Welcome to the EGGhead Forum - a great place to visit and packed with tips and EGGspert advice! You can also join the conversation and get more information and amazing kamado recipes by following Big Green Egg to Experience our World of Flavor™ at:
Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Pinterest  |  Youtube  |  Vimeo
Share your photos by tagging us and using the hashtag #BigGreenEgg.

Want to see how the EGG is made? Click to Watch

Bring the pork shoulder knowledge!

floatingbuzzard
floatingbuzzard Posts: 38
edited January 2012 in EggHead Forum
First pork shoulder cook. Can I get some help?
10# shoulder
At what internal temp should I pull off?
And any other words of wisdom would be appreciated.
"I'm to drunk to taste this chicken!" - Colonel Sanders. Memphis, TN

Comments

  • Hi54putty
    Hi54putty Posts: 1,873
    I'm not an expert but have had good luck cooking at 250 indirect until internal temp of 195. In my experience, a shoulder is hard to screw up.
    XL,L,S 
    Winston-Salem, NC 
  • Good. I did a roast, and it went well. Do you rap it in foil and let it rest a while? When it is done I mean.
    "I'm to drunk to taste this chicken!" - Colonel Sanders. Memphis, TN
  • Cook it to 195 or so. Wrap in foil for and place in a preheated cooler for a few hours and then pull/shred. ;)
    2 Large Eggs and no chickens. How's that work? :)
  • Hi54putty
    Hi54putty Posts: 1,873
    I have wrapped mine and let it sit out for an hour.  They were perfect. I think the cooler (with a towel around the shoulder) is a good option for a longer hold.
    XL,L,S 
    Winston-Salem, NC 
  • Griffin
    Griffin Posts: 8,200
    The great thing about a shoulder is they are very forgiving and they have a built in thermometer. When that bone starts to wiggle and you can pull it out clean, you are done. (about 195-205) and yes, let it rest in foil.

    Rowlett, Texas

    Griffin's Grub or you can find me on Facebook

    The Supreme Potentate, Sovereign Commander and Sultan of Wings

     

  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,167

    @ OP-don't know when you started the cook but at around 250*F (+/-) on the dome you will be looking at 1.5-2 hrs/lb cook time to the temps mentioned above.  The cooler rest gives you plenty of time should you finish early but if running late then you will have to jack up the cook temp to get to the finish line. Enjoy-

    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
  • Bakeman
    Bakeman Posts: 113
    I have learned that you cook by temp. The times are app.
  • Thanks for all the info from all.  I will be starting it tonight.
    "I'm to drunk to taste this chicken!" - Colonel Sanders. Memphis, TN
  • Griffin
    Griffin Posts: 8,200
    I'd bump it up to 275-300 if you are going by the dome. It'll cook faster and you'll never notice the difference.

    Rowlett, Texas

    Griffin's Grub or you can find me on Facebook

    The Supreme Potentate, Sovereign Commander and Sultan of Wings

     

  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,167
    With a LBGE I load the lump about half-way up the fire ring for long low&slows-can easily get 22 hr cook with plenty left over.  First rule of low&slows-you can never load too much lump.  Enjoy the journey-
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
  • I have only done one long cook.  I kept the temp on the grate at 250 and the dome ran around 275-300.  The temperatures started to came together a few hours into the cook.  They ran close to the same after that.  Guess that is normal. 

    I figure the temp of the meat tends to bring the temp down around it.  At least that was my guess

    "I'm to drunk to taste this chicken!" - Colonel Sanders. Memphis, TN
  • For a long cook, do you mound the lump in the middle, or flatten it out. 

    Also, if it is mounded, I asume light in center, but if it is loaded pretty much flat, should I light in 3 or 4 locations around the sides and let them burn in or is a single fire in the center the way to go.  I had the grill go out on me on another slow cook and I have run out of lump too. 

    I am pretty sure I fell victem to the " that looks like enough in there to get the job done ", now I am more of a "I guess that is all I can fit in there," kind of guy.

    "I'm to drunk to taste this chicken!" - Colonel Sanders. Memphis, TN
  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
    fill the thing
    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
  • Hi54putty
    Hi54putty Posts: 1,873
    I fill it up and then light it in the middle. You never "waste" the charcoal so there isn't any reason to be stingy.
    XL,L,S 
    Winston-Salem, NC 
  • joe@bge
    joe@bge Posts: 394

    For a long cook, do you mound the lump in the middle, or flatten it out. 

    Also, if it is mounded, I asume light in center, but if it is loaded pretty much flat, should I light in 3 or 4 locations around the sides and let them burn in or is a single fire in the center the way to go.  I had the grill go out on me on another slow cook and I have run out of lump too. 

    I am pretty sure I fell victem to the " that looks like enough in there to get the job done ", now I am more of a "I guess that is all I can fit in there," kind of guy.

    I have heard of some forum members saying that lighting just in the middle runs a risk that the lump will burn through the middle and not catch the surrounding lump.  Personally, I light in three places and never have an issue with an even, long lasting burn.  On slow and lows, as stike said "fill it up"!
  • For along cook it is also best to start with a clean firebox and build your lump from the bottom starting with the larger pieces in the bottom to allow for more airflow as the fire burns slowly.
  • Sorry, but this just looks like the right place for a   "I .....HAVE.MADE........FIRE!!!!!"   You kind of miss the humor I think without my terrible Tom Hanks impersonation! :)  Cast Away

    I do this anytime I light my grill and have someone to annoy.

    "I'm to drunk to taste this chicken!" - Colonel Sanders. Memphis, TN