

 

[jehoric]

Thanks!

First one was about 14 hours, the other 15. Looooong cook. The first couple of hours I had a hard time maintaining temp (first time with the GOSM) but I got into a good 250ish groove for 8 or so hours, then upped it a bit at the end cause I had a 10:00am Seahawks game to be awake for.

Kyle