Bone in Pork shoulder

JohnfromKentucky · March 2022

So we bought a 5lb bone in pork shoulder to try my first smoke on the egg. I have a couple of questions. I recall reading somewhere that it usually is x amount of hours for x amount of weight the meat is. What is the numbers for x?

Anything in the recipe below that I need to change or be aware of? Indirect heat, with an empty pan under it is what I plan on doing.

This is the recipe I'm going to use that I found on here:

Salt and pepper heavily a Boston Butt Pork Shoulder. It makes a juicy tender cut!Heat your Green Egg Grill to 220 to 250 degrees. Cook the pork shoulder real slow until meat temperature gets to 195 to 200 degrees. The grill's temperature can go up and down, so this requires babysitting.When the meat is the temperature your want, wrap it in tinfoil and lets it rest.

Carolina bbq vinegar sauce
Ingredients
·       ▢ 2 cups apple cider vinegar
·       ▢ 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
·       ▢ 1 tablespoon ketchup
·       ▢ ½ tsp cayenne pepper
·       ▢ 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
·       ▢ 1 teaspoon of ground pepper
·       ▢ 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions
1.            Place all ingredients in a pan.
2.            Cook on stove top at Medium heat.
3.            Bring to a boil.
4.            Whisk together until sugar and salt are completely dissolved. Remove from heat.
5.            Cool to room temperature.
6.            Pour sauce into a jar or bottle. For best results, refrigerate one day before serving.
7.            Shake well before serving.

danhoo · March 2022

my advice is internal temp of the pork will decide when it is done.

Do you have a probe thermometer to leave in?

I find keeping 220 dome is a challenge on my large, but 250 or 275 is alot easier and is a fine temp for pork butt

I can't comment on the recipe as I've never used that one.

Some cook all the way to temp, some wrap in foil. I've done both.

My current cook style is to let the butt hit the stall ( around 160 F) and continue to cook unwrapped for another hour or so.

I then wrap in a foil steamer pan, which is where I also shred the final product.

After the butt is foiled, Put a probe sensor back in and cook until 195 to 200.

I final temp test in multiple spots with my thermapen to make sure there are no cool spots.

Good luck !

danhoo · March 2022

I didn't answer your "how long" question. I always plan bone-in to be done hours in advance and started cooking them overnight so I'm not rushed waiting for them.

Boneless I cook a little hotter and faster but bone in takes more time.

Langner91 · March 2022

Every piece of meat is different. Time, temp, and pig will determine when it is done.

The best part of pulled pork is that is holds up really well, so plan on getting it done early, so you aren't stressed while your family/guests are hungry and wanting to look in the egg every fifteen minutes. That's the most sure-fire way of eating crappy pulled pork. The worst pork is pork that is pulled too soon. Sure, you can overcook it and dry it out, but any number of methods will make that edible. There isn't a good way to make tough chewy pork edible.

Get it done (195-205 internal), so it starts to want to pull easy and the meat thermometer pokes in like you are probing butter with a hot probe. Literally, it will offer no resistance when it is done. Since you have a bone-in, that bone will come out clean with little resistance when it is done... Another method of checking for done-ness.

When it is done, pull it off the egg, wrap it in foil and put it in a cooler until you are ready to eat, or pull it and save all the juice to reheat it in. A roaster works great for that part.

Don't forget to elevate your catch pan off your platesetter so the drippings don't burn. A couple of nuts, balls of foil, copper pipe fittings, anything small that will put an air gap between your drip pan and the hot plate setter. I have even stacked pennies.

Good luck! Good eats await!

Buckwoody Egger · March 2022

When in doubt do whatever this guy does— https://www.nibblemethis.com/2011/11/how-i-smoke-pork-butts-for-pulled-pork.html?m=1

JohnfromKentucky · March 2022

danhoo said:

my advice is internal temp of the pork will decide when it is done.

Do you have a probe thermometer to leave in?

I find keeping 220 dome is a challenge on my large, but 250 or 275 is alot easier and is a fine temp for pork butt

I can't comment on the recipe as I've never used that one.

Some cook all the way to temp, some wrap in foil. I've done both.

My current cook style is to let the butt hit the stall ( around 160 F) and continue to cook unwrapped for another hour or so.

I then wrap in a foil steamer pan, which is where I also shred the final product.

After the butt is foiled, Put a probe sensor back in and cook until 195 to 200.

I final temp test in multiple spots with my thermapen to make sure there are no cool spots.

Good luck !

Thanks!

I do not have a probe themometer. I need/want one, any suggestions? Will I be able to see the temp on my phone with an app?

So if no probe thermometer, I guess I'll have to use the thermapen to check temps after about 6 hours.

JohnfromKentucky · March 2022

Thanks @Buckwoody Egger! That site gave me easy to follow directions.

I guess I'll start this early tomorrow morning and let it cook all day.

johnmitchell · March 2022

Good luck (Not that you need it) and enjoy your cook and your day tomorrow. Looking forward to some pics. Have fun.

danhoo · March 2022

Yeah at 6 hours probe it in several spots to see the temp. If its around 160 it is in the stall. This is where you can either leave it to keep cooking or wrap it.

I wrap in foil and sometimes take the heat up to to 275 to finish it.

You can temp test by poking through the foil which keeps you from having to unwrap and rewrap it.

good luck, post pics.

bbracey21 · March 2022

I run indirect (platesetter) at 275° - 300° until internal temp is 200° and probes like butter. Pull & rest. Cook time is about an hour +/- per pound for me at that temp.

No foil will give more bark and exterior crunch. I prefer not to foil but it can extend the cook because of the “stall”. You never know how long that can be.
As mentioned give yourself plenty of time prior to when you wish to eat as they can retain heat for a long time. Some will even wrap in a towel and throw in a warm cooler and that can hold for hours.

Meat probe - I purchased a cheap one at Aldi about 4-5 years ago that is still going strong. Usually see them in the shelves around the holidays. They are tons of options out there just like the instant therms.

Good luck. Have fun and post some pics.

P.S. Remember when they said the egg was the least expensive purchase... Lol

1voyager · March 2022

My rough estimate is 1 - 1 1/2 hours per pound.

Cooked a 9 pound bone-in @ 225 - 250 degrees over Friday night/Saturday morning. It took 16 hours, including a 4 hour stall. (Foiled.)

JohnfromKentucky · March 2022

I wasn't able to start it this morning...wife had me do stuff and that delayed things.

And when I get free time, like now, it's 5pm and I'm at a quandary....I have to work at home tomorrow 6am-430pm, so do I wait until the morning and start it? Probably so.

Foghorn · March 2022

Load the egg with charcoal tonight, trim/rub the meat tonight, and light the egg before you go to bed. Set it with the vents where you expect you will need it to be for 275 or so. Then in the morning just drop the meat on the warm egg as soon as you wake up. You can adjust the vents some at that time as well if you need to.

Botch · March 2022

Foghorn said:

...light the egg before you go to bed. Set it with the vents where you expect you will need it to be for 275 or so. Then in the morning just drop the meat on the warm egg as soon as you wake up.

That's a technique that I've not seen before, but brilliant! Thank you.

JohnfromKentucky · March 2022

Foghorn said:

Load the egg with charcoal tonight, trim/rub the meat tonight, and light the egg before you go to bed. Set it with the vents where you expect you will need it to be for 275 or so. Then in the morning just drop the meat on the warm egg as soon as you wake up. You can adjust the vents some at that time as well if you need to.

I should have given out my number because I JUST saw this post at 740am. It is pouring down and I couldn't seem to get it lit. Waiting for the rain to slow/stop for a minute so that I can try again.

I did load the charcoal this morning and mixed in wood chunks. All this covered by an umbrella. So we'll see. I guess I need to get a flamethrower so that when it rains, I can still light it.

JohnfromKentucky · March 2022

And I spoke too soon! Went and grabbed a couple of paper towels from inside, tried again and we have smoke!!

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/ca/u2b085bhdpbi.jpg

Bottom vent was wide open, top was about 1/2 to 1 inch open. I have since closed the bottom vent to about 2 inches open. Will adjust accordingly.

Just to show the rain, here's what we have so far:

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/yg/k8hszynkyxkc.jpg

JohnfromKentucky · March 2022

sorry for the multiple posts...

lots of smoke, but temp is way way low, maybe 75. I hope it gets up to temp sometime this morning. I did open the bottom vent about 3 inches or so.

Foghorn · March 2022

At that temp you can open the top vent more as well. Just be prepared to close it down as you approach your target temp.

JohnfromKentucky · March 2022

How long does it take to get to the temp after you close down vents? Mine was dead on 250 and I waited, but I don't know how long I need to wait before it stays there?

I'm keeping an eye on it. I put the pennies down and the catch piece and the meat is on!

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/d0/wgfsq9jo7dly.jpg

We use Famous Dave's rib rub.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/0u/4ve8qkfqn6di.jpg

gamason · March 2022

Look up the "turbo" method and forget all this other mess. You will thank me later..

danhoo · March 2022

@JohnfromKentucky the pork butt is quite forgiving to the temps being a little on the high side.

If the coals are doing well, you should be able to keep the bottom vent less than 1/2 inch. As the entire egg gets warm less will be needed to maintain the temp.

jtcBoynton · March 2022

You cook a pork butt to tenderness, not to temp or by time.

Time estimates are just to assist in planning your day. Temps are used to alert you when to start checking for tenderness.

Approximate cooking times for pork butt/shoulder:

225º: 2 hours a pound

250º: 1.5 hours a pound

275º: 1 hour per pound

350º: 30-45 mins per pound

There is a good amount of variability between individual pieces so take all times as rough. Times assume a full sized butt - 7-10 pounds. Temps are dome.

JohnfromKentucky · March 2022

Temps sticking around 300. I have adjusted the openings slowly throughout morning to see if it would drop a few degrees...it has not moved all that much. So this temp would decrease the cook time right?

From other posts, I should check temp at around 330pm but maybe I should check at say 2pm?

JohnfromKentucky · March 2022

jtcBoynton said:

You cook a pork butt to tenderness, not to temp or by time.
Time estimates are just to assist in planning your day. Temps are used to alert you when to start checking for tenderness.
Approximate cooking times for pork butt/shoulder:
225º:  2 hours a pound
250º: 1.5 hours a pound
275º:  1 hour per pound
350º:  30-45 mins per pound

There is a good amount of variability between individual pieces so take all times as rough. Times assume a full sized butt - 7-10 pounds. Temps are dome.

Thanks. This is a 5lb one. I will check temp in a hour

danhoo · March 2022

JohnfromKentucky said:

Temps sticking around 300. I have adjusted the openings slowly throughout morning to see if it would drop a few degrees...it has not moved all that much. So this temp would decrease the cook time right?

From other posts, I should check temp at around 330pm but maybe I should check at say 2pm?

Since your dome temp is slightly on the high side it won't hurt it to open it and temp check it.

Do you have a pic of your intake opening with it at 300? I'm guessing you are at more than 1/4 inch, maybe 1/2 inch.

At this point the temp is what the temp is just ride it out, but learning and keeping track of the temp based on the inlet opening is a good thing to learn.

Also, you have a new style top vent so I can't suggest how much to have open, except for "not much"

These pics aren't from a cook I just took them, but from memory, this is about where I'd be for 250F to 275F dome temp.

JohnfromKentucky · March 2022

I'll get a picture of the openings. The temp has gone down to around 250. I did check the temp about an hour ago and it was 160-170.

Temp is 170, grill temperature was around 225-250 so it's cooling down, not sure why.

Here are the openings. I haven't touched either one in a couple of hours

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/5p/qj0d4fpxc0rx.jpg

RyanStl · March 2022

I would be totally happy with a steady 300 dome temp.

My eggs just loves that temp.

Langner91 · March 2022

If you asked me what temp that setting was, I would tell you 350°F. If I set my LBGE, with a full basket of lump, to that setting, it would cruise at 350°F all day.

I would grab some heavy oven mitts (that aren't your spouse's favorite) and carefully peek under the plate setter. Be quick, and be careful it is VERY HOT! I am betting you are out of lump if it is cooling off.

JohnfromKentucky · March 2022

if it is out of coal, so then I just light more and keep going?

Checking it now

edit:
It was low, but not out. I put some chunks wood on and more charcoal and put everything back in. Did I smother the fire or will it burn the new wood/charcoal?

Langner91 · March 2022

Yes. You will have to carefully take it all apart. Make sure you have a non-flammable landing spot for that plate setter, that SOB is gonna be HOT! Kids and dogs need to stay away. Use welding gloves and don't carry it far! Then, put it all back together. If there is any lit charcoal still in it, the new lump will ignite in a few minutes (give it 10-15 with the dome open) and then put it all back together. Don't worry about smoking wood, or anything else at this point. You just want to get the meat done.

Foghorn · March 2022

It should burn just fine.

Bone in Pork shoulder

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