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Pork Shoulder Suggestions Please

FarmerTom
FarmerTom Posts: 685
in EggHead Forum

I will be putting a 7.5 lb. pork shoulder on in the morning to feed my mom tomorrow evening for her 91st birthday. (She loves pork).  My 1st and last one was a real problem.  I only had cheap lump that I added to some unburned other cheap lump and couldn't maintain 300 deg.  Finally had to add more lump, but still wouldn't get very hot.  Finally pulled it at 170 IT, (I think, didn't have a thermopen then, do now).  It tasted good, was able to slice it.  But I have since read to go to 205 IT and it will fall off the bone.  I have Dizzy Pig Dust, Swamp Venom, and Red Eye Express along with the other usual household spices. 

It is sitting in the fridge thawed and ready.  Any suggestions, I don't want it to be too spicy for her, but want good flavor.  Would welcome any rub, temp, or other advice.  Cooked the other one indirect.  I don't have a lot of accessories to work with.  Plate setter, large frying pan converted to a drip pan, stock grill, cast iron grill, BGE thermopen, and a rack and drip pan for a turkey next week. 

That and a medium egg with Rockwood lump is what I have to work with.  All suggestions appreciated.

Tommy 

Middle of Nowhere, Northern Kentucky
   1 M, 1 XL, a BlackStone,1 old Webber, a Border Collie, a German Shepherd and 3 of her pups, and 2 Yorkies

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Comments

  • THEBuckeye
    THEBuckeye Posts: 4,232
    edited November 2014

    Good coat of Dizzy Dust overnight

    Estimate 2 hours/pound including a long stall around 160. Estimate! 

    Apple and Hickory Chunks

    Indirect at 225-250. 

    Pull at 200-205

    You're a good son! 
    New Albany, Ohio 

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  • EGGjlmh
    EGGjlmh Posts: 823

    Make sure you clean your egg out of all ash before starting.  Go plate setter legs up with a drip pan.  I would stick with the 300 degrees.  The Rockwood I am sure will work great, I haven't had a chance to use it myself but it is popular here.  I coat mine with a thick layer of Dizzy Dust.  Just make sure you leave yourself plenty of time, might take around 10 hours, but always go by temperature.  205 degrees is fine but I normally shoot for 200.


    Good Luck! 

    1MBGE 2006, 1LBGE 2010, 1 Mini Max, Fathers Day 2015

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  • Elmer Fudd
    Elmer Fudd Posts: 65
    Good timing on your post. I just rubbed a 6+ pounder with Dizzy Dust and injected 1/2 viniger 1/2 water mix and came to the forum for a a couple reminders on timing. Will need some good food and drink tomorrow when the Packers pounce my Vikings. Thanks Elmer Fudd.
    Minneapolis / St. Paul. Large & Mini
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  • theyolksonyou
    theyolksonyou Posts: 18,459
    I use Rockwood a lot. Never clean out old, just pour more on top after a quick stir to shake out ash. I like the flavor of swamp venom and don't find it very spicy, but I like hot. Served it to my parents and in laws and all was good. My dad doesn't do spicy.

    I think indirect anywhere below 350 and you're good. Just make sure to have air gap between drop pan and plate setter to keep drippings from burning and giving you acrid smoke. Also, start probing at 195 and pull when it's buttah.
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  • FarmerTom
    FarmerTom Posts: 685
    I hadn't thought about injecting.  And while I don't have a regular meat injector, here on the farm I have a big supply of NEW, UNUSED, syringes and needles.  If it would enhance the butt that much, I don't see why they wouldn't work also, since they go in em while they're still walking.  Unless the concoction is too thick.  So,  maybe another tool in my arsenal.

    Tommy 

    Middle of Nowhere, Northern Kentucky
       1 M, 1 XL, a BlackStone,1 old Webber, a Border Collie, a German Shepherd and 3 of her pups, and 2 Yorkies

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  • Dobie
    Dobie Posts: 3,458
    Did the same size one last weekend. Injected with chicken broth (any flavor will do) lightly coated with oil, add rub you like. Indirect with (gasp) water pan on the plate setter. Fat cap down at 300. Took 10 hours and pulled at 200 internal. Rested for 30 minutes then pulled and sauced. Perfection.
    Jacksonville FL
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  • flemster
    flemster Posts: 269
    @farmertom
    If you are planning to cook after getting up in the morning, I would recommend the turbo method.  Search Green Egg Forum for turbo butt.
    Today I cooked 7.5lb boneless butt at 300F(grill temp not dome temp) indirect. Rubbed with brown sugar and a texas pig rub,.  Finished 6.5 hours.  Has  great bark cause I didn't wrap it.  Sometimes it is a tad drier than the slower versions, but not measurably if one uses a sauce with it.
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Keywords: Gator, Nashvegas, LBGE, Looftlighter, Thermapen in Racing Green (faster than the red one!), PSWOO2, Spider with CI, IQ120
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  • flemster
    flemster Posts: 269
    photo evidence
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    Keywords: Gator, Nashvegas, LBGE, Looftlighter, Thermapen in Racing Green (faster than the red one!), PSWOO2, Spider with CI, IQ120
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  • FarmerTom
    FarmerTom Posts: 685
    It doesn't need to be ready until 7 pm.  Aiming to put it on around 7 am and run it about 300 indirect until it hits 200-205.  I know there are plenty of other temp/time combinations, but that seems to be a good middle of the road method.

    Tommy 

    Middle of Nowhere, Northern Kentucky
       1 M, 1 XL, a BlackStone,1 old Webber, a Border Collie, a German Shepherd and 3 of her pups, and 2 Yorkies

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  • flemster
    flemster Posts: 269
    @farmertom:  at 300 it will b done in about 7-8 hours at the most.  I have had good luck with foil and cooler for up to 4 hours (don't pull it till you are ready to eat)  Good luck.  Will be great.  Best wishes to your mother on her birthday.
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Keywords: Gator, Nashvegas, LBGE, Looftlighter, Thermapen in Racing Green (faster than the red one!), PSWOO2, Spider with CI, IQ120
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  • theyolksonyou
    theyolksonyou Posts: 18,459
    You do that and it'll be hard to mess up. Water, no water. Inject, no inject. They're very forgiving. It'll be awesome and your mom will love it!
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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    I've never injected a butt, or anything else for that matter, so no help there. If you want a home-brew rub suggestion, this is the one I use. Got it from the cookbook that came with my Weber kettle years ago (early 80s I think). It's very similar to Elder Ward's recipe which malkes me wonder if HE didn't get it from Weber. :) Anyway, it's very good. And no mustard please. :D

    1 Tablespoon each...
    salt
    sugar
    brown sugar
    ground cumin
    chili powder
    black pepper
    paprika

    and 1 teaspoon of cayenne (this wasn't in the original, my addition)

    Last time I did a butt, I used just salt and pepper. That was good too.

    Smoke wood; I use traditional eastern NC woods, hickory, oak or both. Some use pecan, apple, cherry.

    Fill 'er up with lump. Some go to the top of the fire ring. I usually go half way up the ring. 250-300° is fine. I always go with 250°. Hard to tell from the pic below, but it's my large with platesetter legs up, drip pan, grid and butt directly on the grid.

    Butts are very forgiving. It's gonna be great!

    Your mom is just a young pup. Mine is 98!!! Tell her Happy Birthday!! :)

    image

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • FarmerTom
    FarmerTom Posts: 685
    Carolina Q, thanks for the Birthday wish for mom. She still drives, says she hauls the communities "old people" around. It's hard not to laugh when I hear her say that.  Best wishes for your mom, hope she has many more birthdays.

    Tommy 

    Middle of Nowhere, Northern Kentucky
       1 M, 1 XL, a BlackStone,1 old Webber, a Border Collie, a German Shepherd and 3 of her pups, and 2 Yorkies

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