Son turning 2 tomorrow, start smoking today, pork butts, fish, meatballs...

[cfrazier77]

Tomorrow my little guy turns the big 2. My wife wanted to do grazing food for the adults coming to the party, she suggested pulled pork. Got a keeper.

So two 8 pound pork butts went on this morning. I am going to leave them on until I get good bark then wrap in foil and put in the fridge. I will finish it tomorrow in the oven.



Its on a propane Smoke Hollow smoker, it makes tasty Q but it takes a lot of baby sitting.

I started in a light rain so the box on the right is protecting a Maverick. But, after the rain stopped I was able to try out a new toy. I got a magnetic tool shelf from Harbor Freight for $9.99 and it works out pretty well.


In a little while a big salmon fillet and two big trout fillets go on for tonight. Tomorrow, the meat balls go on then into a crock pot with BBQ sauce.

If anyone has any pointers I would be much appreciated.

 

[blazinfire]

Nice man! Like the idea of smoking then finishing in the oven tomorrow? How does that work for pulled pork? Obviously you get it to safe eating temps first right?

And Happy Birthday to the little guy!!:thumb:

 

[sturev]

Happy bday to the little one! Looks like you got it all under control! Enjoy the party...

 

[cfrazier77]

Nice man! Like the idea of smoking then finishing in the oven tomorrow? How does that work for pulled pork? Obviously you get it to safe eating temps first right?

And Happy Birthday to the little guy!!:thumb:

I got the idea from Alton Brown. He said on his pulled pork episode to take it off the smoke at 150 and wrap then move to a 350 degree oven to finish to 203, about 3 hours. He also said that you can put it in the fridge after wrapping at 150 and then later put in the oven at 350. It will take about 5 hours to get to 203.

I plan on it being much longer in the over because I will have it at 275.

 

[Smokey Lonesome]

looks like you've got a plan. Get the hard work done today so you and your wife can enjoy the little guy when he turns 2 tomorrow. That only happens once and the next thing you know he'll be 18 and planning college, like mine.

 

[cfrazier77]

Updates, I decided to "test" some of the meatballs. :biggrin1: I will have pics shortly.

But I am enjoying a nice Urban Chestnut smoked lager. What else would I drink while smoking?

 

[fnjay]

Nice! I've done this sort of thing for the kids birthdays for the past 8 years. Its become a tradition of sort. Enjoy!

 

[cfrazier77]

Updates! I "tested" the meatballs, WOW, these will work! They are Sam's Club Italian meatballs, but they are all pork, like a sausage ball. They are big so I cut them in half and formed them into a ball. Took them to 170. There is a smoke ring, hard to tell in the picture. Sausage flavor and smoke, wild cherry by the way.


Also, the bark is starting to look good, it is at 149 now.

 

[jvargas]

Keep it up, I'm going to do a butt tomorrow!

 

[Happy Hapgood]

Looking Good!

 

[cfrazier77]

Now the fish goes on for dinner. My sister in law and nephew is in town and staying with us.

But, the temp crashed below freezing and the wind picked up big time. So I had an idea to use some left over insulation for the cooking chamber and a folding table for a wind block. It worked perfectly!:-D

 

[dwfisk]

First and most important; HAPPY BIRTHDAY 'lil cfrazier:clap2::clap2::clap2:

Great looking party grub, particularly impressed with the meatballs:becky:

 

[cowgirl]

Looks like it's going to be a great celebration!
Happy Birthday to your son!

 

[cheez59]

BBQ birthday parties for the little ones are always the best. Looks like you are doing it up right. Make sure to show us pics of the kiddos with their cake and ice cream along with the Q.

 

[Happy Hapgood]

Happy Birthday to the little Guy. It's almost like a reverse Family reunion!

 

[cfrazier77]

The fish ended up being very good.
Salmon

Trout

A nice plate


The pork butts are in the fridge. Done for today, to be continued tomorrow....

 

[cfrazier77]

Birthday day, put the pork butts in a 275 degree oven at 8:00. It started below 40 and is now, 10:45 at 120. I will be starting meatballs soon.

 

[cfrazier77]

More good stuff.
The meatballs are done.



Beenie Weenies are in.

And the pork butts are holding in a cooler. Man they smell good.

 

[Rusty Kettle]

Meatballs look good! Happy birthday to your little one.

 

[cfrazier77]

Well, it is over and it went well.
Here is the pulled pork, I think it was worth the two days of work.


While the little guy, Luke, was taking a nap we brought up a train my wife made. He is huge into trains right now.

Lets just say that he liked it when he woke up from his nap.


He even stayed still for a moment for a picture.

And as asked, little kids having fun. Does not get much better than this.