Pork Shoulder

[Retriever]

Great pork shoulder today, 225 for the first 5 hours, 250 for the second five hours.  Cherry wood chunks.  Thought I would try something different, let the smoker preheat for about 40 minutes allowing the heavier darker smoke to subside and then added the shoulder. Delicious!

Happy Easter!

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[barelfly]

Kevin - the bark on that shoulder looks phenomenal!

[old sarge]

I'd eat that

[mike1910]

Nice job, Kevin! Shoulder looks on point. Hope you had a great Easter

[NDKoze]

Very nice looking butt!

Did you notice a difference with and without preheating?

[Retriever]

Hard to tell because of the length of the smoke.  Going to preheat next rack of ribs to get a feel for the difference, not to 225, just until the smoke changes from dark to light / clearer.  Usually 30-45 minutes.  Could also be the wood chunks.

When I cook on the stick burner, would never put meat on the smoker until an almost clear colored smoke.............just my opinion that the darker smoke during initial combustion has a bitter taste.  Again, just an observation.

Take care.

[NDKoze]

I always put my meat on right away, but I do use the ramp-up method where I keep the temp at 150 for the first 45 minutes. I do this mainly to prevent the wood from starting on fire, but I think it also accomplishes the reduction if not elimination of the heavy smoke that you are talking about.

You could try this method too which would be a little easier and you would eliminate the possibility of the rush of fresh oxygen entering the smoking chamber that could cause the wood to start on fire when you open the door to add your meat.

[PhilH]

Will definitely try 150 F for first 45 min next time, seeing as how I just had a fire

[jclifton]

I always put my meat on right away, but I do use the ramp-up method where I keep the temp at 150 for the first 45 minutes. I do this mainly to prevent the wood from starting on fire, but I think it also accomplishes the reduction if not elimination of the heavy smoke that you are talking about.

You could try this method too which would be a little easier and you would eliminate the possibility of the rush of fresh oxygen entering the smoking chamber that could cause the wood to start on fire when you open the door to add your meat.

I saw this method in a previous post and it has absolutely elevated the quality of my results.  Really smooth smoke every time.  Really grateful that I saw this.

Jason

[es1025]

I use a two step process. 180 for 30 minutes and whatever the final temp would be for the rest. This past Sunday, smoked a butt at 270 until a it of 200. The most moist butt I ever made. Took about 9 hours, rested for an hour.