First Pork Shoulder using SMOBOT

Smokin_Joe_GA

I've had my Big Green Egg - Large since 2015, but this is my first post to the forum.

After many cooks over the course of about 4 years, my ThermPro digital wireless thermometer developed some corrosion in the battery compartment and stopped working - my guess is that it was due to condensation accumulated during several overnight cooks. I decided to upgrade to a SMOBOT controller, and also got the aluminum cap and rain hat.



I used Cowboy Brand Hardwood Lump Charcoal - the 34 lbs. bag from Costco (I've read some unfavorable opinions regarding Cowboy charcoal, but it seems that the large bags available from Costco are different than the smaller bags available at hardware stores), and used BGE Hickory Smoking Chunks for the smoke.

To help protect the SMOBOT controller from the elements, I repurposed a plastic food container.



For my first cook with the new SMOBOT I smoked a boneless pork shoulder - half of the 15 lbs. package from Costco - about 7 lbs. or so. I seasoned it with Peach BBQ Rub from the gift shop at Jim Oliver's Smoke House Restaurant in Monteagle, TN.



With the charcoal up to temperature, I installed the convEGGtor and cooking grate, set the pork in a roasting rack with drip pan underneath (I'm in the habit of putting some water in the drip pan to avoid burnt drippings), and set the SMOBOT controller to hold a grill temperature of 240-degrees.



After about 13 hours the internal temperature of the pork hit 170-degrees. At this point the pork had a good bark so I pulled it off the grill, wrapped it in parchment paper, put it back on the roasting rack, and bumped the grill temperature setpoint on the SMOBOT up to 275-degrees. After another 3 hours the internal temperature of the pork was 198-degrees. Off the grill, wrapped in aluminum foil and a towel to rest in the cooler for a couple hours.



Good bark, nice hickory smoke flavor, meat stayed moist and pulled apart easily. I can't complain about that. Plus I got a good night's sleep while the SMOBOT kept the Egg cooking at the right temperature.

Foghorn

Great writeup and results.  WELCOME ABOARD.  POST MORE.

So, do you like the SMOBOT better than the ThermPro?

dmchicago

Beautiful pig.

4TheGrillOfIt

Nice. I love using a controller for long cooks—makes the process more enjoyable. 

shtgunal3

Nice job..... Welcome.

gmanrva

Very nice!!

Smokin_Joe_GA

@Foghorn ,

Yes, I definitely like the convenience being able to sleep through the night during the cook instead of running outside several times to adjust the dampers, or even looking at the remote thermometer display and debating "Should I go adjust it now, or wait a few more minutes and see what happens?"

Foghorn

Thank you.  Again - welcome aboard.  Enjoy the journey and share some wisdom with us.