First smoke/Pork Shoulder

mummer43

I've had my egg for about a year and I am finally going to try smoking some meat.  I just bought a small 5lb porch shoulder and I want to get up tomorrow morning and smoke it.    Can someone give me a quick and dirty rundown on what I need to do or point me to an article that they think would help me?  Here is what I have on hand:

Plate setter
Drip Pan
Smokeware cap
Thermapen
Dizzy Dust
PS Woo
Hickory Chips

bikesAndBBQ

Use the search function to find more info than you could digest in a year. You have everything you need. Throw it on there and enjoy. 

kjs

It’s a forgiving and almost foolproof piece of meat.I cover my pork shoulder in cheap yellow mustard then put on rub, overnight if you have time. I aim for 250 but am ok with anything under 300 (some on here advocate for cooking at 350 known as “turbo”)

once it hits an IT of 205. Wrap in foil, a towel and place in cooler for 1-3 hours, until you are ready to serve. 

Carolina Q

Fill egg with lump, nearly to top of fire ring, mixing in chips as you go (no need to soak)
Light lump (one spot is fine for lo n slo cook)
Add Platesetter, legs up
Drip pan on PS with air gap spacers (balled foil is fine)
Grid on top
Stabilize temp for an our or so (temp stays at target without adjustment)
250° for "normal" cook, 300-350° for turbo (much faster cook)
250° = 1.5-2 hrs per lb, Turbo = about 1 hr per pound 
Once temp is stable, remove butt rom fridge and rub with seasoning of choice
Place meat on grid (I prefer fat cap down), close dome and walk away.
Check dome temp from time to time. If you had it stable from the beginning, it should stay fairly constant throughout.

Hard to screw up a butt. Good luck!

mummer43

Should I soak the wood chips?

TEXASBGE2018

mummer43 said:

Should I soak the wood chips?

no need. Don't use chips though. Use Chunks. Chips will burn up before you get any reasonable smoke from them.

mummer43

TEXASBGE2018 said:

mummer43 said:

Should I soak the wood chips?

no need. Don't use chips though. Use Chunks. Chips will burn up before you get any reasonable smoke from them.

I do plan on getting some chunks but all I have right now are chips.  

TEXASBGE2018

mummer43 said:

TEXASBGE2018 said:

mummer43 said:

Should I soak the wood chips?

no need. Don't use chips though. Use Chunks. Chips will burn up before you get any reasonable smoke from them.

I do plan on getting some chunks but all I have right now are chips.  

Well if all you have is chips you are going to need several handfuls of chips. Chips are great for giving a kiss of smoke to steaks or burger or chicken but smoking a whole butt or brisket requires a lot of wood to penetrate the meat. I would mix in at least 2-3 handfuls throughout the Lump and then probably at least a couple more on the top in a couple places. Typically I use 4 or so Fist size chunks so use the equivalent amount of chips.

CigarCityEgger

No need to soak the chips/chunks IMO. Have fun with the inaugural smoke sesh!

TEXASBGE2018

TEXASBGE2018 said:

mummer43 said:

TEXASBGE2018 said:

mummer43 said:

Should I soak the wood chips?

no need. Don't use chips though. Use Chunks. Chips will burn up before you get any reasonable smoke from them.

I do plan on getting some chunks but all I have right now are chips.  

Well if all you have is chips you are going to need several handfuls of chips. Chips are great for giving a kiss of smoke to steaks or burger or chicken but smoking a whole butt or brisket requires a lot of wood to penetrate the meat. I would mix in at least 2-3 handfuls throughout the Lump and then probably at least a couple more on the top in a couple places. Typically I use 4 or so Fist size chunks so use the equivalent amount of chips.

Make sure also that when you mix it in with the lump to put all the wood together. Don't just sprinkle it otherwise your wood chips will be incinerated in seconds and you wont even get any smoke for longer than 10seconds or so.

lousubcap

@Carolina Q has all the guidance you need.  BTW- the protein does not need a rest. If you are pushed for time you can go from the BGE straight to pull.  The key for the finish-line is when the bone pulls clean or the pig probes like buttah.  Above all, have fun.

jtcBoynton

You will hear many differing ways to cook pork butts.  The key thing to remember is: There is no best way!!!!!   Pork shoulder can be cooked in varying ways to great results.    Setup for an indirect cook.  Egg temp somewhere between 225-375º.  Add some salt to the pork and cook until tender (normally 195-205º).  Anything after that is personal preference.  Treat smoke as you would any other spice/flavoring - add enough for your taste but not too much. You want enough smoke to compliment the taste of the pork and be in balance with the spice rub.

abpgwolf

Don't worry, it will be the best pork butt you've ever had! Have fun

SmokeOnTheMountain

I do essentially the same beginning setup as @Carolina Q. I hold mine at 250 dome and do fat cap up. After about 4hrs I check it and see if the fat cap has “split.” If it hasn’t yet I check about every 1-1.5hrs till it has. Once the fat cap has split I wrap it up in aluminum foil with some spritzing of apple cider vinegar and Tabasco. I check about every two hours or so after that, and when I can take my rings and compress the pork shoulder (I.e. feels tender) I remove and wrap with towels. Let rest for at least 45 min to an hour. Then pull. Best of luck and you’ll do fine. Pork Shoulder is very forgiving, and remember it’s a giant chunk of meat so you can go a little heavy on the seasoning and be ok.

CheeseheadIllinois

I prep my butt the night before!  Mustard on the butt, add in spices (something pre-mixed like Dizzy's or homemade -- brown sugar, paprika, chipotle powder, salt pepper, etc.) and then take out my butt out of the fridge 60 minutes before cooking.  I use a drip pan without water.  I cook my butt fat side up.  Oh, how many ways could someone interpret this post?!   Laugh, have fun, and have a good Memorial Day.