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First pork shoulder

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FSUScotsman
FSUScotsman Posts: 754
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
Ahhh the trials and tribulations!!!

8a77807e.jpg

I hope the picture posts as it never did come up in preview.

This is the first shoulder that I've ever done and it smells great. It's resting in the cooler now for dinner.

I put it on about 1:30 AM and pulled it off about 11:30. It had a pretty constant dome temp of 225*.

The biggest problem I had was getting the fire to temp at all!! The last two bags of Royal Oak that I've had were all very small pieces. I bet that less than ten percent were more than three inches long. If this is going to be the case I'm not going to buy any more RO.
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  • rsmdale
    rsmdale Posts: 2,472
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    The lo-n-slo is the time to hand build yuor fire,it looks like you pulled it off Ron-shoulder looks tasty!!


    GOOD EATS AND GOOD FRIENDS

    DALE
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  • Fidel
    Fidel Posts: 10,172
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    The picnic looks good, I'm sure you will enjoy it.

    I don't understand the critique of the lump. What is the necessity of having pieces larger than 3"?
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  • FSUScotsman
    FSUScotsman Posts: 754
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    Thanks! Yes, I think that's the direction I'm heading. I sure hope I don't have to buy four bags of RO to make one fire though. I would have to do a LOT of burgers and chicken!!! :laugh:
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  • FSUScotsman
    FSUScotsman Posts: 754
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    I guess I should have defined better. Most of the pieces were the size of a quarter!! I mean SMALL. I was really surprised. When I dumped them in the egg there was so much dust that I had to turn on my deck fans. I had a terrible time just getting the fire to stay lit at first. I'm going to have to buy a wiggle rod for sure as a coat hanger just doesn't cut it. I worked for fifteen minutes and finally got my temp up from 175 to 250 an hour after it was lit. Just too much small crap jamming up every air space.
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  • Fidel
    Fidel Posts: 10,172
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    Honestly, that will happen with most brands of lump -- I really think it all boils down the getting a bag that was filled from the bottom of the pile. Same thing with rocks and other detritus in the bags. Unfortunately the process just really isn't set up to have much in the way of quality control.

    I use Royal Oak exclusively and have had some monster sized pieces in some bags, and have had other bags with a lot of chips and smaller particles. Just luck of the draw.
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  • rosros
    rosros Posts: 408
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    I feel the outside of the bags. You could tell if there are any logs in there, the bags will feel irregular. I have great success using RO Star Grill. Lots of huge and medium pieces. This is the lump the store mgr uses, says same as the lge lump.
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  • FSUScotsman
    FSUScotsman Posts: 754
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    I think that you are very correct. I saw a post somewhere here where that someone used grid to let the small pieces fall through and then used what was left for low and slow. I think I'm going to do the same thing. This fire was such a hassle that it wasn't even fun. I'm sure I won't even think about that though while I'm eating. :laugh:
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  • FSUScotsman
    FSUScotsman Posts: 754
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    Where do you find that?
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  • NoVA Bill
    NoVA Bill Posts: 3,005
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    Oh...so that's what a shoulder looks like, you know when you work with butts all day it's nice to see a shoulder. Nice looking cook - need to know how it tastes.

    WRT Royal Oak, I've been augmenting my Cowboy lump buys with Royal Oak from Wal-mart. Lump size isn't the issue - good sizes of lump present. Sparking during lighting is a big deal, throwing sparks and splinters everywhere, looks like the 4th of July :laugh: oh and let's not forget more moon rocks than I'm acustomed to.
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  • Mike B
    Mike B Posts: 8
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    That looks really tasty. Does the skin get crispy at all?
    Mike
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  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
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    Small pieces of lump seem to be frustrating until you learn how to use them. If you find yourself with a lot of small pieces you will find a wiggle rod to be a valuable too.

    This link is to show small & used pieces of lump are not really a problem for high temperatures.

    http://www.eggheadforum.com/index.php?option=com_simpleboard&func=view&id=696678&catid=1

    GG
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  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
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    You are using photobucket. The Copy Img code has the [ IMG ] HTML Code in All Caps.

    However, the forum preview requires both the opening and closing HTML IMG code to be in lower case ONLY. If you want to see your picture in preview you will have to edit the HTML to lower case.

    I have 3 times brought this fact up to the "powers to be" with little response.

    Evidently the forum code can't accommodate the IMG code being in mixed case or upper case and or it is not worth the time to make the necessary changes. The "powers to be" work hard on the forum and we appreciate all that is done for us.

    For now it is something we just have to live with.

    GG
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  • FSUScotsman
    FSUScotsman Posts: 754
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    Yes it did, it's nice and crunchy after you let it sit in the cooler. On the egg it's still pliable.
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  • FSUScotsman
    FSUScotsman Posts: 754
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    I'll let everyone know in a couple of hours. We had a late lunch so dinner has been put off for a while.
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  • FSUScotsman
    FSUScotsman Posts: 754
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    OH GOOD GRIEF!!! Don't get me started on software again!!! :laugh:

    Thanks for telling me though.
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  • rosros
    rosros Posts: 408
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    ace hardware, 11.99 20lbs.
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  • FSUScotsman
    FSUScotsman Posts: 754
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    1. Shoulders aren't as moist as butts.

    2. Even a small shoulder makes a TON of pulled pork for two people!!

    3. Wrapping in foil and then towels will keep the mean warm for hours.

    4. That the skin isn't good for anything because it just doesn't get that crispy.

    5. No matter what this sucker was REALLY good!!! A little sauce with some egged squash and green beans and all was very right with the world.
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  • emilluca
    emilluca Posts: 673
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    A treasure. A fresh picnic with the hock still on. That is the best part. I am talking about the leg.
    Looks good
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  • emilluca
    emilluca Posts: 673
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    A treasure. A fresh picnic with the hock still on. That is the best part. I am talking about the leg.
    Looks good
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