Smoking 30lbs of pork shoulder in a #2

[Pork Belly]

I'm only smoking the shoulders for 4-5 hours then I'm putting them into a slow cooker to get final cook over night

What did you gain by doing this? Why not truss the boneless butts, then smoke overnight and transfer to the roaster to keep warm and serve?

[JDSwan87]

I'm only smoking the shoulders for 4-5 hours then I'm putting them into a slow cooker to get final cook over night

What did you gain by doing this? Why not truss the boneless butts, then smoke overnight and transfer to the roaster to keep warm and serve?

Smoking for flavor then transferring to roaster/crock pot is how I've always done it the las few times because I didn't have a digital thermometer. Since I'm cooking so much and I've never just left the butt in there, I didn't want to screw it up. I have another 2 butts I will likely be smoking the whole way thru this weekend since my BIL & SIL are in town from California.

Everyone question: should/could I add UN pasteurized apple cider to the roaster when I put the butts in?

[DivotMaker]

Josh, I'm with Brian.  I guess I didn't realize the crock pot method was your standard, just thought it was because of convenience for the party.  You will never duplicate the results of taking a butt to "term" in the smoker inside a crock pot.  As mentioned before, you will have the best results with a bone-in Boston butt.

Here's why you should smoke them to temp in the smoker: BARK!  At 4 hours, the rub has not caramelized at all.  There is a thing called the "Maillard Reaction," which is how great bark is created (the link is a good article about it from Amazingribs.com).  Bark is such an integral part of the taste of great pulled pork!  When the pork is pulled, all that chewy goodness is mixed into the interior meat, and the taste cannot be duplicated.  While you'll get bark on small cuts, like ribs, in 4-5 hours, this is not the case with large cuts like butts or brisket; the meat stays too cold for too long. 

If you want the best pulled pork you've ever had, go with the technique you are using, but smoke it until it hits 190, and save the crock pot for re-warming before serving.

[JDSwan87]

Josh, I'm with Brian.  I guess I didn't realize the crock pot method was your standard, just thought it was because of convenience for the party.  You will never duplicate the results of taking a butt to "term" in the smoker inside a crock pot.  As mentioned before, you will have the best results with a bone-in Boston butt.

Here's why you should smoke them to temp in the smoker: BARK!  At 4 hours, the rub has not caramelized at all.  There is a thing called the "Maillard Reaction," which is how great bark is created (the link is a good article about it from Amazingribs.com).  Bark is such an integral part of the taste of great pulled pork!  When the pork is pulled, all that chewy goodness is mixed into the interior meat, and the taste cannot be duplicated.  While you'll get bark on small cuts, like ribs, in 4-5 hours, this is not the case with large cuts like butts or brisket; the meat stays too cold for too long. 

If you want the best pulled pork you've ever had, go with the technique you are using, but smoke it until it hits 190, and save the crock pot for re-warming before serving.

Well, the pork was in the smoker for 4.5 hours, didn't develop a bark (knew it wouldn't), and it did reach an IT of 180* but I'm not 100% sure the probe was in the middle of the pork. I only ran 1 probe as opposed to two because I was going to slow cook it. I had the #2 set at 225*F and I thought it was odd that I hit an IT of 180 that quick, any input on that? Thought it was 2 hours/lb with an IT of 203*F (according to amazingribs.com I read it somewhere there).

[SuperDave]

Josh, I'll stick my neck out and say that there is no way in hell that you were at a true 180 in 4.5 hours.  We can blame probe placement.  The 2 hour per pound rule of thumb is the ultra conservative guess and includes the 2 hour rest time. Other than very small butts, I can say that I'm always under 1.5 hours per pound on a 7 to 8 lbs butt.

Other smoking forums will recommend higher IT for pulled pork.  SI's sweet spot is somewhere between 190 - 195. 

[DivotMaker]

I'm with Dave, Josh.  No way it was at 180 in that time.  And yes, the 2 hrs/lb is just a guideline.  Mine usually take between 1 to 1.5 hrs/lb.  Lots of great things happen to a pork butt after 4 1/2 hours, in the smoker.  One of the best things is the "stall!"  This is the point when the internal fat and connective tissue start to liquefy (render), and flow to the surface.  That causes evaporative cooling, which halts the temperature climb.  But don't be fooled!  Magic is happening during those several hours!  This usually occurs in the 160-180 range, and can last for as much as 5-6 hours!  The crock pot cannot reproduce the stall, unfortunately.  Your crock pot pork will be tender and juicy, but trust me, it's not the same, in both texture and taste. 

[JDSwan87]

I'm with Dave, Josh.  No way it was at 180 in that time.  And yes, the 2 hrs/lb is just a guideline.  Mine usually take between 1 to 1.5 hrs/lb.  Lots of great things happen to a pork butt after 4 1/2 hours, in the smoker.  One of the best things is the "stall!"  This is the point when the internal fat and connective tissue start to liquefy (render), and flow to the surface.  That causes evaporative cooling, which halts the temperature climb.  But don't be fooled!  Magic is happening during those several hours!  This usually occurs in the 160-180 range, and can last for as much as 5-6 hours!  The crock pot cannot reproduce the stall, unfortunately.  Your crock pot pork will be tender and juicy, but trust me, it's not the same, in both texture and taste.

Alright, that settles it. I'm making a true "smoked pulled pork butt" this weekend for my in laws...

[SuperDave]

On the bright side, people at work will still think your pulled pork is fabulous as they probably don't know any better.  LOL!  Next time you can send them into a food coma with the real stuff.   

[DivotMaker]

Alright, that settles it. I'm making a true "smoked pulled pork butt" this weekend for my in laws...

Nice!  You'll be glad you did!  The pork butt is a VERY forgiving cut of meat...very difficult to mess up!

[JDSwan87]

Shredded the pork today...

[NDKoze]

Looks good.

[DivotMaker]

Good job, Josh!  Bet it was a hit!  I know the pork butt I took to work today was, too!

[JDSwan87]

Well, everyone loves the pulled pork! Problem was, there was A LOT of other food and only about 2/3 of people showed up! There was a out 10-15lbs of pork left over! I know it was well loved because there were guys taking Ziploc bags of it home for themselves! Midnights will also get to munch on it too!!

[DivotMaker]

Great!  Better to have too much than not enough - especially if they like it!

[SuperDave]

Josh, now you get to enjoy all the great dishes that can be made with pulled pork, tacos, nachos, spaghetti.... The sky is pretty much the limit.