...failure to communicate!

[Papa Don]

I posted awhile back that my wife stopped liking my pulled pork. Well, I'm on a mission to fix it. I'm cooking two big pork butts tomorrow and I'll try to eliminate the rub as the problem. Right before I got my reverse flow, I changed my rub from a commercial to a homemade rub. Famous Dave's is the only consistent rub I can find at the stores I shop. I've used FD's for a few years with good success and it's what I used the last time my wife enjoyed the pulled pork.
I'm using FDs with one butt and my rub with extra brown sugar on the other. I already know my wife doesn't liked my new rub so I'm kicking it up with the extra brown sugar to add more bark. Bark is something I always got with the Famous Dave's rub. It's one thing my wife said the pulled pork is missing. I have used the same injection since I started so that will be the same in both butts.

*This is the basic Pork injection solution I've used for years. I've changed it up to experiment and keep coming back to it.
Pork injection;
In a 1 quart mason jar;
1 cup water
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup kosher salt
4 TBs Worcestershire
Fill remainder with Apple Juice ~ 2 cups

This is the homemade rub I made in early summer. It's one factor that could be the problem.
Pork Rub;
2 – Cups White Sugar
2 – Cups Brown Sugar
2 – Cups Kosher Salt
1 - Cup black pepper
1 – Cup Chili Powder
1 – Cup Paprika
¾ - Cup Turmeric
¼ - Cup Garlic Powder
¼ - Cup Onion Powder
1/8 – Cup Cayenne powder

[Randy3269]

Hope you find the magic again.

[Papa Don]

Cherry wood is ready. My wife has said the recent PP tastes like "boiled ham". I know hickory can give pork a hammy taste so, only cherry tomorrow.
I've read that you're only supposed to change one thing at a time to fix the taste profile. I'm way to impatient to do that.
In addition to using two different rubs and only cherry wood, I'm going to take a suggestion and choke down the exhaust. I've been missing the smokey flavor since I've been using the stick burner. I really think the air is following way too fast through the smoker. I could be way off here but we'll find out.

[pjtexas1]

to us FD was really plain. maybe with your injection it makes it better. can't wait to see the pic of the little butts in that big Shirley. hope the wife gets happy again.

[Papa Don]

Originally Posted by pjtexas1

to us FD was really plain. maybe with your injection it makes it better. can't wait to see the pic of the little butts in that big Shirley. hope the wife gets happy again.

You know, my build list did get away from me. I still can't believe how big my smoker is.

[Lordkifar]

You think the injection is what is making it taste like a boiled ham? I never inject a butt....comes out juicy on its own....why not try without an injection?

[Doog]

2 big butts in that smoker. You would probably need another 60 to fill it.
I like smoking with cherry...Good Luck with your experiment!

[tortaboy]

Are you cooking the Boston Butt or the Picnic? The Picnic always tastes hammy to me.

[Papa Don]

From all the stuff I've read, it's always been stated to keep the exhaust wide open. Against everything, I'm going to play with the exhaust tomorrow.
I have to say that all the other food I've cooked has been amazing. I really took a step back with my pulled pork. I'm hoping it's as simple as the rub and slowing down air flow. The two main things that are missing; Smoke taste and Bark.
The smoker pulls air hard and fast. There is a bunch of ash and chunks of wood under the baffle plate. I'm not sure if that's normal or not. Flames from the fire are even pulled under the plate.
The last cook on Thanksgiving I tried a suggestion of leaving the intake damper wide open and a smaller fire. It didn't work out. The turkeys were getting sooty so I wiped them off and closed down the damper down. Strangely, the temps were the same.
All this being said, I've only cooked on my smoker less than ten times.

[Papa Don]

Originally Posted by tortaboy

Are you cooking the Boston Butt or the Picnic? The Picnic always tastes hammy to me.

I'm cooking Pork shoulders (Boston butts).
The two picnics I smoked recently had a injection solution added when packed. This could have been an issue too.

[TuscaloosaQ]

Originally Posted by Lordkifar

You think the injection is what is making it taste like a boiled ham? I never inject a butt....comes out juicy on its own....why not try without an injection?

Hmmmm i have never injected a butt either... And always use hickory.... Unless. I have pecan wood... Then i mix it.... I am not sure what the problem is.... I have cooked many butts... With no rub at all.... Hope you get this solved....

[Papa Don]

Originally Posted by Doog

2 big butts in that smoker. You would probably need another 60 to fill it.
I like smoking with cherry...Good Luck with your experiment!

True.

I've only used the top shelf twice. It gets extremely hot. Good for chicken.

[Papa Don]

Originally Posted by Lordkifar

You think the injection is what is making it taste like a boiled ham? I never inject a butt....comes out juicy on its own....why not try without an injection?

The problem is that I've always injected my pork butts. It's the one thing I haven't changed.

[hogs122]

Not to sound snarky, but why not go with a well respected commercial rub like Oakridge or Plowboys? I've yet to hear anyone say they dislike either of those. I've used both with and without injection and certainly haven't noticed any hammy taste.

[SmittyJonz]

It's not the Hickory.