Newbie smoker question for start up.

[Sraley66]

Hi guys. I just got a new electric smoker and am loving it. I can see myself getting fat in the near future. I've smoked a few things and am going to try a pork shoulder this weekend. I had a whole pig butchered and my shoulders are huge(I'm not pleased with the butcher). I'm going to wake up at 5am to get it started. My question is, Do I have to preheat the smoker first? . My wife will set the meat out an hour and a half earlier on her way to work so it gets to room temp. I would much rather pop the shoulder in the smoker, turn it on and go back to bed, then I would sit there and wait 30 minutes for the smoker to heat up. Thanks for any advice.

 

[PerazziMx14]

Unless you want to eat it the following day you'd better start the night before. If I want pulled pork at 5pm on Saturday i start the shoulder Friday at 6pm. Usually they get gone sometime around 2 to 3 PM then rest in a cooler until dinner. Resting the meat for 1 to 3 hours is very important.

I don;t know what smoker you have but I would use 1 if not 2 water pans. Fill them with water and let them preheat for 1 hour or so at 225*. This will put some thermal mass in the smoker and help with temperature swings when you put in a cold chunk of meat. Aluminium 1/4 pans are great for water pans. If you don't have or want to use water pans bricks or clean rocks wrapped in foil and preheated will also work for thermal mass.

 

[ristau5741]

What are you doing to the shoulder? rub? inject? brine? if you break the plane of the meet through injection or cutting, you'll need to adhere to the 40-140-4 rule. If it's whole, and simply rubbed, you probably would be safe not warming up the smoke prior. IMHO

 

[SmokinAl]

I put mine in the smoker right out of the fridge. With your electric smoker you will need to preheat it as hot as it will go, then put the meat in & see where the smoker settles in at. A shoulder can be smoked at any temp between 225-300 degrees. You won't notice any difference in the flavor or texture, at those temps.
Al

 

[Sraley66]

No kidding 18 ish hours. I had no idea it would take that long. I guess we would have gone hungry that night. I guess that solves that problem then. I'll just start before bed and wake up through the night add chips and check water. I have the 30 in Masterbuilt with water rack. I've never thought about thermal heat before. Thanks for the tips I'll put them to good use

 

[Sraley66]

What are you doing to the shoulder? rub? inject? brine? if you break the plane of the meet through injection or cutting, you'll need to adhere to the 40-140-4 rule. If it's whole, and simply rubbed, you probably would be safe not warming up the smoke prior. IMHO

I'm doing a rub and injection. Looks like I'm preheating for sure. I'm not sure what that rule is but I'll do some Googling. Thanks for the tip

 

[Sraley66]

I put mine in the smoker right out of the fridge. With your electric smoker you will need to preheat it as hot as it will go, then put the meat in & see where the smoker settles in at. A shoulder can be smoked at any temp between 225-300 degrees. You won't notice any difference in the flavor or texture, at those temps.
Al

Sounds good I'll do it. Thanks for the help