# First pork shoulder ( now with Qview )



## 25mike87 (Oct 20, 2012)

doing my first pork shoulder in the morning and I have been hearing mixed advice about foiling after about 165F. I did a yellow mustard and a dry rub 24hrs prior and planed on injecting it prior to smoking. during smoking I am also going to be moping once an hour, but with that said my main question is what are the pros and cons of foiling and will it have a large effect with the way smoking it. P.s Qview to follow


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## davidhef88 (Oct 20, 2012)

How big is the butt? What temp are you smoking at ?  No foil you get a better bark. Foil your bark will soften a little. No foil longer smoke. Foil quicker pass thru the stall. Plan on at least 1.5 hrs. per Lb.  


David


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## jarjarchef (Oct 20, 2012)

Here are a couple of my cooks. I cook at a higher temp and only foil during the rest. I also do not spritz anymore. I use a remote thermometer to check my temps, so I don't have to open my cook chamber. I will look after about an hour just to make sure I am ok as far as the hot spots, but lately I only have to look after about 3hrs. The more you work with your smoker the more familiar you will get with the quirks it has.

My theory is my temp is a little higher and I am able to push through the stall. At the same time I am exposing the meat to more smoke time by not wrapping. In theory cooking at 225 you are wrapping at 165 and that takes you 5-6hr to get there, then wrap for another 5-6hr to get it through the stall and then you loose your bark crispness and it takes 10-12 hr for a 7lb shoulder. So actually in the smoke for 5-6hr and soft bark. Now if you bump the temp up to 250-275 for a 7# shoulder you should be at 200 in around 7-8hr without wrapping and then while the meat is resting you wrap for only that time. You are in the smoke for 7-8hr and a crispier bark. So about 2 more hours exposure to the smoke, crispier bark and done faster ( I still plan on 1.5-2hr per pound, never know when you will hit the stubborn one). The other thing is food safety. If you inject your shoulder you have exposed the whole muscle to the possibility of bacteria. So you should follow the 40-140 in less than 4hr guideline. Cooking at a bit higher temp helps with that as well.


This one is the method I follow mostly now.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/128542/shoulders-and-brisket

The same method, just has a mop sauce that I don't really do anymore. If the meat looks to be drying out I will use it, but not very often.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/125208/3-shoulder-picnic-ham-smoke-w-q-view


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## 25mike87 (Oct 20, 2012)

that all makes seance thanks for the advice I am Trying to get some good bark so I'll try no foil worst come to worst I'll still eat it.....


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## deanoaz (Oct 20, 2012)

I have bought into the 3-2-1 idea, with that being the 3 hours open smoking, 2 hours in foil, then 1 hour back to open smoking.  When I do the last hour, I pull my water pan so that the meat is directly over the charcoal and it gets its crustier bark back after foiling.  That's what has worked for me.  I really haven't done enough smoking of the pork shoulder/pork butts to have time comparisons regarding the stall and foiling.


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## 25mike87 (Oct 20, 2012)

that's an interesting take on the whole 3-2-1 but only 6hrs the pork shoulder that I am doing is 10lbs ..... could do that based on temps foil at 165F, un-foil at 190F and then pull off at 200F. but that might be over thinking it.


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## deanoaz (Oct 20, 2012)

25mike87 said:


> that's an interesting take on the whole 3-2-1 but only 6hrs the pork shoulder that I am doing is 10lbs ..... could do that based on temps foil at 165F, un-foil at 190F and then pull off at 200F. but that might be over thinking it.


I should have qualified my idea on the 3-2-1 approach.  I also use temperatures to decide when I go to the next step.  What you said about foiling at 165 degrees, un-foiling at 190 degrees and then removing at 200 degrees is spot on.  I know I implied with my short answer that I held to the phasing, but I watch for those temperature points to switch.  A butt this weekend hit 154 degrees, then plateaued out for hours until it hit 165, where it started climbing quickly.  What I was trying to say (and failed miserably at) was I used those three phases to smoke the butt, with foiling in the middle.


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## 25mike87 (Oct 20, 2012)

Ended up not foiling but mopping once an hour. smoker temp right around 250F platued at about 160F Internal Temp and took the shoulder off the smoker 180F.  let it rest for about 1.5 hrs then pulled it, turned out great bone came out clean and meat was very moist.













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