The Big Oktoberfest Oysteroast Cook...

KiterTodd · October 2014

Big party of the year and the first time with the egg. So I'm bringing the BGE into a few of the dishes. Three big cooks...

1. Mojo Pork Carnitas - I'm going to try to expand THIS by four and cook 28 lbs (four shoulders)
2. Brats & Beer! - Hapster had me interested so I have 6 lbs. of brats I'll grill after the shoulders are off, and finish in a crock pot.
3. Oysters!! 2 bushels of Chesapeake, 2 boxes of Virgina Salts (Sewansecotts, most liklely)...about 400+

Pork and Brats will be cooked on the egg!
The oysters, as much as I'd like to do them on the egg I'm just not up for transporting the egg down from the 2nd floor deck to the back yard. So those will be on another charcoal or gas grill.

4. Beer ...couple nice kegs of seasonal brews.

Cooking 1 and 2 ahead today. Will heat up the carnitas again tomorrow and let the pork finish in the crockpot tomorrow.

Here we go!...

KiterTodd · October 2014

First up is the Mojo Pork Carnitas....

I'm going to cook it for 1.5 to 2 hours on the egg at 350 and then transfer to a roaster to finish. This is the most pork I've cooked on my large thus far...

First the rub - (details in the recipe link above)

Now on to the pork....

Now here is where it gets a bit tricky. I have been delinquent on getting a raised grid setup. It's on the list, I just haven't gotten around to it.

I have seen people do 4 on the grate before but those looked like nice firm butts that stay together and can lean on each other. Coscto only had these boneless shoulders (all I saw, anyway) and they are pretty sloppy pieces of meat. Standing them up is like teaching a boneless chicken to jump...it's not happening. So, why I ended up with was a mass of meat on my large BGE. We'll see how this goes...

While that monstrosity gets going for the first couple hours, I am preparing the roasting pan with all the mojo goodness that makes this dish so unique;

Lots of juices in here with the peppers and onions and a little S&P & oregeno. And lime juice and garlic. It kind of smells like ceviche, actually. Oh yeah...I add nutmeg to this and the rub. Gives it a little more of an island taste. Fresh ground if possible.

KiterTodd · October 2014

Last time I left it on for 90 minutes. This time, with so much meat I let it go for 2 hours. Which is when the internal temp hit the same that it did last time. 135ish.   Then I transferred to the roaster.

Interesting thing is for the last 45 minutes I had to run the egg with vents full open to keep the temp at 350. I’m not sure why.   Haven’t had to do that before and seem to have plenty of lump left. There was more smoke coming off at that time, which I have since figured out. (below)

I only had the probe in one shoulder which was around 130, but the others were closer to 145.   All good, I plan on cooking them in a roaster to finish off mojo style, BUT, I should have pulled them at 90 minutes.

I had some burning on the bottom of all four shoulders. This was cooked indirect. It wasn’t just the pieces on the edge.   So, I guess cooking this much pork at a higher heat you have to be careful. I’m not sure if it was caused by the fat dripping off and burning. or the temp.   Anyway, I trimmed some of the burnt off the bottom and threw it in the roaster.

The large did fine with this mass of meat after all… I think I’d be comfortable doing this again for a low and slow cook with 4 butts. Not sure about the higher temp cook. I’ll let you know tomorrow.

Smokinpig · October 2014

Looking good. I imagine you airflow was impacted with all that meat and the mass probably held the temp down. Your vent issue should be a one time deal.

SmokeyPitt · October 2014

Looking really good so far. It sounds like will have plenty of great food. What time would you like us all there??

Egghead_Daron · October 2014

I'm no expert but why switch to roaster?

KiterTodd · October 2014

Egghead_Daron said:

I'm no expert but why switch to roaster?

Its a technique that's in the recipe linked at the top of the thread. Here is is again. If I had only one butt or a big dutch oven, I'd be finishing this up on the egg, but I don't. So into a big 20 qt. electric roaster it went! Top of roasting pan tightly wrapped in foil to keep all the goodness inside.

KiterTodd · October 2014

Smokinpig said:

Looking good. I imagine you airflow was impacted with all that meat and the mass probably held the temp down. Your vent issue should be a one time deal.

Thanks. Good to know. I didn't have a good place for my grate temp gauge with all that meat so maybe I actually opened up the vents too much to try to get the temp up, when I didn't need to. If the probe was right next to a humungus pile of pork, perhaps that distorted the reading.

I'm hoping the burnt bottom doesn't distort the flavor. I'll check that when I pull it in an hour or so I guess and can pick it out if need be. I'm hoping since I got the thick stuff off it will be more of a bark-ish flavor. ?

Anyway, on to the next phase...

KiterTodd · October 2014

The BRAT course!

Self explanatory. Grilled some brats. Only meant to brown them but they are mostly cooked...still, into the crock pot with some cabbage, onion and saurkraut. Didn't have room for a lot of fixins since I was cramming 6 lbs. of brats in there.

Smells good and the cook may have pinched one off for a late lunch....

Foghorn · October 2014

Dude, I want to party with you.

Mickey · October 2014

^:)^ ^:)^ =D> =D> ^:)^ ^:)^ =D> =D> ^:)^ ^:)^ =D> =D> ^:)^ ^:)^ =D> =D> ^:)^ ^:)^ =D> =D> ^:)^ ^:)^ =D> =D> ^:)^ ^:)^ =D> =D> ^:)^ ^:)^ =D> =D> ^:)^ ^:)^ =D> =D> ^:)^ ^:)^ =D> =D> ^:)^ ^:)^ =D> =D> ^:)^ ^:)^ =D> =D> ^:)^ ^:)^ =D> =D> ^:)^ ^:)^ =D> =D> ^:)^ ^:)^ =D> =D> ^:)^ ^:)^ =D> =D> ^:)^ ^:)^ =D> =D> ^:)^ ^:)^ =D> =D> ^:)^ ^:)^ =D> =D> ^:)^ ^:)^ =D> =D> ^:)^ ^:)^ =D> =D> ^:)^ ^:)^ =D> =D> ^:)^ ^:)^ =D> =D> ^:)^ ^:)^ =D> =D> ^:)^ ^:)^ =D> =D> ^:)^ ^:)^ =D> =D> ^:)^ ^:)^ =D> =D> ^:)^ ^:)^ =D> =D> ^:)^ ^:)^ =D> =D> ^:)^ ^:)^ =D> =D> ^:)^ ^:)^ =D> =D> ^:)^ ^:)^ =D> =D> ^:)^ ^:)^ =D> =D> ^:)^ ^:)^ =D> =D> ^:)^ ^:)^ =D> =D> ^:)^ ^:)^ =D> =D>

blind99 · October 2014

cue "oh yeah" by yello

Epic cook, it's going to be a great party!

KiterTodd · October 2014

Alrighty,then! Appreciate all the feedback. Nobody in my house or who comes tomorrow will understand the cooking effort that goes into it like you folks do.

Cooking four butts takes a bit more effort than the one I'm used to cooking...I mean, the egg does a lot of work in the middle, but the effort on both ends. It ain't trivial!

So, those 4 shoulders/butts hit 203 degrees like clockwork after 2 hours roasting at 350 degrees. After making this recipe twice now I think I can stop using a thermometer on this part of the cook...or heck, any part of the cook. It is very repeatable. 90 minutes on the egg at 350, 2 hours in a covered pot somewhere, at 350, for another 2 hours. Same with 1 or 4 lumps of pork.

That burnt bottom still had some flavor I didn't like so I trimmed most of it off. It was a bit of a shame because usually the black bits are the bark and you leave them in for all that goodness, but this time I took most of it out. The good thing is the mojo really covers up some mistakes because it has so much flavor. And the flavor is easily tweaked by adding salt and spices after you mix it.

All 4 shoulders pulled by hand very easily. I have to get me some of those thick gloves, though because man was it HOT!!!

Pork looks and tastes great. Tomorrow I'll just put it in the roaster on warm and we should be good to go! I'm serving this with flour and soft corn tortillas, so people can make 'em up how they like 'em!

Phew, I'm beat! The cooking for the day is done. Now I have to set up the back yard. b-(

Rfd96 · October 2014

Awesome cook.

thetrim · October 2014

@KiterTodd very nice so far. I will warn you, once you start posting the oyster pics, you may want to block @SGH and @nolaegghead they may not be able take anymore once those pics go up. GREAT WORK!!!

texaswig · October 2014

Looks like you got it going on. Don't let your head get to big after all those compliments I'm sure your gonna get a lot of them.

Eggcelsior · October 2014

thetrim said:
@KiterTodd very nice so far. I will warn you, once you start posting the oyster pics, you may want to block @SGH and @nolaegghead they may not be able take anymore once those pics go up. GREAT WORK!!!

Agreed. Especially with Chesapeake oysters. They blow Gulf ones away!

SGH · October 2014

@KiterTodd‌
Brother I don't have the words. So just accept this my friend:

SGH · October 2014

Waiting anxiously on the oysters.

Eggcelsior · October 2014

@sgh I might try to send some down for Salado so you can try the one's from up here. I had some at ACME after the brisket camp and they didn't touch what I can get. Granted, it was a one time thing, so I'll have to try some more next time.

Dobie · October 2014

Awesome. I need an angioplasty now LOL.

Mickey · October 2014

Eggcelsior said:

@sgh I might try to send some down for Salado so you can try the one's from up here. I had some at ACME after the brisket camp and they didn't touch what I can get. Granted, it was a one time thing, so I'll have to try some more next time.

I love (for a very long time) Acme. Been to all of them I think. But the last two times SanDestin & Baton Rouge both were just not up to what I think the food needs to be. Maybe it's just me.

Eggcelsior · October 2014

@mickey I went to the one off of bourbon St. All the cooked stuff was on point. The raw oysters had no real flavor, but I'll have to give them another chance considering it was 11pm on a Saturday. I'll try to get some down from up herr for the after party that we can go nuts on.

Phatchris · October 2014

Eggcelsior said:
@mickey I went to the one off of bourbon St. All the cooked stuff was on point. The raw oysters had no real flavor, but I'll have to give them another chance considering it was 11pm on a Saturday. I'll try to get some down from up herr for the after party that we can go nuts on.

IMO the oysters in the Northeast can't be beat!

Mickey · October 2014

Eggcelsior said:

@mickey I went to the one off of bourbon St. All the cooked stuff was on point. The raw oysters had no real flavor, but I'll have to give them another chance considering it was 11pm on a Saturday. I'll try to get some down from up herr for the after party that we can go nuts on.

Please. Travis's Dad brought a bushel in from FL to the after party and got mobbed.

SGH · October 2014

@Eggcelsior‌
Brother I would love to try them. Oysters is one of my very favorites. And that's mighty kind of you my friend. I will glady pay you for them though.

Smokinpig · October 2014

I saw dragos has a mail order kit now. 3 dozen oysters, sauce, cheese and bread for 70 bucks free shipping. Might have to look into that unless @SGH shares his secrets on imitating them.

SGH · October 2014

@Smokinpig‌
I'm actually doing a sack of oysters tomorrow. I will gladly post how I do them for you.

Smokinpig · October 2014

@SGH please do. I have not had any dragos in about 5 years and they are darn good. Based on your comments from brisket camp you are close my friend. I will be watching.

SGH · October 2014

@Smokinpig‌
I sure will brother Smokin. I have to give credit to brother Nola and his wife as well. They perfected the recipe that I now use. I was just the cook

I actually think his wife is the one that cracked the Drago's code. Why? She has gave me some other recipes that are equal to or better than Dragos shrimp. The woman is sharp to say the least.

KiterTodd · October 2014

Oysters vary so much based on the salinity of the water and whatever else in it varies. They may dredge some up one week that are sweet and salty and a few weeks later after a lot of rain they'll be bland. Gotta keep trying 'em!

Some of the small farm operations down here on the eastern shore (DelMarVa) are excellent and they do a really nice job of controlling the salinity. They'll let them grow in one spot, and then move them to very salty water for a period of time before they harvest them.

I've been to a few oyster tastings and I really like a true Blue Point from up in Cape Cod, but they are very expensive to get down here. Salt Ponds I think was another I liked.

Ahh well, I'll head down to the Fish Wharf tomorrow morning and see what they have. That's a fun part of the party...go down there, taste the oysters, and negotiate with the different fish mongers. I never know what I'm going to end up with but there are usually about 4 different kinds to choose from between the various businesses.

The Big Oktoberfest Oysteroast Cook...

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