TomInPA
Well-known member
It all began yesterday when the wife was good enough to pick up a 9-lb pork shoulder. Nothing fancy, just a Walmart 1.49/lb Picnic Ham / Shoulder. As soon as I saw it, I knew we had a date. Now don't get me wrong. It's not much to look at right out of the package. A pork shoulder is a large heavy clod of meat with a thick skin and fat layer, and bone running up the center. The point is, this has potential.
Just to treat it right, I gave it a good dusting of rub (Paprika, garlic, salt pepper, cayanne), and put it to bed in the fridge.
This morning at about 8:00 AM we got re-acquainted. The pig needed some time to sit on the counter and look pretty while I started a fire in the Big Steel Keg. Our objective today is about a 9-hour smoke at 225 to 240 degrees F using Cherry as the smoke base, and oak lump charcoal. My setup uses a ceramic "plate-setter" as a heat deflector. For this cook, I placed the aluminum tray on the ceramic, and added some cider vinegar and water for moisture. Most important, I use a Maverick thermometer to monitor the meat and fire temperatures. It has a remote I can look at without standing over the smoker. You can see the smoker temperature thermocouple under the pig inserted into the air space above the foil pan. This gives me the grill temperature, and I can read the temperature off the dome on the BSK. Here we are at ambient 71 degree air temperature and 41 degrees for the meat interior at 8:30 ready to go.
By 9:00 we hit 225 F on the smoker and I damped the air to hold it there. Smoking wood is soaking in a bucket under the grill and I keep fuel in small trash cans. So at this point, we're done other than to spray (mop) some vinegar and water mix on the meat occasionally and monitor temperature.
That gives me time to go the the brewery and pick up a keg. This is nice coffee infused IPA that is 48 IBU and 6.5% ABV. A sessionable ale.
Now to fertilize the lawn and take a dip in the pool....be back later.
Just to treat it right, I gave it a good dusting of rub (Paprika, garlic, salt pepper, cayanne), and put it to bed in the fridge.
This morning at about 8:00 AM we got re-acquainted. The pig needed some time to sit on the counter and look pretty while I started a fire in the Big Steel Keg. Our objective today is about a 9-hour smoke at 225 to 240 degrees F using Cherry as the smoke base, and oak lump charcoal. My setup uses a ceramic "plate-setter" as a heat deflector. For this cook, I placed the aluminum tray on the ceramic, and added some cider vinegar and water for moisture. Most important, I use a Maverick thermometer to monitor the meat and fire temperatures. It has a remote I can look at without standing over the smoker. You can see the smoker temperature thermocouple under the pig inserted into the air space above the foil pan. This gives me the grill temperature, and I can read the temperature off the dome on the BSK. Here we are at ambient 71 degree air temperature and 41 degrees for the meat interior at 8:30 ready to go.
By 9:00 we hit 225 F on the smoker and I damped the air to hold it there. Smoking wood is soaking in a bucket under the grill and I keep fuel in small trash cans. So at this point, we're done other than to spray (mop) some vinegar and water mix on the meat occasionally and monitor temperature.
That gives me time to go the the brewery and pick up a keg. This is nice coffee infused IPA that is 48 IBU and 6.5% ABV. A sessionable ale.
Now to fertilize the lawn and take a dip in the pool....be back later.
