# Smoking a 25lb shoulder today



## Biffers (May 25, 2018)

good morning! I’m smoking a whole 25lb shoulder today. It’s the largest thing I’ve smoke, and I’m worried about getting it up to 142 within 4 hrs. Should I be worried? Would it be better to start it on high heat in an oven first, then transfer to a smoker at 250?

I came across this forum and there seems to be a lot of knowledge and experience in here. So, hello! I’ll get over the new member thing and make an introduction.

I’ve currently lifted the cap most way up and gotten rub in between there and injected. I’m also planning to layer the skin on the meat side while in the oven if need be to help keep it moist (although this mangolitsa/Berkshire is really well marbled).

Any tips would be greatly appreciated. Please/many thanks


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## mike243 (May 25, 2018)

I set my temp and let it roll dont know that i have ever reached that temp that fast.having the heat in the cabinet above that is what is important imo


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## BKING! (May 25, 2018)

The 140 in 4 rule only applies if you inject the meat. If you don’t inject then it can take as long as it wants to cook.


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## hillbillyrkstr (May 25, 2018)

As stated above just don’t inject and push bacteria into the meat. I did a whole shoulder a few years back at the fattie contest & we let it roll all night at 225z Came out great! 


Here’s a pic


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## Biffers (May 25, 2018)

hillbillyrkstr said:


> As stated above just don’t inject and push bacteria into the meat. I did a whole shoulder a few years back at the fattie contest & we let it roll all night at 225z Came out great!
> 
> 
> Here’s a pic
> ...


Almost looks like a steamship (hind quarter)


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## jaxgatorz (May 25, 2018)

Since your post clearly states that you injected it, I would get it through the danger zone ( 40 - 140 ) as quick as possible ( preferably 4 hours ).


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## Biffers (May 25, 2018)

jaxgatorz said:


> Since your post clearly states that you injected it, I would get it through the danger zone ( 40 - 140 ) as quick as possible ( preferably 4 hours ).


I was planning to inject this morning, right before it goes on, but since that seems to be the problem,I’m just gonna skip that step and let her roll low and slow


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## motolife313 (May 25, 2018)

BKING! said:


> The 140 in 4 rule only applies if you inject the meat. If you don’t inject then it can take as long as it wants to cook.





BKING! said:


> The 140 in 4 rule only applies if you inject the meat. If you don’t inject then it can take as long as it wants to cook.


Isn't that for turkey also?


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## BKING! (May 25, 2018)

motolife313 said:


> Isn't that for turkey also?



Whole muscle meat that hasn’t been injected can take as long as necessary to cook so yes. Meat loaf for example would need to get to 140 deg before 4 hours since it ground up.


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## Bearcarver (May 25, 2018)

As long as you're not injecting it, avoid inserting your Meat Probe for the first couple hours in.
I usually wait 3 hours, because nothing's gonna get done that quick anyway.
If the seal isn't broken in any way, the 40 to 140 in 4 hours doesn't pertain to it.

Bear


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