1st Ever Mercan Pork Shoulder Smoke (pr0n)

I noticed this at the market and bought it home to smoke this puppy with hickory.





I used the BSK...which misbehaved for the first time ever...it snuffed out....twice!!:mmph:
:noidea:

AT a nice temp to begin





I rubbed the outer with mustard and a treacle then added The Rub Company's Original that I got from brother Ryan a while back.




About two hours in I peeked





and again at three hours





I remembered the wisdom given by Boshizzle, I watched for it to darken from the lump of hickory, then I would foil it and probe until it offered no resistance.
I was thinking about 4-5 hours but it ended close to 7 and a half!:wacko:
Never had this before so in the meanwhile a drank a lot....I mean ...I cooked up a sauce.
I made a Tony Roma style sauce I guess we could call it.
Star anise, apple juice and vinegar, treacle,and heaps of herbs and spices.
I wish I wrote it down as it turned out fantastic:idea:







Today I made Green tomato pickle, pork and sauce sammies




Thanks all!
Would never have done it without you, and now I'll do this more often!!:clap2:

Chezmatt said:

Looks great, Buc!
But you gotta tell us: what the hell is treacle?

Click to expand...

Thank you all!
Any and all critiques will help me so don't hold back!
Treacle is a thick honey like substance, chezzmatt.
I mixed it with hot water to thin and mixed mustard and coated the pork before adding the rub.
Holy moley smoked pork is good!

So it's perfect...my first time?
C'man Quers, lemme have it!

bbqchicken said:

first time smoking? I don't believe it.

Click to expand...

I can't remember ever cooking for longer that 2 hours.
This really was the first long cook and first time to replicate the style here, using wood to smoke and keeping temps from 215-290f.

I adore HnF and that is my usual method, lately I have been using wood smoke doing that.
This time the smoke penetration changed the game.
It also is very different with the meat denatured and I loved it hot.
Cool is still tasty but doesn't match a HnF or roasted cold meat IMO.

Bill, the BSK let me down the first time ever.
It snuffed out several times during the cook, and I am going to investigate that.
I saw some water...condensation I assume, at the bottom vent during the cook and I'll check the air inlets...but temps were ho enough that the charcoal shouldn't have gone out.
Lucky I checked often and saw the drop in temps so re lit in time each time.

Cd gracias on those comments.
I had a Tony Roma once, the only commercial BBQ I remember having.
The thick glaze sauce was sticky and smokey and pretty good but too sweet for us, and without punch.
I copied the thickness but it may have given you some trouble, kick wise, brother:becky:
We liked it.

I chop because meat strands are aligned chains and it doesn't make sense to me to leave them as rope....even denatured rope...when I compare to chopped against the grain.
Doubt it matters much at this level, but every little improvement helps.
I did 'pull' a little to test and both of us liked the chopped a little better.
Could be imagined.:noidea:

Very sad to see the last of the leftovers in the little baggie today, but have some huge hogget shanks waiting (Mature lamb).
Any ideas?

Guys, thank you for all imput and criticisms!
There seems to be different methods here, some pull at 190fIT and some 160f.
I followed instructions and instinct and it came out fabulous but time will tell if I know what I'm doing or just enjoying beginners luck:noidea:
ray:

Mo-Dave said:

It looks great and I would not mind sinking my choppers into that. I would like to know what makes it mercan, did I miss an ingredient, method or something? I like that tray/basket yiou are using.
Dave

Click to expand...

Thanks Dave.
No way am I getting into the contentious origins of BBQ here:laugh:
I call it so because it is the method I learned here and it is commonly used here...even if it may have originated in the Bahama's or South America or wherever.
Hope I addressed that in my last post bro.
If not, fire away.

The basket was a recent score from a Weber closing down sale.
It is a beaut ! :thumb:

Ron_L said:

That looks great, Bucc!

But... the label says Australian pork shoulder, not "Mercan"

Click to expand...

You....I'm not even talkin' to you...until I can think of a comeback:icon_blush: