[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Smoking tips, please (Page 1 of 2)
Posted: 9/27/2016 9:06:42 PM EDT
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I am going to make my first attempt at smoking a pork shoulder this weekend and I could use some advice.
I have one of these (no smoker box attachment): 
I also have a bag of hickory chips, natural lump charcoal, a chimney starter, meat thermometer, and a 6.5 pound pork shoulder. So I start a small amount of the charcoal and put it on the right side of the grill (the damper side) and let it reach around 200-220 degrees? Do I add the wood directly on the charcoal? Do I soak the wood? Is the fire kept going by adding more charcoal, more wood, or both? Should I rub the pork the night before or just smoke it as is? I am planning on using an aluminum drip pan with water in it underneath the pork. |
| 220-235 is fine. Soaking chips is fine, but not mandatory. Add chips directly to charcoal. Start with enough charcoal to last until the pork is done. Rub pork the night before...allow pork to come to room temperature before placing on grill. Once on grill, don't touch it until it reaches desired temp. Let it rest. Chop, then eat. |
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Fire on the right, shoulder on the left.
Place rub on shoulder, cover with yellow mustard, add more rub rub it in. You cant use too much mustard. Don't worry there will not be any mustard taste. Smoke at 225-250 for 4 hours remove from smoker wrap tightly with foil place in 225 degree oven for 9 hours trust me, it will be the best you ever tasted. Not kidding |
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Fire on the right, shoulder on the left. Place rub on shoulder, cover with yellow mustard, add more rub rub it in. You cant use too much mustard. Don't worry there will not be any mustard taste. Smoke at 225-250 for 4 hours remove from smoker wrap tightly with foil place in 225 degree oven for 9 hours trust me, it will be the best you ever tasted. Not kidding Cheater Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |
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I soak my chips.
Indirect heat is key. No charcoal directly underneath the meat. Some use a pan of water placed underneath the meat, with charcoal and chips surrounding it. Experience is key. Only get that through doing and experimenting. Like shooting, the internet can't teach you. You must do it. Every guy I know does it slightly different. You'll love it. It may not be the best you've ever had, but you'll learn from each time you do it. |
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Cheater Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile Quoted:
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Fire on the right, shoulder on the left. Place rub on shoulder, cover with yellow mustard, add more rub rub it in. You cant use too much mustard. Don't worry there will not be any mustard taste. Smoke at 225-250 for 4 hours remove from smoker wrap tightly with foil place in 225 degree oven for 9 hours trust me, it will be the best you ever tasted. Not kidding Cheater Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile 
He wants to make a good shoulder on his first attempt on less than optimal equipment. I just gave him the key to a great one. |
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On your setup you need to separate your fire from your meat. Try building your fire on one side as recommended above and using sheets of aluminum foil to build a heat shield in the middle.
Don't fret about the temperature too much, it'll bounce around a little bit. You'll kill yourself trying to chase it to the degree. I shoot for 250-275 and somewhere in that neighborhood works for me. Don't smoke it the whole time, it'll be bitter. You only want smoke for a couple of hours. Smoke should be light blue and almost transparent. A lot of people can't make up their mind about wrapping but in my opinion it comes down to this: If you like your barbecue a little on the dry side, don't wrap. If you don't like it dry, wrap it. Wrapping also makes for more predictable cooking. Make sure you rest it by placing it in a cooler, wrapping it in towels, or something. Don't pull it off and cut into it if you can help it. |
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Indirect heat....mix the wood and charcoal if you want. I typically don't add charcoal after the meat goes on, but will add wood as necessary.
If you get tired of fighting your little smoker...throw the shoulder in the oven and finish it there at 225 or so for the rest of the day. Wrap in foil or use a dutch oven. You'll have plenty of smoke flavor after the first couple hours. Don't worry about the haters or being called a cheater. Be warned....the oven will stink up the house if your spouse is sensitive to such things. 
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Quoted:
Indirect heat....mix the wood and charcoal if you want. I typically don't add charcoal after the meat goes on, but will add wood as necessary. If you get tired of fighting your little smoker...throw the shoulder in the oven and finish it there at 225 or so for the rest of the day. Wrap in foil or use a dutch oven. You'll have plenty of smoke flavor after the first couple hours. Don't worry about the haters or being called a cheater. Be warned....the oven will stink up the house if your spouse is sensitive to such things.
So about how many hours should I smoke it before I wrap it or transfer to the oven? |
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So about how many hours should I smoke it before I wrap it or transfer to the oven? Quoted:
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Indirect heat....mix the wood and charcoal if you want. I typically don't add charcoal after the meat goes on, but will add wood as necessary. If you get tired of fighting your little smoker...throw the shoulder in the oven and finish it there at 225 or so for the rest of the day. Wrap in foil or use a dutch oven. You'll have plenty of smoke flavor after the first couple hours. Don't worry about the haters or being called a cheater. Be warned....the oven will stink up the house if your spouse is sensitive to such things.
So about how many hours should I smoke it before I wrap it or transfer to the oven? I am starting to think my post was invisible... |
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So about how many hours should I smoke it before I wrap it or transfer to the oven? Quoted:
Quoted:
Indirect heat....mix the wood and charcoal if you want. I typically don't add charcoal after the meat goes on, but will add wood as necessary. If you get tired of fighting your little smoker...throw the shoulder in the oven and finish it there at 225 or so for the rest of the day. Wrap in foil or use a dutch oven. You'll have plenty of smoke flavor after the first couple hours. Don't worry about the haters or being called a cheater. Be warned....the oven will stink up the house if your spouse is sensitive to such things.
So about how many hours should I smoke it before I wrap it or transfer to the oven? Buckshot Jim says 4 hours.....I typically just go until I get tired of tending to the fire. Maybe 2-4 hours?? I typically start the smoker when I get up in the morning....put the meat in the oven when I get tired of fighting my little smoker....then keep it in the oven until it's time to eat dinner. |
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I am starting to think my post was invisible... Quoted:
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Indirect heat....mix the wood and charcoal if you want. I typically don't add charcoal after the meat goes on, but will add wood as necessary. If you get tired of fighting your little smoker...throw the shoulder in the oven and finish it there at 225 or so for the rest of the day. Wrap in foil or use a dutch oven. You'll have plenty of smoke flavor after the first couple hours. Don't worry about the haters or being called a cheater. Be warned....the oven will stink up the house if your spouse is sensitive to such things.
So about how many hours should I smoke it before I wrap it or transfer to the oven? I am starting to think my post was invisible... I stopped reading when I saw mustard. 
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I stopped reading when I saw mustard. Quoted:
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Indirect heat....mix the wood and charcoal if you want. I typically don't add charcoal after the meat goes on, but will add wood as necessary. If you get tired of fighting your little smoker...throw the shoulder in the oven and finish it there at 225 or so for the rest of the day. Wrap in foil or use a dutch oven. You'll have plenty of smoke flavor after the first couple hours. Don't worry about the haters or being called a cheater. Be warned....the oven will stink up the house if your spouse is sensitive to such things.
So about how many hours should I smoke it before I wrap it or transfer to the oven? I am starting to think my post was invisible... I stopped reading when I saw mustard. Mustard is simply an adhesive for the dry rub Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |
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Fire on the right, shoulder on the left. Place rub on shoulder, cover with yellow mustard, add more rub rub it in. You cant use too much mustard. Don't worry there will not be any mustard taste. Smoke at 225-250 for 4 hours remove from smoker wrap tightly with foil place in 225 degree oven for 9 hours trust me, it will be the best you ever tasted. Not kidding OP do this. I've done many butts with the smoker then the oven, they come out great. |
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I stopped reading when I saw mustard. Quoted:
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Quoted:
Quoted:
Indirect heat....mix the wood and charcoal if you want. I typically don't add charcoal after the meat goes on, but will add wood as necessary. If you get tired of fighting your little smoker...throw the shoulder in the oven and finish it there at 225 or so for the rest of the day. Wrap in foil or use a dutch oven. You'll have plenty of smoke flavor after the first couple hours. Don't worry about the haters or being called a cheater. Be warned....the oven will stink up the house if your spouse is sensitive to such things.
So about how many hours should I smoke it before I wrap it or transfer to the oven? I am starting to think my post was invisible... I stopped reading when I saw mustard. There is zero mustard taste. Should have read a little longer. it makes a perfect dark bark and no mustard taste. |
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Cheater Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile Quoted:
Quoted:
Fire on the right, shoulder on the left. Place rub on shoulder, cover with yellow mustard, add more rub rub it in. You cant use too much mustard. Don't worry there will not be any mustard taste. Smoke at 225-250 for 4 hours remove from smoker wrap tightly with foil place in 225 degree oven for 9 hours trust me, it will be the best you ever tasted. Not kidding Cheater Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile It aint taking on any more smoke after 4 hours, heat is heat at that point. For the OPs set up, thats his best bet. |
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I stopped reading when I saw mustard. Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Indirect heat....mix the wood and charcoal if you want. I typically don't add charcoal after the meat goes on, but will add wood as necessary. If you get tired of fighting your little smoker...throw the shoulder in the oven and finish it there at 225 or so for the rest of the day. Wrap in foil or use a dutch oven. You'll have plenty of smoke flavor after the first couple hours. Don't worry about the haters or being called a cheater. Be warned....the oven will stink up the house if your spouse is sensitive to such things.
So about how many hours should I smoke it before I wrap it or transfer to the oven? I am starting to think my post was invisible... I stopped reading when I saw mustard. Mustard is simply a binder to keep the rub you use from washing off when the meat sweats. You can also use olive oil if you choose to. I cut the mustard with bourbon normally. Or Worcestershire's sauce depending on what im smoking. Also, Egg head for life. |
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There is zero mustard taste. Should have read a little longer. it makes a perfect dark bark and no mustard taste. Quoted:
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Quoted:
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Indirect heat....mix the wood and charcoal if you want. I typically don't add charcoal after the meat goes on, but will add wood as necessary. If you get tired of fighting your little smoker...throw the shoulder in the oven and finish it there at 225 or so for the rest of the day. Wrap in foil or use a dutch oven. You'll have plenty of smoke flavor after the first couple hours. Don't worry about the haters or being called a cheater. Be warned....the oven will stink up the house if your spouse is sensitive to such things.
So about how many hours should I smoke it before I wrap it or transfer to the oven? I am starting to think my post was invisible... I stopped reading when I saw mustard. There is zero mustard taste. Should have read a little longer. it makes a perfect dark bark and no mustard taste. As someone who likes many kinds of mustard, there is really no mustard taste, and I really slather it on before I dust it. |
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Quoted: OP do this. I've done many butts with the smoker then the oven, they come out great. Quoted: Quoted: Fire on the right, shoulder on the left. Place rub on shoulder, cover with yellow mustard, add more rub rub it in. You cant use too much mustard. Don't worry there will not be any mustard taste. Smoke at 225-250 for 4 hours remove from smoker wrap tightly with foil place in 225 degree oven for 9 hours trust me, it will be the best you ever tasted. Not kidding OP do this. I've done many butts with the smoker then the oven, they come out great. Totally legit. Use the smoker for flavor, oven to finish. Pork butts need to hit around 200 degrees to break down all the stuff. Buy a good meat thermometer. A probe with a wire is your best bet. You can continually monitor the temp. https://www.amazon.com/ThermoPro-Wireless-Digital-Kitchen-Thermometer/dp/B014DAVCP4/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1475027759&sr=8-3&keywords=remote+meat+thermometer |
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Get yourself a smoker box for the wood chips or wrap them in a tinfoil pouch and poke ALOT of holes in it.
Keeps ash off the meat. I do soak my chips for 15 minutes, it really stops them catching fire and they smoke longer. As another poster said, you can smoke the meat for a couple hours and finish in an oven or indirect heat source, I like to pull the shoulder off the smoker after a couple of hours (small smoker) and give it a high heat sear on the BBQ then move it off the heat source and paint it with BBQ sauce and close the lid. A 6.5 shoulder is a pretty good sized chunk of meat, I would probably keep it on the BBQ for 2 hours and keep painting it with sauce every 20 minutes. Use a meat thermometer if you have one, I pull the shoulder off when it hits 180* (you don't want raw meat after all that work) Just my $.02 |
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Well you wont never know your avtual temp on that grill, its prolly got a 20 cent thermo on it. U need a digital temp guage. I had one of those.. junk.
Rub 8 hrs prior, put in fridge, remove 2 hrs prior to cook add more rub, no mustard. Spray butt every 45 mins with either apple juice or apple cider vinager... ETA... cook at whatever temp you want. I run 275 when I do comps |
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That is not the right piece of equipment to do a long slow smoke on a shoulder. You need an offset fire box.
An experienced BBQer with years of experience could make it work but you will probably have a difficult time as a novice. You will probably be disappointed in the results. The suggestion posted above to put it on the grill long enough to impart a smoke flavor and then finish it off in the oven is actually your best option. |
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True when the oven does the cook for ya but thats not smoking... sigh.. it is still smoking. I smoke multiple briskets and butts, chicken and ribs at the same time on a big smoker and do not use a meat thermometer. If one knows the heat inside the smoker that's all that's needed. 
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It aint taking on any more smoke after 4 hours, heat is heat at that point. For the OPs set up, thats his best bet. Quoted:
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Fire on the right, shoulder on the left. Place rub on shoulder, cover with yellow mustard, add more rub rub it in. You cant use too much mustard. Don't worry there will not be any mustard taste. Smoke at 225-250 for 4 hours remove from smoker wrap tightly with foil place in 225 degree oven for 9 hours trust me, it will be the best you ever tasted. Not kidding Cheater Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile It aint taking on any more smoke after 4 hours, heat is heat at that point. For the OPs set up, thats his best bet. It may very well be best for his setup, but I have tried the oven method and the results have never been the same. I *have* gone to the oven after 10 hours of smoke when inclement weather cropped up and made it impossible to keep the smoker near 225 degrees Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |
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sigh.. it is still smoking. I smoke multiple briskets and butts, chicken and ribs at the same time on a big smoker and do not use a meat thermometer. If one knows the heat inside the smoker that's all that's needed. http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h12/jimanders1967/food/smokey_zps2skxzwj6.jpg Quoted:
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True when the oven does the cook for ya but thats not smoking... sigh.. it is still smoking. I smoke multiple briskets and butts, chicken and ribs at the same time on a big smoker and do not use a meat thermometer. If one knows the heat inside the smoker that's all that's needed. http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h12/jimanders1967/food/smokey_zps2skxzwj6.jpg I will disagree a bit each chunk of meat will be done when its ready, not all will cook the same |
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Fire on the right, shoulder on the left. Place rub on shoulder, cover with yellow mustard, add more rub rub it in. You cant use too much mustard. Don't worry there will not be any mustard taste. Smoke at 225-250 for 4 hours remove from smoker wrap tightly with foil place in 225 degree oven for 9 hours trust me, it will be the best you ever tasted. Not kidding ignore everything this asshole just said and go straight crockpot with liquid smoke you can thank me later 
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I'm with you. I'm going to smoke a brisket Thursday. Quoted:
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This thread has gotten me inspired. I have not yet made smoked salmon candy this year and I must remedy that this weekend. I feel shame.  I'm with you. I'm going to smoke a brisket Thursday. I'll do a butt on Friday Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |
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I'm with you. I'm going to smoke a brisket Thursday. Quoted:
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This thread has gotten me inspired. I have not yet made smoked salmon candy this year and I must remedy that this weekend. I feel shame. I'm with you. I'm going to smoke a brisket Thursday. Starts with this.. 
Ends up like this...(minus the Maple Syrup drizzle) 
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It aint taking on any more smoke after 4 hours, heat is heat at that point. For the OPs set up, thats his best bet. Quoted:
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Fire on the right, shoulder on the left. Place rub on shoulder, cover with yellow mustard, add more rub rub it in. You cant use too much mustard. Don't worry there will not be any mustard taste. Smoke at 225-250 for 4 hours remove from smoker wrap tightly with foil place in 225 degree oven for 9 hours trust me, it will be the best you ever tasted. Not kidding Cheater Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile It aint taking on any more smoke after 4 hours, heat is heat at that point. For the OPs set up, thats his best bet. no offense OP, but he's right....that's a really poor quality grill/smoker and you're going to have problems maintaining steady Temps long enough to run it til finish on that. |
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ignore everything this asshole just said and go straight crockpot with liquid smoke you can thank me later
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Fire on the right, shoulder on the left. Place rub on shoulder, cover with yellow mustard, add more rub rub it in. You cant use too much mustard. Don't worry there will not be any mustard taste. Smoke at 225-250 for 4 hours remove from smoker wrap tightly with foil place in 225 degree oven for 9 hours trust me, it will be the best you ever tasted. Not kidding ignore everything this asshole just said and go straight crockpot with liquid smoke you can thank me later
I'm trying to ruin his first attempt to smoke something. You are screwing it up. Don't tell him how terrible the mustard taste is. CROCKPOT! |
| I use two fire bricks to separate the coals from the meat. I also use a modified snake method, where I stick chunks of wood intermixed with the charcoal. And I just light a few pieces in the middle. The key is going to be finding the correct amount of air flow. Too much and it lights all the charcoal at once making a hot fire and it will burn out too quick. Not enough and it will smother it. On mine I put the bottom vent about 1/4 open and the top about 1/5 open. |
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no offense OP, but he's right....that's a really poor quality grill/smoker and you're going to have problems maintaining steady Temps long enough to run it til finish on that. Quoted:
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Fire on the right, shoulder on the left. Place rub on shoulder, cover with yellow mustard, add more rub rub it in. You cant use too much mustard. Don't worry there will not be any mustard taste. Smoke at 225-250 for 4 hours remove from smoker wrap tightly with foil place in 225 degree oven for 9 hours trust me, it will be the best you ever tasted. Not kidding Cheater Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile It aint taking on any more smoke after 4 hours, heat is heat at that point. For the OPs set up, thats his best bet. no offense OP, but he's right....that's a really poor quality grill/smoker and you're going to have problems maintaining steady Temps long enough to run it til finish on that. You may be right about the smoker quality....but you are wrong that it cant keep temp and produce a good meat! I have the same brand but larger and a side box smoker. I have learned the smoker in time and how to deal with the inexpensive thinness of the metal and I can maintain the heat and so far go through a 7hour smoking session! I know that is not awesome but it can be done with patients and understanding of the smoker. We all start somewhere, in time I will get a better smoker but until that time I will not stop smoking! |
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Quoted:It aint taking on any more smoke after 4 hours, heat is heat at that point. For the OPs set up, thats his best bet. Correct. Nobody has to know that you finished it in the oven. Nobody will care if it tastes good. Somebody will care if it doesn't. The last 4 or 5 briskets/pork shoulders that I have done and wanted to take to work for lunch, I have: come home from work (5pm) and fired up the smoker. smoked the meat from 6 or 7pm until 10 or 11pm. Pulled it off the smoker and wrapped it in foil. Put it in the oven at 225-250 all night. Turned the oven off at 7am. Let it sit until 11am and pull/cut to take to work for lunch. It'll still be hot. Mustard or olive oil, won't make any difference. You just want the rub to stick. Use whatever you have handy. If you want to babysit/fight the smoker and try to maintain a constant temperature for the entire cook (should still wrap it after 3 or 4 hours though), then cool. That's how you get to know your rig. No one will know or care, unless you tell them. Much like sex, even when it's bad, it's still pretty good. Had one coworker tell me I could bring in bad bbq any time I wanted. But when you get a handle on it, it does feel good deep down inside when 2 people tell you from the same sample, that it was the single best tasting piece of meat they've ever had. And then you'll be chasing it..............forever.
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You may be right about the smoker quality....but you are wrong that it cant keep temp and produce a good meat! I have the same brand but larger and a side box smoker. I have learned the smoker in time and how to deal with the inexpensive thinness of the metal and I can maintain the heat and so far go through a 7hour smoking session! I know that is not awesome but it can be done with patients and understanding of the smoker. We all start somewhere, in time I will get a better smoker but until that time I will not stop smoking! Quoted:
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Fire on the right, shoulder on the left. Place rub on shoulder, cover with yellow mustard, add more rub rub it in. You cant use too much mustard. Don't worry there will not be any mustard taste. Smoke at 225-250 for 4 hours remove from smoker wrap tightly with foil place in 225 degree oven for 9 hours trust me, it will be the best you ever tasted. Not kidding Cheater Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile It aint taking on any more smoke after 4 hours, heat is heat at that point. For the OPs set up, thats his best bet. no offense OP, but he's right....that's a really poor quality grill/smoker and you're going to have problems maintaining steady Temps long enough to run it til finish on that. You may be right about the smoker quality....but you are wrong that it cant keep temp and produce a good meat! I have the same brand but larger and a side box smoker. I have learned the smoker in time and how to deal with the inexpensive thinness of the metal and I can maintain the heat and so far go through a 7hour smoking session! I know that is not awesome but it can be done with patients and understanding of the smoker. We all start somewhere, in time I will get a better smoker but until that time I will not stop smoking! I'm not knockin ya, just saying you have an uphill battle with that smoker. |
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You may be right about the smoker quality....but you are wrong that it cant keep temp and produce a good meat! I have the same brand but larger and a side box smoker. I have learned the smoker in time and how to deal with the inexpensive thinness of the metal and I can maintain the heat and so far go through a 7hour smoking session! I know that is not awesome but it can be done with patients and understanding of the smoker. We all start somewhere, in time I will get a better smoker but until that time I will not stop smoking! Oh it can be done. Shit, I use a Weber Kettle for everything fire cooking related, including smoking. His can do it but it if he does his part. I think learning to smoke on a non traditional set up teaches folks a bit. You definitely learn you to babysit temp and deal with drafts and such, and when you produce a kick-ass BBQ, it feels good. Real good as it is a genuine accomplishment that demanded your 100% effort all the way through. |
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OP I just got my 1st smoker too. I've never smoke ribs before.
3 racks of ribs & 3 tenderloins came out damn near perfect. The loins or leaner cuts will tend to dry out. Mopped with apple cider, pan of water near the fire box got rid of the hot spot. It was a hit & you'll be a hero. 
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