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First Pork Shouler - Need help

trevorst
trevorst Posts: 64
edited August 2012 in EggHead Forum
Hi All, I have agreed to do a pulled pork for a lunch at my wifes business on Wenesday.... Picked up an 8 lb shoulder today and will be cooking it on a medium egg, I have no problem holding 225 for 6 hours when doing ribs and there is always tons of lump left. From what I have read I should allow 1 1/2 - 2 hours per lb so that could be as much as a 4 hour variation in when it will be done. I need to have it ready, pulled and sauced no later than 10:30 am on Wednsday to allow me to shower and deliver. I am thinking of allowing 14 hours to cook and aiming for a 7:00 ready time, so that would mean having the shoulder in at 5:00 pm Tuesday. Am I correct in my thinking and what other advice could you give...

Comments

  • Just FTC it and you will be all good!
  • trevorst
    trevorst Posts: 64
    What is FTC ???
  • DocWonmug
    DocWonmug Posts: 300
    I have only done one, but it came out excellent. Everybody here says pork shoulders are easy, and I agree. I suggest allowing 2 hours, if it is done early, everybody here says keep it warm in an ice chest until the right time. I did not do that, we ate it right away. Mine took less  that 2 hrs per pound, maybe 1-1/2. Good luck.
    LBGE
  • Sorry, foil towel cooler. What it means is when hit desired temp 195-200 pull off egg, wrap in foil, then wrap in towels, and place into a cooler with more towels stuffed in. It will hold and be warm enough to pull. Click on my name and look at discussions, in there is one called 1st butt, it is a long thread but lots of good info in there.
  • Tjcoley
    Tjcoley Posts: 3,551
    FTC is Foil, Towels, Cooler. If you finish your cook early, wrap in heavy duty foil, place in a pre warmed cooler packed with towels. You can keep a butt hot for hours this way. Better to finish your cook early than have everyone waiting for dinner.
    __________________________________________
    It's not a science, it's an art. And it's flawed.
    - Camp Hill, PA
  • Tjcoley
    Tjcoley Posts: 3,551
    To pre warm the cooler, pour hot water in for 20 to thirty minutes then drain. Also called a faux cambro, with a cambro being a unit caterers use to keep foods hot until serving.
    __________________________________________
    It's not a science, it's an art. And it's flawed.
    - Camp Hill, PA
  • Tjcoley
    Tjcoley Posts: 3,551
    Sorry, foil towel cooler. What it means is when hit desired temp 195-200 pull off egg, wrap in foil, then wrap in towels, and place into a cooler with more towels stuffed in. It will hold and be warm enough to pull. Click on my name and look at discussions, in there is one called 1st butt, it is a long thread but lots of good info in there.
    You must type faster than me Lizzie.  You beat my answer by a minute
    __________________________________________
    It's not a science, it's an art. And it's flawed.
    - Camp Hill, PA
  • Tjcoley
    Tjcoley Posts: 3,551
    I was never much of a typer, even after taking a summer class in high school.  Always said you could cut off eight of my fingers and I would not type any slower.  
    __________________________________________
    It's not a science, it's an art. And it's flawed.
    - Camp Hill, PA
  • trevorst
    trevorst Posts: 64
    Thanks all.. So I will plan on having it on the egg at 5:00 pm today, so it should hit 200 between 5:00 am - 9:00 am tomorrow... Let me know if my calculations are wrong. I'll try and post pics..But eitherbway will report back.
  • FWIW, no real reason to be 225.  You can let it get up to 250, even upwards of 275, and you'll be fine.  Also, the added bonus of not taking as long to cook might be of benefit as well.  

    But, if you can hold 225 steadily w/out having to go out & monitor it constantly, then more power to ya!!  :-bd
    Don't get set into one form, adapt it and build your own, and let it grow, be like water. Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless — like water. Now you put water in a cup, it becomes the cup... Now water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend. - Bruce Lee
  • I did not my first shoulder last week and if was not hard at all.  It took me 17.5 hours for a 10.5 lbs shoulder.  I agree with the FTC method.  We had to travel 4 hours to our destination and it was perfect and ready to pull.   I think I read that you were going to pull ahead of time, not sure what others think but I would pull just before serving.

    Cheers

  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
    yeah. primary benefit of 225 is bragging rights.  250 seems to be the natural groove of the BGE, and 2375-300 is still a low temp (lo-and-slo), but gets things done much faster.


    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
  • trevorst
    trevorst Posts: 64
    Should have said I can hold 250 for 6 hours, not 225.... So given that is my timing still good. On when to pull, I will be pulling just before serving, but I need to drive it 30 mins to serve and can't stay to carve at the lunch....
  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,170
    FWIW-I would allow time to pull upon arrival-give yourself a few extra minutes as it doesn't take that much time.  I would have the sauce on the side.
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
  • So how did it go?
  • trevorst
    trevorst Posts: 64
    It is for tomorrow.... Will be going on in acouple of hours, egg is cleaned filled and ready to go.
  • Cheers!!!!   I'm on vacation and cant keep dates straight.
  • trevorst
    trevorst Posts: 64
    Know wat you mean... I have been on vacation for seven years :-)
  • trevorst
    trevorst Posts: 64
    Thanks everyone for all the input, just reporting back that the Pulled Pork was a major hit... It turned out better than I could have hoped for, moist, tender and shredded by hand (gloves on). Ended up taking 13 hours, kept it 250 untill the last couole of hours when I was running short on time, so I opened up to 300. Took of egg at 198 and let rest for 30 mins.. I did take some pictures when I took it out the egg, will post as soon as I get the time to figure out how.
  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,170
    Congrats on the cook. Glad it all worked out so well.  FYI-easy way to pull pork is to use two forks. 
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
  • Next time we just need the address.