Hey guys,
So I smoked for the 1st time this past weekend. Played it safe and just got a 1.5lb pork roast with a bone in the in the middle
I had read somewhere that it should hit an IT of 160F which was my set goal.
I used the apple wood pucks and did 4 hours of smoke and took about 5hours of cook time at 225-250F range to hit 160F
Couple concerns and questions...
The pork came out fairly dry and some spots had an over whelming smoke flavor over other areas.
I didnt brine it, just used some rub which I left sit over night in the fridge.
was alright.. but nothing much to talk about per say... I know it doesnt help I used a cheap 8$ piece of meat but definitely was hoping the smoker would of kicked it up a notch. Do you all typically do on avg full smoke for most of the cook time or
Heres some pics for those that enjoy em...
Heres the cut - (http://i.imgur.com/xGq6wmtb.jpg)
Was raining outside and after doing some searching saw a few people had set up their smoker under an umbrella..worked out well
(http://i.imgur.com/gT7y8SIb.jpg)
Final outcome -
(http://i.imgur.com/u1ZdxqZb.jpg)
As far as smoke time I usually go 3 hours for ribs and 4 for pork butts. A brisket may go longer. As far as your flavor a couple of things can effect that. For pork I usually use apple or hickory. Also if your vent is even half closed it could cause moisture to form and drip black drops also known as black rain which will give your meat a bitter taste. I always leave vent wide open.
Not sure why it would come out dry, maybe just the cut of meat.
For such a small piece of meat I would recommend no more than 2 hours of smoke. As for the dryness I suspect the meat that you had did not have any fat. When I do pork it is normally a large butt. With the large butt I do 4 hours of Apple. I also leave about an eighth of an inch of fat on the meat. Also the meat has fat within it. I am not sure about your piece.
What type of roast was it; shoulder, loin, or sirloin?
If it was a loin or sirloin roast, you only need to take it to 145°F, with at least three minute rest; which is the USDA recommended temperature. I take mine to 140°F. At these temperatures it should remain moist.
If it is from the shoulder, you will need to take it to a temperature that the collagen will break down into gelatin. At the temperatures you used, taking it to an internal temperature of 175°F, it will be good for slicing. At 195°F - 205°F, it will be good for pulling. And of course your cooking time will be much longer.
If you rub it down the night before, and the rub has salt, wrap the meat tightly in plastic wrap.
Welcome to the Forum RRL, looks like help is already here. Don't despair, my first smoked roast wasn't too appealing but each one afterwards just got better and better and better.
Thanks for all the replies!
I can't remember the exact cut... definitely wasn't a high price cut for the exact reason I wanted to see how it would turn out. I want to say it was a shoulder cut, but could be entirely wrong. There was a fairly large bone in it.
I took the shoulder out at 160F which I cooked with using a Maverick D-377 probe. I wraped it in tin foil and let it sit for about 20 minutes or so, I never re checked the temps after though.
The meat had its fair share of fat on it and had a "fat cap" but I was only able to place the cap to the side.
I had 4 hours smoke 5 hours cook time but I also more then likely opened the door a couple times extra to make sure everything was in working order. ideally if I would of only did the 2 hour puck bowl check / re fill i prob would of shortened that cook time for the 160F goal.
I had my vent about 1/4 to half open... you recommend vents always stay at pretty well a full open? I didn't notice any black rain as I did check for it as I read about it on various posts on here.
Guess for the pork.. it sounds like it needed to be cooked quite a bit longer to reach a higher IT to make the meat more tender. I may try another one of the same cuts and see how it turns out with a higher IT.
Ive always figured if I can make a crap cut taste like a decent prime cut cooked normally.. im on the right tracks.lol
If it is the shoulder, then you need to cook it longer to make it tender, but at 160°F; there should have been enough fat to give it the meat a feeling being moist. With a large bone that sounds like a shoulder cut, either the butt or maybe the picnic. Though I've seen cuts from the hind leg labeled as sirloin roast and not ham. If the package is labeled rib roast, loin or sirloin roast, you don't want to take that beyond 145°F.
If four hours of smoke gave it the flavor you wanted, I would stick with the four hours.
Some portions of the cut where nice tender and juice some where dry.. it was hit or miss all over, but again if it was cooked to the proper 190F range.. it would of prob been spot on I would think.
I just picked up one of those Loins from costco.
I cut it in 2 and I plan on stuffing it. 1 I think ill try baby spinach and ground hot pork sausage
2nd I may try either a turkey style stuffing not quite sure yet.
For those loins. I would cook until IT of 145F wrap and sit for roughly an hour correct?
the smoke was good on the cheap cut, just some points I found tasted GREAT while other spots abit bitter.. but maybe I did get some black rain as vents where only 1/4 open give or take as mentioned
Correct; for loins cook until 145°F, and loosely cover for only about a 15 to 20 minutes rest, for the juices to evenly redistribute throughout the meat. It will be a little pink. If you don't like your pork slightly pink, cook until it is 150°F. Also since you are only bringing the loins to 145°F, when stuffing with pork sausage, the sausage should be precooked before using it as a stuffing.
Thanks for all the very informative posts to date!
Why should I pre cook the stuffing? a couple videos I saw you cut open the loin and you evenly place down about 1/4" - 1/2" of raw ground pork then roll it up and tie it down with some butcher string.
Might of been my poor choice of wording but I wont be using whole sausage.
Thanks again!
To be safe pork sausage should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160°F. If you are only bringing the stuffed loin up to 145°F the sausage may be undercooked and unsafe to eat. The recipes that used raw pork was it mentioned in the recipe what internal temperature to take it too. The recipe may also be going with the old USDA internal temperature, which used to be 160°F.
Damn didnt think of that... I just youtubed "stuffed loins" and got a few ideas of what id like to do.
If the sausage does end up undercooked that would definitely be an issue.
Just did more reading on the stuffed loins and yea every post I have seen call for 160F internal. which is slightly over cooked for the the loin
Agree with Habanero, I would pre cook the the pork sausage if I was using it.
Should I need to worry about the ground pork sausage meat drying out if pre cooked? or it has enough fat content to keep moist while cooking, or do you guys add other stuff to keep it moist?
Thanks for all the tips to date!!! hopefully this weekend ill get a loin or some home made stuffed burgers in there!
It should be alright. I've used precooked hamburger as part of a stuffing in a flank steak, and it turned out moist, though sautéed mushrooms, onions and spinach was also part of the stuffing mixture. As an extra precaution you can drizzle some of the pan drippings over the sausage prior to rolling up the loin.
awesome!! thanks for all the tips
Crossing my fingers that I will have the time to play with the smoker this weekend and give that stuffed loin a trial.
VS creating a new thread I figure ill keep this one going!
So 2nd smoke ive ever done.. turned out MUCH better then the 1st thats for sure. the gang enjoyed it. However I think I was 10-15mins too slow on taking it out.
used a loin and unrolled it, stuffed with pre cooked pork sausage. I rinsed the pork meat mainly to quick cool it so i could stuff it and let it sit for an hour before cook time. (I should of pre cooked the pork sausage well before but wasnt thinking) I base the inside with mustard then put a layer of the sausage meat and rolled it. Used some local butchers rub mix on the outside.
The flavoring was perfect combo however the loin turned out too dry in most spots, a few sections where still extremely moist and where amazing but most of it ended up dry.
Next time I may try and do partially cooked sausage meat and either brine or bacon weave the top of the loin. or chop raw mushrooms before rolling it so they produce more moisture inside while cooking.
I cooked it at a 250F setting with apple wood. Actual temps hovered around 220 - +3F was cool outside and fairly windy which seemed to suck out some of the heat as I left the top breather wide open for the full cook.
I was planning a 4 hour cook 4 hour smoke with a goal of 140F IT and to let it sit for an hour wrapped.
Total cook time was 3hours 20 mins IT reached 145F where I had placed the probe but other spots where starting to read 155F
I should of raised it maybe 1 rack higher ( I placed on the 2nd from the bottom)
Guess over time ill get my cooking times dialed in... its been only getting better mind you im cooking some fairly basic recipes.
Non the less you guys have def helped out tons in the process!
Was my 1st time unrolling a loin, turned out fairly well evenly cut.
(http://i.imgur.com/hpxoeUg.jpg)
ready for the smoker
(http://i.imgur.com/AdMjh58.jpg)
After sitting
(http://i.imgur.com/ZwvkK62.jpg)
That looks really good
Quote from: Smoker John on October 25, 2016, 08:20:45 AM
That looks really good
Yea was def decent. the flavouring was spot on, just wish the meat tenderness would of turned out the way I was hoping.
Oh well over all not too disappointed as it was tasty!
I got the other half of that loin to cook up in the smoker too.. I might do it this weekend at a buds place and see how it turns out
Heres another loin, seasoned with same spices as other one, stuffed with spinach and feta... so far this has been my favorite combo.
1 hour of apple wood and 1 hour of mesquite (I think the mesquite gave it a little too much of a bitter taste for pork) but was good non the less.
250F set cook temp,only floating around 220-230 though, I may try the fire brick idea and see if that helps it get to its set temp.
Cooked to a IT of 140F wrapped and let it sit for 30 mins (usually I try and aim an hour but we where starving)
was nice and moist and the feta spinach combo really worked out. I originally planned on adding chopped bacon but I entirely forgot to thaw it.
(http://i.imgur.com/Eb5fb02b.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/dGXVoCU.jpg)
WOW, I hope it tastes half as good as it looks! Congrats..
First one looked good.
Second one looks great!
I would definitely eat that.
thanks!
Trying to decide what to try next!
debating on beer can burgers or a smokey of some sort
Seems like sunday is my smoke day.... typically always home early enough to do a smoke and take my time getting things done.
This sunday I was a bit short on time so I threw something together half fast for Mondays supper.
Bacon wrapped meat loaf.
Worcestershire sauce
1 egg
ketchup
onion
220F smoker cooking temp.. cooked until 160F IT used Hickory pucks
I did have a small sample and it turned out pretty good for a plain jane roll but well see how it is tonight for supper
(http://i.imgur.com/vthV1aYb.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/QpelB4rb.jpg)
well had it for supper, I re heated it in the oven at 350.
We ate it, but def wasnt something we overly enjoyed. Maybe it was the mixture I used, maybe I should of added seasoning but it had a slight off taste even the bacon wasn't all that great. Maybe its the hickory wood I used, I don't know.
I also definitely do not recommend using medium ground beef , the bacon kept all the grease inside. Would of almost needed to poke a couple holes in the bottom to let it drain out some.
Will be a while before I try a meatloaf again as its not something im going to be hungry for, for some time.
I know a lot of people who use chuck 80%/20% for their meatloaf, but with meatloaf I like to use a 90%/10% ground. If I use chuck 80%/20%, I use 2/3 chuck and 1/3 veal.
I just used the store bought ground meat.. no idea what type of cut was used to ground.
I still would like to try out some beer can burgers def make sure I throw in some seasoning and what not with them though
well this has been my all time fav meal made in the smoker to date....
Large bone in store bought ham.. one of those already brined ones.
roughly 5.5 hours 140F IT set at 250F however it seemed to have maintained a temp of around 220ish
3 hours worth of hickory pucks.
I lightly spiral cut it, 1st base was with regular mustard mixed with pineapple juice.
at 120F I based generously with a maple BBQ sauce that I also mixed in with about 1/4 cup of honey.
(I dont know why but im having a hard time posting pictures without making them WAY to big or too small)
(http://i.imgur.com/TNoeT6cb.jpg)
Sad to say, I ddint notice the finish pic came out horribly... shame...
(http://i.imgur.com/kzCpS5eb.jpg)
Sunday is smoke day for me! cold weather or not!
(http://i.imgur.com/ibZK0o5b.jpg)