First pork shoulder!

[prodano]

5 years ago I bought my first smoker and have been smoking on a regular basis ever since. Due to some ridiculous excuses and circumstances over the years, I realized I really only ever smoked chicken, ribs, and an occasional brisket, but never a pork shoulder. Humiliated by this observation, I decided that would all be changed today.

Since this is my first time smoking pork shoulder, I am hoping to gather some advice from the brethren.

1) What temperature do you smoke your shoulder at? 225? 250? 275?
2) Do you foil/wrap your shoulder? If so, at what temperature do you do this at?
3) What is your ideal end temperature? 190? 195?
4) I have 2 - 8 pound shoulders, butt portions, and they seem to be cooking faster than they should be. I threw them on my 18.5" Weber Smokey Mountain just over 4 hours ago, have maintained a temperature of 250 degrees, and the internal temperature is currently at 156 degrees. Does this seem like it is cooking faster than it should be?

Thank you very much for any advice that can be offered!

 

[bigticket1]

5 years ago I bought my first smoker and have been smoking on a regular basis ever since. Due to some ridiculous excuses and circumstances over the years, I realized I really only ever smoked chicken, ribs, and an occasional brisket, but never a pork shoulder. Humiliated by this observation, I decided that would all be changed today.

Since this is my first time smoking pork shoulder, I am hoping to gather some advice from the brethren.

1) What temperature do you smoke your shoulder at? 225? 250? 275?
2) Do you foil/wrap your shoulder? If so, at what temperature do you do this at?
3) What is your ideal end temperature? 190? 195?
4) I have 2 - 8 pound shoulders, butt portions, and they seem to be cooking faster than they should be. I threw them on my 18.5" Weber Smokey Mountain just over 4 hours ago, have maintained a temperature of 250 degrees, and the internal temperature is currently at 156 degrees. Does this seem like it is cooking faster than it should be?

Thank you very much for any advice that can be offered!

It's not that unusual to see that quick of a temp rise early - but you're about to hit the proverbial stall where the temp will seem like it will never rise again.

 

[ddweatherholtz]

I been at my 160 stall for almost two hours now. If your in a hurry foil then sacrifice some bark and get r done. No rush then keep on keeping on, it will get there.

Doug-E-Q

 

[prodano]

Thanks! I have all afternoon to spare, so I think I will just let it go without foiling. Just hope it won't be ruined because of how fast the temperature climbed... It was rather surprising.

 

[Callahan-que]

It won't be ruined, It will be great. And you'll wonder why you waited 5 years to cook one.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[prodano]

They have been on for 8 hours now and the internal temperature is reading 171 degrees. Does anybody have advice to share on any of the other questions? Thanks!

 

[Grillman]

1) What temperature do you smoke your shoulder at? 225? 250? 275?
It's your choice....you can even go hotter if you want.

2) Do you foil/wrap your shoulder? If so, at what temperature do you do this at?
Some people do, some people don't. It's up to you.

3) What is your ideal end temperature? 190? 195?
This is just the starting place; it may not be done at this temperature, use
a wood or metal probe in 3 or 4 places to see if it slides in with
little-to-no resistance, don't go by temperature alone.

4) I have 2 - 8 pound shoulders, butt portions, and they seem to be cooking faster than they should be. I threw them on my 18.5" Weber Smokey Mountain just over 4 hours ago, have maintained a temperature of 250 degrees, and the internal temperature is currently at 156 degrees. Does this seem like it is cooking faster than it should be?
Sometimes it happens that way.

 

[kennyd0118]

you are doing great. Leave it be. The stall freaks people out. This is the normal cooking curve. How are you planning on serving your shoulder? Of you are going to pull it, leave it alone until you get around 195 F or so, then start to probe it every half hour or so. When it probes like "butter" foil it and let it rest for an hour or so. For the probing, you will know it when you feel it. If you are not sure, leave it be for another half hour.
The shoulder is very forgiving. it will turn out great.
Good luck,
-Kenny

 

[El Ropo]

You're on the right track, the stall is almost over, and temps will start to rise.

Just remember that these types of cuts aren't cooked by internal temp, they are done when they are probe tender. Or in the case of a butt, when you can wiggle the bone and it starts to fall out, it's done.

Might happen at 195, might not happen till 210. Every large pig and cow part is different.

 

[GreenDrake]

cruising right along, that stall is a seductive mistress, she wants you to crank up the heat but you have to resist. At this point you are through it and should be cruising right on up to completion with consistent temp rise that you can watch. I do mine at 225 and do not foil them, I prefer the bark I get.

 

[prodano]

Excellent thanks for the feedback. I didn't know you don't rely on internal temperature with the shoulder. Will try the probe/blade wiggle to test for doneness. Just peeked at the shoulder for the first time and it looks like it has a great bark, hope it tastes as good as it looks! Thanks again for the feedback, I really appreciate it!

 

[captndan]

All good advise but it doesn't apply to a NC racing pig.

 

[prodano]

Wow definitely kicking myself in the shorts for waiting so long to smoke a shoulder. I ended up injecting both shoulders, using my rub, letting it sit in the fridge overnight, and smoking all day yesterday. I smoked it at 250 and decided not to wrap it (except for 1/2 hour after it was taken off the smoker to sit). Then, pulled and lightly tossed with Chris Lilly's Memphis Style Championship Red Sauce. For my first time I couldn't believe how incredible it turned out!

I was rather surprised at the length of time it took to smoke the two 8 pound shoulders though. One of them took 13 hours while the other took 14 hours. I thought that was the cook time for a whole pork shoulder, not just an 8 pound butt. Does that cook time seem right? I only lifted the lid one time 6 hours into the cooking process, then once more later on to take the first shoulder off. Otherwise, the temperature was consistently cruising at 250.

Thanks again for the advice, hope everybody has a great Memorial Day weekend.

 

[Smokin_OH]

Wow definitely kicking myself in the shorts for waiting so long to smoke a shoulder. I ended up injecting both shoulders, using my rub, letting it sit in the fridge overnight, and smoking all day yesterday. I smoked it at 250 and decided not to wrap it (except for 1/2 hour after it was taken off the smoker to sit). Then, pulled and lightly tossed with Chris Lilly's Memphis Style Championship Red Sauce. For my first time I couldn't believe how incredible it turned out!

I was rather surprised at the length of time it took to smoke the two 8 pound shoulders though. One of them took 13 hours while the other took 14 hours. I thought that was the cook time for a whole pork shoulder, not just an 8 pound butt. Does that cook time seem right? I only lifted the lid one time 6 hours into the cooking process, then once more later on to take the first shoulder off. Otherwise, the temperature was consistently cruising at 250.

Thanks again for the advice, hope everybody has a great Memorial Day weekend.

I just did my first pork shoulder as well. 16lb boneless shoulder from Costco (turned out to be 2 8lbers after I opened the cryovac). It took 12hrs total on a Weber Kettle. Put them on at 11pm, pulled both butts off at 6am and wrapped in foil while I added a fresh set of coals. Back on heat by 6:30am. Pulled from the kettle and put into the cooler at 11am. 12hrs total. 1 was at 205 the other at 203. Cooking surface temp was between 195 and 205 for the entire smoke and the only time the lid came off was when I refreshed the coals & @ the end of the smoke.

 

[El Ropo]

Yeah, the butts can be stubborn. That's why a lot of us choose to bump up the cooking temps to the 300+ range. They get cooked a lot faster with zero negative effect.

Butts/picnics/whole shoulders are probably the most forgiving piece of meat you can cook. Low n slow, hot n fast, doesn't matter, they always turn out great.