1st Picnic Shoulder

[roknrandy]

Well I did my first shoulder tonight and I'm not real impressed with it :( (The butt last week was much better)
I couldn't get the temp to stay below 275, it kept drifting up and then I'd have to open the door to drop it back down. I had read the shoulder has muscle running in different directions and is slightly tougher then the butt. I shredded it and will stick to the butts.

The wind was blowing but the damper was almost completely shut. I must say that pre-heating the wood does work well and I’m trying to use all wood (except in the beginning, 50% charcoal) so I may have to play around with a few more and see if it’s the wood.

[Saiko]

Might want to try the "Rock Mod" :

http://www.markredman.net/bandera/brisket6.jpg

I tend to run my fires a little hot also, so I just prop open the door to the firebox with a rock. Push the rock further towards the rear to prop it open even more (I apologize to the original person that suggested this to me, but I forgot who mentioned it).
Whever I add wood to the fire, I prop open the firebox lid a bit and watch my temps. If the temp continues to creep up, I slide the rock back a bit and watch again. Eventually I find a happy medium where the temps are stable for a while. Once everthing has calmed down I can then close the lid.
I'm too lazy to cut my wood into smaller chunks, and wood is very plentiful here in Georgia, so I usually end up running a fire that is too hot and just vent the excess off via the "Rock Mod".

Here is a previous post with some more info on wood fires with some pics:

http://www.bandera-brethren.com/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewtopic&t=1771&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

[tommykendall]

Or use the head of a rat mod. :mrgreen: Actually Randy - fire control isn't something that comes easily. you have a lot of practice ahead of you. You're going to get a lot different weather in VA between now and spring, and therefore a lot of practice assuming you stick with it. I cooked in every element imaginable in MD, sometimes needing a big fire to keep temps in the 240 range. Then you're going to have to switch your thinking as spring starts warming into summer. The other thing I noticed about your post is that you did the shoulder "tonight". How big was it and how long did you cook it before taking it out? What was the internal temp?

[kcquer]

Randy, did a shoulder I didn't care for either. What is labled a picnic is usually the bottom part of the front shoulder, the butt (or boston butt) is the top part of the whole shoulder. The picnic is fattier and more gamey in flavor. The upper portion from high on the hog is the better cut.
If you're new to pulled pork, look in the files and recipies section and find one of the Carolina style vinegar sauces, one with vinegar, black and red peppers and brown sugar as the main ingredients. They really compliment the pork and the acidity from the vinegar mellows the fattiness of the pork. You can still add a tomato based Q-sauce after if you like.

[jminion]

If your going to do a picnic or whole shoulder then injecting is the way to go.
Adds a lot of flavor and helps with moisture. There's got to be some SE Brothers with recipes for injections.
Here's one based on Chris Lilly's (as much as he will give :wink: ) recipe.
1.5 parts juice (apple, pineapple or?)
1 part water
1 part sugar (white or brown)
.5 part salt
worcestershire to taste

Really makes a difference in flavor, you don't need a lot of smoke.

[BigBelly]

Great recipe, thanks Jim! I am trying to imagine what else he was putting in that injection.

*scratches top of his head mod*

[willkat98]

My pork butts aren't labeled picnics or butts

Label just says Pork Shoulder Roast.

We need Label Uniformity

[roknrandy]

Here a little more info (and thanks for the tips). I injected it (7.5lb) picnic shoulder (that's what's on the label) with 6oz of apple juice and put on a rub, placed it on the unit (temp was 300) fat cap up and left it there for the first 3 hours and sprayed it apple jucie every 45 minutes to an hour.

This occured about the same time as adding more pre-heated wood. After the 3rd hour I flipped and rotated. At hour 4 I inserted the probe and kept tending the fire. At 5 hours I wrapped in foil and after 7.25 hour it hit 201 and I set it in the cooler for 1.5 hours (It had dropped to 165) then pulled.


willkat98 - We need Label Uniformity
I agree with that

I also ended up putting a fire place poker in the lid to try and vent some of the heat. I think over all I cooked it to hot and for not enought time.

I'll drown it in sauce and make it disappear :twisted: then try try again :D

Thanks

[spicewine]

My label always says SPAM. I wish they would start grading pork like they do beef. There is a big gray area as to the age and quality of the pork. Unless you know what to look for, you might get stuck with an old boar.

[jminion]

I find with pork the fresher the better (no advantage to aging it).
There is some pork out there that is either produce by a small operation that keeps close eye on breeding and feeding practices. We have Snake River farms out here in the west that is producing a high quality Japanese breed that has been very good.

[Bigdog]

Or use the head of a rat mod. :mrgreen: Actually Randy - fire control isn't something that comes easily. you have a lot of practice ahead of you. You're going to get a lot different weather in VA between now and spring, and therefore a lot of practice assuming you stick with it. I cooked in every element imaginable in MD, sometimes needing a big fire to keep temps in the 240 range. Then you're going to have to switch your thinking as spring starts warming into summer. The other thing I noticed about your post is that you did the shoulder "tonight". How big was it and how long did you cook it before taking it out? What was the internal temp?

Thus speaks the pit bitch. 8)

[kcquer]

Or use the head of a rat mod. :mrgreen: Actually Randy - fire control isn't something that comes easily. you have a lot of practice ahead of you. You're going to get a lot different weather in VA between now and spring, and therefore a lot of practice assuming you stick with it. I cooked in every element imaginable in MD, sometimes needing a big fire to keep temps in the 240 range. Then you're going to have to switch your thinking as spring starts warming into summer. The other thing I noticed about your post is that you did the shoulder "tonight". How big was it and how long did you cook it before taking it out? What was the internal temp?

Thus speaks the pit bitch. 8)

I'm a bit nervous about the kind of weather tk is talking about. I got a few fires in before decent spring weather came, but most of my experience has been in near perfect weather. I feel like I'll kinda be starting over on the fire control mod.
It's supposed to be mid 20's friday and saturday mornings (fark off racer and brd) so maybe I'll get a chance to practice my cold weather smoking technique.

[willkat98]

I never have cold weather problems.

As I said before, only Wind seems to be my enemy.

If its not windy, the outside air around the smokebox generally stays warm. Its when the wind continually is pushing cold air on the steel that I need to crack out my wind braces and deflector mods.

[Saiko]

The Costco in my area doesn't sell Boston Butts anymore. They only sell "Boneless Pork Shoulder", which usually run about 12-14 pounds or so. I am assuming that is basically a whole shoulder, with both the Boston Butt and the Picnic.
I haven't had any problem turning this into good pulled pork, I just seperate it into 3-4 hunks and smoke as usual.
I smoke using cherry wood at 225-250 degrees until internal temps hit 190 or so, then wrap in foil and towel in cooler for an hour or two before pulling. After pulling, I mix in a finishing sauce consisting of apple cider vinager, brown sugar and crushed red pepper.

[brdbbq]

i will ask Ol Ham Hauler about this when I get back home over New Years.

[brdbbq]

It's supposed to be mid 20's friday and saturday mornings (fark off racer and brd) so maybe I'll get a chance to practice my cold weather smoking technique.


You Welcome

[jminion]

Saiko
Boneless Pork Shoulder is usually two boneless butts, I have never seen anyone selling picniks that have been boned.

[Bigdog]

I never have cold weather problems.

As I said before, only Wind seems to be my enemy.

If its not windy, the outside air around the smokebox generally stays warm. Its when the wind continually is pushing cold air on the steel that I need to crack out my wind braces and deflector mods.

I've got to agree with Bill here. Living in Kansas, we get tons of wind.

[tommykendall]

I've got to agree with Bill here. Living in Kansas, we get tons of wind.


Turn the smoker so that the howling wind is not blowing directly into the damper mod. I little breeze is one thing - steady winds and gusts get to be a bit problematic. Heavy steady rain ain't fun either. Snow is no problem. Bitter cold isn't bad - I fired up a few times last winter in the single digits using the heater in the shop to keep yourself warm mod. I'm not going to experience all that fun here in SoCal so I hope all you easterners and northerners keep it real.

[racer_81]

It's supposed to be mid 20's friday and saturday mornings (fark off racer and brd) so maybe I'll get a chance to practice my cold weather smoking technique.


You Welcome

You know, 25C IS room temp.......

[kcquer]

I got your C, <points to crotch> right heeereee! :mrgreen:

[BigBelly]

I'm not going to experience all that fun here in SoCal so I hope all you easterners and northerners keep it real

I'll still be Q'ing in the bitter cold!

[willkat98]

I'm not going to experience all that fun here in SoCal so I hope all you easterners and northerners keep it real

I'll still be Q'ing in the bitter cold!

Tastes better when you gotta work for it.

[racer_81]

Gonna get cold tonite. Might get below 50F.

Brrr.

[willkat98]

Gonna get cold tonite. Might get below 50F.

Brrr.

You got a date with a Whirly Pop

[racer_81]

Gonna get cold tonite. Might get below 50F.

Brrr.

You got a date with a Whirly Pop

Whenever the weather outside gets frightful......

[Bigdog]

Gonna get cold tonite. Might get below 50F.

Brrr.

You got a date with a Whirly Pop

Whenever the weather outside gets frightful......

I would rather give my date a Whirly Pop. :twisted: