First Pulled Pork

Smoker Shane · April 23, 2014, 12:07:15 AM

Hi Guys.... I plan on giving some pulled pork a crack for Anzac Day lunch. After some research I've noticed that 210 seems to be the preferred cabinet temperature to smoke at.. My question is how long do I smoke it for as I have read somewhere that after say 3 hours the meat can't absorb any more smoke so to continue smoking is a waste can any one confirm this for me, and if possible give me a rough idea on the time length of cooking, I was thinking somewhere in the area of 10 hours at 210f??? My piece of pork is 5.5 pounds.
Thanks for any replies...

Wildcat · April 23, 2014, 03:20:54 AM

IMHO any more than 4 hours of smoke is a waste. I do the larger butts (around 7 to 9 pounds). One large butt takes me around 16 to 18 hours on average (actual range 12 to 20) smoking and cooking at a cabinet temp of about 205 F. You really can't count on time because there are simply too many variables including the mood of the pig. Make sure you have an accurate cabinet temp. The gauge on the smoker can not be trusted. If you cook at a cabinet temp of 210 then after your pig reaches a meat temp of 175, start checking it by doing the fork test. If you can easily insert the fork and get it to twist without too much resistance, then the beast is done. Take out, loosely rap in foil and let it rest on the counter until it cools enough to pull. If it is going to be awhile until dinner time then FTC to keep it hot. Cooking at the temp you are planning will not require an FTC to make it tender. During the cook, the pig will go through a stall stage where the meat temp will not rise for a few hours and may even lower. Do Not Rush It... Leave it alone and after the magic happens the temp will again start to rise and it will not be much longer until it is done.

TedEbear · April 23, 2014, 04:53:30 AM

Hi Shane. Cook by IT, not time. If you're wondering how long it will take, the general rule is 1.5-2 hours per lb. I used to smoke butts at 225*F. I tried my last few at 210*F and they were noticeably more moist and tender.

They also took longer to cook. My last 8 lb butt took around 21 hours.

watchdog56 · April 23, 2014, 09:57:23 AM

I smoke mine at 225 and pull when IT hits 195. I then FTC for at least 2 hours. They come out great.

Smoker Shane · April 24, 2014, 02:06:42 AM

Thanks for the replies I'm so excited to see how this turns out.... We are starting to get a following of people wanting to come over every weekend to see what I have smoked... We haven't had a disappointed person yet... Can't wait to put some pics up of the finished product...

Caneyscud · April 24, 2014, 09:18:59 AM

We can't wait for the pics either! Never purposely cooked at the lower temps my self. I usually set my DBS on 230 and let it go until 195 IT and the fork test says it is ready. In my stickburners, it is not uncommon for me to raise the CT to 250 or so, just to save some time. I typically don't see much difference with the finished product.

Dano · April 24, 2014, 11:34:17 AM

Here's how I do my pork start to finish and it always turns out awesome. 195F is a good goal, time is always variable so I usually pre-heat the cabin the night before, load and start the smoke around 2am so it's ready in time for dinner.

Get one pork shoulder or butt, 5-8lbs
Rinse over cold water and pat dry
Light coating of yellow mustard
Coat with dry rub of choice(kansas, memphis dust, Jans etc...)
Let sit for a few hours in fridge to absorb the dry rub, take out an hour before you start
Use hickory wood (can mix with apple/cherry for sweeter flavour)
Pre-heat smoker to 280F
Load pork, drop temp to 220F, use digital probe to monitor internal temp of pork, use a bowl with hot water to catch the bisquettes
Apply 4 hours of smoke, then turn off the smoke generator, empty bowl and remove pucks, refill with hot water
General rule is 1.5 to 2 hours per lb of pork, watch for the plateau at 160F
Bake in smoker until internal temp of 195F - this could take anywhere from 12-15 hours for a 6lb pork butt - temp is the key
Fork test for tenderness, if done
FTC - foil, towel, cooler - kettle of hot water in the cooler for 5 mins prior, drain water, place roast in cooler anywhere from 1-3 hours to keep warm
Pull roast apart and serve

I let everyone sauce it up if they want to, personally I don't use any most of the time.

Smoker Shane · April 25, 2014, 12:39:29 AM

Turned out awesome so happy with it.... Fell apart when I took to it with a pair of forks...

Wildcat · April 25, 2014, 03:08:59 AM

Great job!

TedEbear · April 25, 2014, 04:39:50 AM

Sounds like it was a success. What chamber temp did you set it at and how long did it actually take to cook?

Dano · April 25, 2014, 07:26:21 AM

Great job! Looks delicious. I bet it tastes even better with a VB or 4 X depending on your camp. ;)

Smoker John · April 25, 2014, 11:16:17 AM

Looks really good

Smoker Shane · April 26, 2014, 02:35:04 AM

Cabin temp was set at 210f and took 13 hours to reach 195f internal temp then I FTC'd it for 1 hour until guests arrived.. The meat pulled apart so easily and had loads of flavour... Would love to have a crack at Brisket next... Oh and it was washed down with quite a few Tooheys in honor of the diggers for Anzac Day....