Trying my first smoke - pulled pork BBQ

YankinOz

I've decided that tomorrow I'm going to try my first smoke on the BGE. I come from TN where we love our pulled pork BBQ but we can't get it here in Australia. I found the recipe on the BGE website for Virginia Willis Pulled Pork so I thought I would start there. Any tips from anyone who has tried that recipe before? I have apple and cherry smoking chips. Should I use both? Cheers.

nolaegghead

Hell, use both.  When the butt is around 200, probe it for a buttery consistancy (very little resistance to stabbing with a spear-like object).  When you get there, take it off.  It's done.

Legume

Super glad you mentioned where you're from and where you live so I could figure out your name.  First glance I was worried you might be @Ozzie_Isaac's wife or something.  BTW, you're from TN originally but you identify as a yank?  No matter to me, I'm just trying to stir up the natives on here from TN.

Welcome and good luck with the cook - don't be shy with those wood chips.

YankinOz

nolaegghead said:

Hell, use both.  When the butt is around 200, probe it for a buttery consistancy (very little resistance to stabbing with a spear-like object).  When you get there, take it off.  It's done.

I should have mentioned that I have a 1.8 kg leg roast rather than a butt, which I wasn't able to find. I hope it turns out roughly the same? The person who sold me the wood chunks said not to soak them, that there's no need to do that if you're using the quality chunks that he sells, since he dries them in the sun rather than in a kiln. I guess this is something that there is divided opinion about?

Mickey

Really, who are you?

SmokeyPitt

That recipe looks good but there are a few unnecessary steps and a couple of points left out (such as stabilizing the egg).  I think a simple set of steps is as follows:

1) Rub the roast
2) Fill the egg with lump 1/2 way up the fire ring.  
3) Stir in chips throughout lump (no need to soak). 
4) Light the egg.  Put in the plate setter/conveggtor. Wait 30 minutes or so until the smoke smells pleasant and is not heavy white smoke.  Adjust the vents so the egg is around 275ish (you can cook hotter or cooler.
5) Put the roast on the egg and cook until it is 195-200 and probes easily. 
6) Let it rest a while just to cool off if you are ready to eat, then shred with a couple of big forks. If it finishes early, you can wrap it in foil and stuff it in a cooler with towels and keep it warm for 4-5 hours (FTC= Foil Towel Cooler). 

Now, on to the roast,  a "Boston Butt Roast" in the US is actually the shoulder. If you have a leg that might be a fresh ham. It doesn't have quite as much fat but it will work. I haven't made one, but I have eaten pulled pork from a ham plenty of times. In the future you may want to ask for a "shoulder roast".  The "boston butt" is the top portion of the shoulder. 

I found an older thread with some pictures that may help.

Explaining a Boston Butt to Australian butchers? 

Legume said:

Super glad you mentioned where you're from and where you live so I could figure out your name.  First glance I was worried you might be @Ozzie_Isaac's wife or something.  BTW, you're from TN originally but you identify as a yank?  No matter to me, I'm just trying to stir up the natives on here from TN.

Welcome and good luck with the cook - don't be shy with those wood chips.

@Legume
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yankee

• Outside the United States, "Yank" is used informally to refer to any American, including Southerners.[1]

lousubcap

I was just about to offer the comment that @SmokeyPitt provided regarding the overseas use of the term "Yank."  Civil War doesn't play outside the USA.  FWIW-

jtcBoynton

YankinOz said:

nolaegghead said:

Hell, use both.  When the butt is around 200, probe it for a buttery consistancy (very little resistance to stabbing with a spear-like object).  When you get there, take it off.  It's done.

I should have mentioned that I have a 1.8 kg leg roast rather than a butt, which I wasn't able to find. I hope it turns out roughly the same? The person who sold me the wood chunks said not to soak them, that there's no need to do that if you're using the quality chunks that he sells, since he dries them in the sun rather than in a kiln. I guess this is something that there is divided opinion about?

Pork butt = Boston butt = pork shoulder = pork collar = kata 

Pork Collar is British, so maybe the Australians use it too.   

Legume

@SmokeyPitt @lousubcap thanks - I absolutely get the difference, I've seen more than my share of WWII movies.  I was just entertained by the irony of a southerner willingly creating a screen name w/yank, nothing more.

rifrench

The War of Northern Aggression isn't over yet...

Hans61

How'd the cook go?

YankinOz

Here's pics from the cook. Turned out mighty fine! Definitely the best pulled pork we've ever had outside the US. Even though it was a leg roast rather than a boston butt, it still turned out nice. I made homemade buns to go with it. Even my picky 5-year old loved it! We'll definitely be doing it again. Thanks for all the advice. I had planned for it to go 8 hours or so, but it only took about 6.5. The temp hovered at about 265 most of the time, rather than 250, so maybe that sped it up somewhat. I tried to bring the temp down but couldn't seem to get it any lower than that.

lousubcap

Congrats on the cook and eats.  Nailed it.  

dmchicago

YankinOz said:

Here's pics from the cook. Turned out mighty fine! Definitely the best pulled pork we've ever had outside the US. Even though it was a leg roast rather than a boston butt, it still turned out nice. I made homemade buns to go with it. Even my picky 5-year old loved it! We'll definitely be doing it again. Thanks for all the advice. 

God Bless You.

bgebrent

Looks great man!

YankinOz

Legume said:

Super glad you mentioned where you're from and where you live so I could figure out your name.  First glance I was worried you might be @Ozzie_Isaac's wife or something.  BTW, you're from TN originally but you identify as a yank?  No matter to me, I'm just trying to stir up the natives on here from TN.

Welcome and good luck with the cook - don't be shy with those wood chips.

Funny you should mention that. My wife, who is also from TN, is always giving me grief about how I no longer sound like where I come from! I still love my home state (good food and good music!), but living abroad inevitably changes your perspective.

TideEggHead

Nicely done!

JustineCaseyFeldown

Looks good.

Tip: I'm betting you found the more far flung chunks unused when you opened it at the end. Bury them in the lump beneath where you light the charcoal (for me it is the center. You can toss one on the lump as it is burning too, if you want.  The fire never gets big enough or travels around the top of the charcoal. Usually burns downward and to the back. So put the wood in its way

JohnnyTarheel

Great cook!!!

YankinOz

JustineCaseyFeldown said:

Looks good.

Tip: I'm betting you found the more far flung chunks unused when you opened it at the end. Bury them in the lump beneath where you light the charcoal (for me it is the center. You can toss one on the lump as it is burning too, if you want.  The fire never gets big enough or travels around the top of the charcoal. Usually burns downward and to the back. So put the wood in its way

Thanks. I did notice that. I threw probably 8 chunks in but only half of them were used, probably right at the beginning of the cook. I was shocked at how little of the charcoal it used. I'll put the chunks more in the middle next time.