My 1st smoke ever progress - Picnic shoulder

crabjoe · Aug 11, 2020

Just recently got an 18WSM.. Have never smoked a thing in my life.. And based on recommendations to use a fatty as the 1st smoke, I went with a Picnic shoulder for pulled pork. Used Western lump coal with Apple wood for smoke. Here's my progress in pictures.

Here's it is rubbed with something called Pork Twang. Got it from the Restaurant Store.

In the WSM, fat side up. I sliced the skin to try and get some rub through the fat.

1.5 hours in the smoke.. Sprayed with a bit of Apple Juice and Cider Vinegar.

4.5 hours in...

At 165 f. Temp was still going up, but I pulled it to wrap it.

Added the AJ/Cide vinegar from my spray bottle and some brown sugar to be wrapped in.

It's wrapped and back on the smoker.. When I put the temp prob back in, it was showing 170f

Checking my temp prob, the internal temp is at 199F. I'm guessing I can pull any time now, but I'm going to leave it till it hits 203. Then I'm going to let it rest for an hour or so before pulling.

It's looking like it's going to be a 10hr cook from the time it went into the smoker till it his about 205. The shoulder was 10 lbs.

So tell me what I did wrong and right.. What are your thoughts?

Thanks!

Mikhail · Aug 11, 2020

Looks pretty good to me, but I would not cook to temp on a big hunk of meat like that. To temp is for steaks, tri-tips, lamb racks, etc. When you pull it unwrap it and see if you can pull the bone out of it easily. if it does it's done. if it doesn't, wrap it back up and put it either back on the grill or stick it in the oven until it is done at whatever temp you want. Pork shoulder is pretty forgiving about being overcooked.

I suspect your first effort is going to be pretty darn good.

sudsandswine · Aug 11, 2020

If the probe slides in easily and pulls out easily then it’s the perfect temp to pull it, whatever that temp may be. If there’s still some resistance, give it another 30 minutes the. Probe again.

Looks good!

Titch · Aug 11, 2020

I bet it's going to pull awesome.
stop opening the lid to take pictures, add a half hour or there abouts each time

ronbrad62 · Aug 11, 2020

It looks like you have done everything right so far, the true test is when you sit down and eat it. I agree that using the temp probe will tell you when it's done more reliably than the temp, if it slides in without any resistance at all, you are there. Enjoy your maiden smoke!!

LooseGoose · Aug 11, 2020

Titch said:
I bet it's going to pull awesome.
stop opening the lid to take pictures, add a half hour or there abouts each time

I was thinking this as I read his post too.....he was doing a lot of looking and slowing the cooking.....but it did make for some nice pictures.

I'll bet it's tasty though a bit strong on the sugar for my tastes.

One I close the doors with the probes in the meat I rarely open them again until I'm ready to pull things out. It's most suspenseful but definitely a quicker cook.

crabjoe · Aug 11, 2020

ronbrad62 said:
It looks like you have done everything right so far, the true test is when you sit down and eat it. I agree that using the temp probe will tell you when it's done more reliably than the temp, if it slides in without any resistance at all, you are there. Enjoy your maiden smoke!!

When I put the probe in after wrapping it, it went in easy.. at that time the temp was showing 170. I probably need to get a feel for it.. but until then.. I think I'm going to stick with 200-205 for pulled pork. I read somewhere that with a picnic shoulder, you might want to go to 215 because it has more connective tissue than a butt shoulder.

Thanks!

crabjoe · Aug 11, 2020

LooseGoose said:
I was thinking this as I read his post too.....he was doing a lot of looking and slowing the cooking.....but it did make for some nice pictures.

I'll bet it's tasty though a bit strong on the sugar for my tastes.

One I close the doors with the probes in the meat I rarely open them again until I'm ready to pull things out. It's most suspenseful but definitely a quicker cook.

How fast are shoulders usually cooked? I tried to maintain temp at 275, but I had some swings.. from 240-340.

I think I only opened it 5 times during the cook..

1st was to put the thing in.. - Not sure if I should count this one.
2nd was @ 1.5 hours to spray with AJ and vinegar
3rd was at 4.5 to insert my temp probe that arrived and more spray
4th was to when it hit 160f.. and I sprayed.
5th was 165f when I pulled it to wrap.

SirPorkaLot · Aug 11, 2020

crabjoe said:
I think I'm going to stick with 200-205 for pulled pork. I read somewhere that with a picnic shoulder, you might want to go to 215 because it has more connective tissue than a butt shoulder.

Please, please don’t go to 215 on a shoulder .
Trust me on this one.

The nice folks above are correct, it is done when it probes tender.
For all of the shoulder cuts (butts and picnics) the temp that happens is between 195F and 205F, but it’s not an exact science.

KB BBQ · Aug 11, 2020

Looking good Dae. Not bad for your first cook, the next one will be even better.

Burnt at Both Endz · Aug 11, 2020

crabjoe said:
How fast are shoulders usually cooked? I tried to maintain temp at 275, but I had some swings.. from 240-340.

I think I only opened it 5 times during the cook..

1st was to put the thing in.. - Not sure if I should count this one.
2nd was @ 1.5 hours to spray with AJ and vinegar
3rd was at 4.5 to insert my temp probe that arrived and more spray
4th was to when it hit 160f.. and I sprayed.
5th was 165f when I pulled it to wrap.

It was those openings that caused the temp spikes, just a thought!

Experience is gained from cooking, so cook on....

Whumpa · Aug 11, 2020

Nah, you didn’t open it to much. Can’t count the first or the 5th time. Gotta open it to put the meat on, and until someone can figure a way to wrap with the lid on you had to open it than. Looks good bud.

crabjoe · Aug 11, 2020

SirPorkaLot said:
Please, please don’t go to 215 on a shoulder .
Trust me on this one.

The nice folks above are correct, it is done when it probes tender.
For all of the shoulder cuts (butts and picnics) the temp that happens is between 195F and 205F, but it’s not an exact science.

Well it's too late now... I just went to check it because it was stuck on 203 for like 10 mins. I pulled the probe and found 1 part of the picnic was at 215.

Live and learn.. next time, I'll start probing the meat once it hits 190F.

BTW, this thing is soft as can be... And the piece I tasted was smokey but bland. I hope this piece just didn't get much rub.. because if it did, next time I try this rub, I'm going to have to add some salt.

LooseGoose · Aug 11, 2020

crabjoe said:
How fast are shoulders usually cooked? I tried to maintain temp at 275, but I had some swings.. from 240-340.

I think I only opened it 5 times during the cook..

1st was to put the thing in.. - Not sure if I should count this one.
2nd was @ 1.5 hours to spray with AJ and vinegar
3rd was at 4.5 to insert my temp probe that arrived and more spray
4th was to when it hit 160f.. and I sprayed.
5th was 165f when I pulled it to wrap.

Don't worry about me being a back seat smoker....I was just jabbing you a bit.

As in most things......Experience will be your best teacher.

crabjoe · Aug 11, 2020

Here's a pic... I'd say it's over done, being the meat split. Also, once it sat for a few mins.. from the time I pulled it to bring into the kitchen.. there was a ton of juice in the pan.. I covered it back up and it's just resting now.

crabjoe · Aug 11, 2020

LooseGoose said:
Don't worry about me being a back seat smoker....I was just jabbing you a bit.

As in most things......Experience will be your best teacher.

Actually, I didn't mind at all.. It got me thinking what's too much in opening the smoker to check?

ShadowDriver · Aug 11, 2020

crabjoe said:
BTW, this thing is soft as can be... And the piece I tasted was smokey but bland. I hope this piece just didn't get much rub.. because if it did, next time I try this rub, I'm going to have to add some salt.

A couple of mere suggestions:

- I'm a BIG fan of starting off a butt / picnic / whole shoulder (whatever) a la SirPorkalot's Lexington, NC-style cook.

- I've also found that cooking the pork, resting it, pulling (or chopping) it, then adding the spices, rub, hot sauce, apple cider vinegar (or whatever else you've got in mind) to find the "sweet spot" in flavor for you.

Just a couple of things to consider and mess around with.

Really appreciate you sharing the pron and the process.

Keep the thin blue rolling!

Kracken · Aug 11, 2020

Looks like a great first run to me, now you'll be smokin every cut of meat you can think of. I am also new to this, and learning the really experienced people dont use thermometers, they have done it so much its all by feel. There is a youtube video of the 84yr old lady working at snows bbq in texas who just feels the meat and cooker with her hands.

crabjoe · Aug 11, 2020

It's resting in it's juices right now, should I take it out of the juice to rest?

LloydQ · Aug 11, 2020

Looks pretty damn good for a first try. Color me impressed!
As far as the blandness, think about an injection on your next picnic.

My 1st smoke ever progress - Picnic shoulder

Is lookin for wood to cook with.

Babbling Farker

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somebody shut me the fark up.

somebody shut me the fark up.

Knows what a fatty is.

Is lookin for wood to cook with.

Is lookin for wood to cook with.

somebody shut me the fark up.

is Blowin Smoke!

Babbling Farker

Full Fledged Farker

Is lookin for wood to cook with.

Knows what a fatty is.

Is lookin for wood to cook with.

Is lookin for wood to cook with.

somebody shut me the fark up.

Knows what a fatty is.

Is lookin for wood to cook with.

is One Chatty Farker

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