Pulled Pork Shoulder Again

Eoin

This time it's a bigger joint, just under 5 lbs weight boned and trimmed.  I'm going to stick with the 275 F temperature, but not foil at all to get better bark.  It's going on tonight late.

Eoin

Coated with a mix off peppers, chilli sauce, soy sauce and mustard. This is sitting for about 6 hours before cooking.

MrCookingNurse

When you say boned, what do you mean? 


Jk, but why take the bone out? 

Eoin

MrCookingNurse said:

When you say boned, what do you mean? 


Jk, but why take the bone out? 

Shoulder is normally sold boned at the supermarket, which is where we got this one.

A friend works on a pig farm where they slaughter from time to time. He knows to get us a whole shoulder, bone in, next time they do.

Eoin

The temperature stabilised at 270 / 275 F and the pork went on the grid above the place setter.  Filled well up with lump.  It went on at 11:30 and I left it until 5 a.m. to check progress.  The temperature was 300F at this point, I do seem to get some slow temperature climb on my XL after it appears to settle.  Anyway, 5.5 hours in and it was done, probing at the thickest point 200F and very soft.  I took it out, foil wrapped and insulated to let it rest.  The bark was best at the thickest part of the meat, which was to the rear of the egg.

Eoin

After resting, just before lunch.

Eoin

Ready to eat.  It was good.  Not enough salt in the rub and bark could be better, so I'm going to get the Egg really low next time to get a longer cook.

lousubcap

Just be aware that once you get down below the sweet-spot (seems all BGE's have one around the 240-260*F dome range) that temperature control can take you in the opposite direction, i.e. the fire will slowly extinguish it self over time.
If you fire it up a few hours before starting the cook and get stable (no vent movement for around an hour) then it should ride thru the night without any issues-discounting wind impact.  FWIW-
Edit:  great looking result right there.  Congrats.

InfectedDAS

Wow, looks great!

The best part, I think, is taking the bone clean out of the meat, loved that!

Eoin

lousubcap said:

Just be aware that once you get down below the sweet-spot (seems all BGE's have one around the 240-260*F dome range) that temperature control can take you in the opposite direction, i.e. the fire will slowly extinguish it self over time.
If you fire it up a few hours before starting the cook and get stable (no vent movement for around an hour) then it should ride thru the night without any issues-discounting wind impact.  FWIW-
Edit:  great looking result right there.  Congrats.

I need to try low when I can watch it. When I did the pork before it rose a bit through the cook but was easy to bring back to round 270 / 280 F. Need to try a touch lower and see if it will hold that.

Legume

XL's have great airflow, so you shouldn't have any problem holding lower.  I can easily hold 200-225 on mine with a little thought, 180 if I'm careful setting it up.  It's damn near impossible to bring it back down to those temps as you'll end up snuffing the fire.  But if you start small and build slowly, you can easily manage this.

Are you using any smoke wood on these butts?

Eoin

Legume said:

XL's have great airflow, so you shouldn't have any problem holding lower.  I can easily hold 200-225 on mine with a little thought, 180 if I'm careful setting it up.  It's damn near impossible to bring it back down to those temps as you'll end up snuffing the fire.  But if you start small and build slowly, you can easily manage this.

Are you using any smoke wood on these butts?

I've been careful with the temperature on these low cooks, I found out early that once you get a good fire going the XL gets hot quickly and doesn't want to come down again.

Using some apple wood, but not getting a lot of smoke on the meat. Chicken and lamb have taken the apple smoke well, maybe I need to try something else with the pork.

Legume

Apple is good, maybe just use more or add a chunk or two of something stronger.  You won't over smoke it.

lkapigian

I did one bone in yesterday 

MrCookingNurse

Apple is a light wood. 

Butt looks amazing. Bone in bone out, who cares. Most just do bone in and I thought you and cut the bone your self. Great cook man. 

My XL will sit in around 200 and just squat. That's it's spot. 

Eoin

MrCookingNurse said:

Apple is a light wood. 

Butt looks amazing. Bone in bone out, who cares. Most just do bone in and I thought you and cut the bone your self. Great cook man. 

My XL will sit in around 200 and just squat. That's it's spot. 

Going to give myself a longer lead in next time and go really low.