Basic Pulled Pork Smoke

[raastros2]

I smoke my butts to 165-170 and pull em easy straight from smoker....they explode when you drop them in the tray...no towel or cooler needed

 

[oldschoolbbq]

Excellent , post and worthy of a sticky.

For those wanting more Bark , I suggest no foiling...

Have fun and..

 

[seba10]

Hello,

I'm new to the site and new to smoking.  I will follow this instructions on sunday to smoke my first butt.  I have a few questions:

1.  I will use hardwood lump charcoal and hickory wood on my new Brinkmann Trailmaster with fire box.  How much hickory wood should I use on first fire?  How often will I need to add more charcoal?  When I add more charchoal do I add more hickory wood? how much?

2.  If I don't want to use the oven.  When internal meat temp reaches 165, I will double wrap with foil paper and keep in the smoker at 250 temp until butt reaches internal temp between 195-205. Correct?  When you say "stop making smoke," what do you mean?  no more hickory wood? but yes charcoal?

thank you for the help.

 

[jeremy cole]

Pitmasters,

At what point do you fellas wrap your meat when smoking.  I feel like I'm getting to much of a char.  I do enjoy the burnt ends though.  Also what are your favorite flavors for rubs?

Faithfully Smoking,

Jeremy from GA

 

[jeremy cole]

Pitmasters,

At what point do you fellas wrap your meat when smoking.  I feel like I'm getting to much of a char.  I do enjoy the burnt ends though.  Also what are your favorite flavors for rubs?

Faithfully Smoking,

Jeremy from GA

 

[chad groenhout]

I usually pull mine out around 190 and wrap them up and put them in a cooler for about an hour to two hours. Best suggestion I ever read was to wrap them up and let them sit.

 

[shagnasty09]

Thanks for the instructions, I plan on smoking my first Boston Butt this weekend.

 

[madlabrat]

Thanks for the directions, I did a butt yesterday and it was the best to date.

 

[keith156]

Great read for a newbie like me....  I smoked my first whole chicken and two pork shoulders this weekend and this post helped. Getting the temp correct was tougher than expected.  I added too much of the wrong fuel each time and wasted a lot time trying to get the temp stable in my WSM.  The lesson of the weekend was to get briquettes instead of randomly shaped natural charcoal and start small and add fuel to raise the temp. 

Questions:

Isn't it tough to regulate the temp if you open the lid every hour? 

Does the 1.5 hours per pound include the extra time due lifting the lid?

 

[gykema55]

Newbie here...I'll start by apologizing if this has already been asked, but I plan on doing my first smoke on Wednesday and following the initial post in this thread.  I don't have my meat yet, but I am going to buy the 2-pack shoulders from Sam's Club, and smoking them both.  My main concern is I only have one meat probe.  I do have another meat thermometer, but not one I can leave in the smoker.  I plan on putting the biggest shoulder on the center rack of my smoker with the probe inserted into the biggest part of the meat.  Would a good rule of thumb still be 1.5 hours per pound? And I am assuming that is per shoulder? Not the combined weight of the 2?  I plan on checking the shoulder without the probe with the thermometer, but I know I don't want to be opening and closing the smoker door very much.  I realize this might have turned into rambling, but any and all pointers are welcomed.  Thanks and have a great Holiday everyone!

 

[smokingirl2]

Do you use the foil pan throughout the whole process and cover with foil at the appropriate time? Or do you smoke it on the grates first then put it in the pan and cover it?

 

[rabbithutch]

Newbie here...I'll start by apologizing if this has already been asked, but I plan on doing my first smoke on Wednesday and following the initial post in this thread.  I don't have my meat yet, but I am going to buy the 2-pack shoulders from Sam's Club, and smoking them both.  My main concern is I only have one meat probe.  I do have another meat thermometer, but not one I can leave in the smoker.  I plan on putting the biggest shoulder on the center rack of my smoker with the probe inserted into the biggest part of the meat.  Would a good rule of thumb still be 1.5 hours per pound? And I am assuming that is per shoulder? Not the combined weight of the 2?  I plan on checking the shoulder without the probe with the thermometer, but I know I don't want to be opening and closing the smoker door very much.  I realize this might have turned into rambling, but any and all pointers are welcomed.  Thanks and have a great Holiday everyone!

What sort of smoker? Is it big enough to get both shoulders on one rack? I think I could probably manage a couple of 8-10 pounders on a single rack of my MES40 but I doubt that you could do that with an 18" WSM - might could with the 22" though.

If you can get them at the same level, that's what I would do. Figure out which one is gonna get done first (closest to heat, maybe?) and put the remote thermo probe in it. When it gets real close to your desired IT, stick an instant read in the other one and see how much difference you have. You can always cook it some more but not any less, so to speak. Get the one done and when you take it off stick the probe in the other.

(file this in the dumb things the rabbit would do)


UPDATE *******************************************************
Here's a link to a picture of 4 butts on one level of a 22" WSM. Four Butts on One Level

 

[chitown smoker]

if I'm using a MES30 (water pan smoking) do I need a mop?  I figure every time I open the door I lose heat and smoke.

 

[chef jimmyj]

if I'm using a MES30 (water pan smoking) do I need a mop?  I figure every time I open the door I lose heat and smoke.

 Nope...Pork Butts have enough Fat and Collagen that with a flavorful Rub, a rest overnight and steady Temps, 225-250*F, you will get Delicious, Juicy Pulled Pork with no fuss...As an owner of a MES I highly suggest you plan for 2Hrs/Lb of Pork, plus a 2 Hour Pad/Rest, just in case. If the meat gets done early, double wrap in Foil and Towels and go in a Cooler for up to 5 hours while every thing else gets done...The choice is yours but I don't put any Water in the MES. I line the pan with foil for easy clean up and just use it as a drip pan. My finished product is always great. If you need any assistance with Rubs, Sauces or anything else, send me a PM and I will work with you further...JJ

 

[jarjarchef]

For PP I don't add water. I do foil the water pan as well.

I actually don't add much water to the MES if I use any at all. Seems to keep the moisture pretty well.

 

[bubbabbq]

Does anyone put there's in a pan to cook. What are advantages or disadvantages?

 

[chitown smoker]

thanks guys!  I just saw this after I started, so I do have water in there and I have sprayed it with some apple cider / cider vingar / captain morgan mix spray once so far.  I might not spray again, but we'll see.  I'll have a lot of time to try out different ways :)

How often should I add more chips to the MES30?  Just when the smoke starts to dwindle or maybe ever hour or so?  I use half wet half dry chips.

 

[chad groenhout]

Do not use wet chips. They can make your meat taste bitter.
 

 

[chitown smoker]

thanks for the tip, I won't add wet any more.

 

[chad groenhout]

Didn't mean to come off short, but if you search on here and other websites, you will find that wetting the chips will bring an undesired flavor to your meat. I would start using chunks or splits for your smoking needs. Chips never last that long. A good chunk or split will give you a great smoke while lasting a while. Good luck and keep asking questions.