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smoking New to the Smoker, and need help FAST!

FiveStar

FiveStar

OK, so I've barbecued all my life, but never used a smoker, and I was given a free one recently and picked up a 10 pound pork shoulder to smoke tomorrow.

Problem is, I knew this would take a while, but I didn't know it would take 1.5 hours per pound! This has got me shitting bricks, because that means it may take 15 hours to do this thing.

Now the question, If I cut the thing in half and smoke it in two pieces, will this effectively cut the cook time in half? Or at least cut the time down? It kinda makes sense to me, more surface area on 2 pieces than on 1, should take less time? Otherwise, I may need to go to the store now and light tha damn thing in a few hours...

I'm gonna be wasted by dinner time tomorrow if that's the case!

Thanks for your help!
 
it all depends on how thick the meat is...I haven't smoked a roast yet, but I smoke pork baby backs about 5 hours...

I agree the more surface area you have the less time to smoke but I think the thickness is key...
 
AlabamaJack said:
it all depends on how thick the meat is...I haven't smoked a roast yet, but I smoke pork baby backs about 5 hours...

I agree the more surface area you have the less time to smoke but I think the thickness is key...
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yes it does partially depend on the thickness of the meat..but cutting it in half wont always shorten the cooking time... each cut of meat has connective tissue that has to break down..that is where the stall/plateu happens..

here is a video...

 
Alright ladies and gents, woke up at 6:00 this morning and got the Brinkman Smoke n' grill fired up. Cut the shoulder in half, gave her a good rub down with my own dry rub, and slapped fire to her. Been on there a good 3 hours now, and have decided to quit feedin the hickory since I've read that after 2-3 hours, the bark forms and little smoke is penetrating. Grill's reading dead rd ed "Ideal" on the shitey thermometer that came on the thing, and internal temp on the half with the bone is reading 123F. I think I might be able to do this thing...

Will update with pics when finished! (IF I'm not too hammered by then...)
 
Update #2, my Maverick thermo is reading 154F, and has been for the last hour or so. I've hit the plateau you spoke of Bam, and am just hanging on for the ride now. If the guests show up and get restless, I may have to take this one to the oven for finishing. Still, I did do the unspeakable and take a quick peek (to make sure my probe thermo was in deep enough...) and they look phenomenal so far.
 
FiveStar said:
Update #2, my Maverick thermo is reading 154F, and has been for the last hour or so. I've hit the plateau you spoke of Bam, and am just hanging on for the ride now. If the guests show up and get restless, I may have to take this one to the oven for finishing. Still, I did do the unspeakable and take a quick peek (to make sure my probe thermo was in deep enough...) and they look phenomenal so far.
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cant wait for the pics... but taking it to the oven is not going to quicken the cooking time...lol

heat is heat no matter the source..lol
 
hell I did a couple of briskets a while ago for a party I started the smoker at 4am and it was ready to eat about 3 pm. Smoking does take a good bit of time.
 
Guys, guys, BBQ is about the experience, the oven is for cookies and cakes :lol:
 
Alright, update without pics for now, as I was a bit hammered, but did manage to take pictures. Ran out of charcoal for the smoker around 5:00pm, and had no choice but to finish in the oven. Hungry people needed food. So, put them in a pan, poured a little applejuice in the bottom to keep things moist, and wrapped the whole thing in a couple of layers of aluminum foil. One half (no bone) finished within a couple of hours, the bone in half took another couple, but was by far the better piece of meat. I swear, pics are to come. Just gotta nurse the hangover through work, and I'll get them into space this evening.
 
I find when it starts to hang, usually find this at 170F, I will wrap in foil with some of my mop and leave on the smoker to more or less braise once 190 is reached I will take it off to cool -- then over cooking will sometimes bring it to 200 or more -- once I have enough beer in me I get brave enough to shred when its still a bit warm, I reserve all the juices in the foil packet in a bowl then mix it into the meat after to keep it moist in all its goodness -- Briskets and butts are brutal but its a lot of show, beer and friends around the smoker that make it worthwile .... :drooling:
 
I have 3 kids, so 13 hours by the smoker won't happen.;)

I am not ashamed to bake a pork BUTT at 220 for 10 hours or so, tightly wrapped in foil, and then smoke it hard to finish it.
 
The time it takes to smoke meats is the best part! I get a free pass from all the honey do's and just relax on the back patio all day next to the kegger and a box of cigars! By the time the food is done I look and smell like a caveman!!
 
Hey!!!;)

I get a smoke ring. And are you trying to make me feel bad??;)

3 kids. Talk to the.......well, talk to my kids while I fire up the smoker!!!!

But seriously, I turn out world class ribs and pulled BBQ. Good smoke ring, perfect texture.

I keep the chips close to flame up so that they are pouring out smoke like crazy while the meat is smoking.
 
Some tips for next time.

You can set the meat out on the counter in advance to let it start to warm up a bit. It'll cook faster and more evenly. If you do, keep it in the marinade and make sure it doesn't get too warm (for me and mine I put it back in the fridge if doesn't feel cool to the touch anymore or bag isn't sweating anymore).

Generally speaking, if it has a bone in it and you can slide the bone out or the bone wiggles in the joint, it's done. If you poke into the center with a skewer and the skewer slips back out easily and the juice runs clear, it's done.

You can overcook barbecue by hours and hours as long as you don't let it dry out.

As a corollary to the last, you can smoke the meat even a week in advance, and then just warm it back up in the smoker. (the best ribs are reheated ribs, I promise.)

You'll get a better smoke ring and smoke flavor if the meat is tacky to the touch and not wet.
 
Vespucci said:
Some tips for next time.

You can set the meat out on the counter in advance to let it start to warm up a bit. It'll cook faster and more evenly. If you do, keep it in the marinade and make sure it doesn't get too warm (for me and mine I put it back in the fridge if doesn't feel cool to the touch anymore or bag isn't sweating anymore).

Generally speaking, if it has a bone in it and you can slide the bone out or the bone wiggles in the joint, it's done. If you poke into the center with a skewer and the skewer slips back out easily and the juice runs clear, it's done.

You can overcook barbecue by hours and hours as long as you don't let it dry out.

As a corollary to the last, you can smoke the meat even a week in advance, and then just warm it back up in the smoker. (the best ribs are reheated ribs, I promise.)

You'll get a better smoke ring and smoke flavor if the meat is tacky to the touch and not wet.
Click to expand...


Thanks for the tips. I did put a rub on, and let her warm up for a couple of hours before putting on the smoker. Used a Maverick probe thermometer to monitor my progress.

Here's the pic. Obviously a drunken hand took this, but you get the idea. This thing fell apart right down the middle when I pulled on the bone. Decent bark and smoke ring, but obviously I've got a little learning to do. This is the bone in half. The other half finished earlier, wasn't quite as sexy as this half. For my first time however, this was damn delicious, and by far some of the best Boston Butt I've ever eaten...

DSCN0558.jpg
 
cheezydemon said:
Hey!!!;)

I get a smoke ring. And are you trying to make me feel bad??;)
Click to expand...

Not trying to make you feel bad I'm just answering the question with my opinion, and I still don't think you can get a good smoke ring starting in the oven. Slow smoking with meat temps between 40-140F is where that magic takes place
 
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