Observations from a noob on Pork Shoulder

fletcherfam · August 2012

So did my second shoulder over the weekend (1st was a 7lb, this was two 8lb shoulders) and here are my observations.... for what it's worth.

1. Go to your local butcher if you can. Local butcher was same price per pound, however, pig was from just over the county line. Much better meat.
2. Don't adjust your vents just before you go to sleep. (Turned my low and slow into a partial "turbo")
3. I like the partial turbo better than the low and slow.
4. Bone in is better than no bone.
5. As you increase in your egging abilities the amount you have for left overs the next day drastically decreases. (about 3-4lbs got taken for leftovers for family, left me with maybe 2-3lbs from 16lbs of pork shoulder).
6. In my opinion leftover pulled pork is better than just that day. (my lunch was yummy today)
7. I love this egging thing.
8. If you have a large amount of meat you can Foil, Towel, Cooler (FTC) it for quite a long time. (I did mine in the cooler for 8+ hours and it was still almost too hot to touch with the bare hands).

There you are, for what it's worth.

lousubcap · August 2012

Thanks for the comments-glad it was a success. You will just have to cook more each time to keep up with the demand:)

BuckeyeBob · August 2012

I agree with Lou. You will find that it is just as easy to cook multiple shoulders as it is to do one. Get yourself a Foodsaver to package up what you don't eat and you will have wonderful pork goodness for months.

EazyE · August 2012

I would be a little careful going that long in a cooler. I know many will say they have gone that long before too and have been fine. But, meat can still me too hot to touch, but still get down into the "danger zone" After reading this article from the Naked Whiz, I have never gone any longer than four hours. If you have the digital thermometer in the meat still when you foil it, you can monitor it that way while it is still in the cooler. But, that is just the internal temperature, and that doesn't factor in the outer edges of the meat and what temps they are at. I thought I would just pass that along and link the article from whiz.
http://www.nakedwhiz.com/coolerholding.htm

stike · August 2012

Needs to be reinfected somehow. It's not going to magically be visited by fecal bacteria unless you do something vile to it as you put it into the cooler

The holding times for food assume much handling and potential cross contamination

The Cen-Tex Smoker · August 2012

Yep- I've gone way longer- hell, I'd eat it if sat out on my counter all night uncovered. the 4 hour rule is for commercial food service standards. You have a lot more to lose if you make 100 people sick or little kids or elderly people. If you are at home and maintain decent hygiene, you really have zero to worry about if you go 6 hours or more (way more)

Observations from a noob on Pork Shoulder

Comments

Categories