Can I start applying smoke **AFTER** I started cooking a Pork Shoulder?

[macnernie]

I have a 7 lb shoulder I am going to smoke tonight. I figure I am going to put about 5 hours smoke on it before just finishing in the oven at 250 or so.  I have an odd question. Does it matter when I put the smoke on? I want to start my Bradley by timer in the middle of the night but my puck dispenser can be touchy. Usually I just go out and make sure the puck advanced every 20 minutes. 

Can I put anywhere from 2 to 4 hours of cook on the Pork @ 250, then start smoking for 5 hours, then finish in the oven? Would that effect the quality of it? I've never tried this way and have always started smoking immediately then finished in the oven.

Has anyone ever done it this way? Would the pork be noticeably different?

[TedEbear]

The meat absorbs smoke better when it is raw.  If you wait 2-4 hours, the smoke flavor will not be as enhanced as it would if you start smoking when it starts cooking.

[Habanero Smoker]

I have a different point of view on this. There is smoke absorption (penetration), and smoke adhesion. Under the best conditions you may get smoke to penetrate 1/4", but usually you have a 1/8" penetration. After the surface of the meat reaches a certain temperature (most sources say around 140°F) the smoke can not penetrate the meat. Though penetration stops, the smoke will continue to adhere to the surface of the meat, as long as the surface is some what moist. Smoke adhesion is the main reason for over smoking.

I've never done a smoke in the middle of a cook, but I know you will get smoke flavor, because the smoke will adhere to the surface. Being that you are smoking a butt, you are probably going to shred it, so you will be mixing the surface smoke throughout the meat. Usually the surface of the butt will be moist throughout the cook, but I've come across a few butts where the surface looks dry almost through the whole cook. If that happens you may need to spritz it with something such as apple juice, plain water etc. every 30 - 45 minutes, during the time you are smoking.

As for change in smoke flavor, I don't know. Smoke flavor may mellow out more when applied at the beginning of the smoke, and be much stronger if applied at the end, so if you do this at a trial, I would reduce the smoke to 3 hours. It is best to have too little smoke than too much. I would taste the bark prior to shredding. If it is over smoke (very bitter taste), you can shave all or most of the bark off prior to shredding. Let us know which way you go with this.

[macnernie]

Thank to you guys for replying.

I just went ahead and set it up to smoke from the beginning. The puck dispenser did stick at some point because the pucks are about an hour behind but that's nothing. She's currently at 168 degrees and I have all day to get her to 195.

THANKS AGAIN!