Pork Shoulder, how much smoke?

[toiler]

How many hours of smoke to you apply to a pork shoulder? I expect cooking time to be 12 hours. Do any of you smoke it the entire time, or is that crazy?

[tskeeter]

Toiler, on long cooks, most forum members apply smoke only during part of the total time.  When I do pork shoulder, I'll apply four hours of hickory smoke, then just let the shoulder cook without smoke the rest of the time.

There is a school of thought that after about four hours, what you are smoking does not absorb an appreciable amount of smoke.  Other folks will smoke for longer than four hours.  I don't know that there is any scientific evidence that pints toward one approach over another.  Probably what affects people's preference as much as anything is the cost of four hours worth of pucks vs. 12 or 16 hours worth of pucks.  So, if four hours of smoke provides the taste you want, why spend more?

Note that part of the Bradley marketing message is that the smoke from a Bradley bisquette provides more smoke flavor than chunks, chips, pellets, etc.  There is some anecdotal evidence from people who have both Bradley smokers and other types of smokers than supports this claim.   

[KyNola]

I wouldn't plan on a specific number of hours cooking time.  It typically doesn't work that way.  What is the weight of your shoulder?

[beefmann]

i do at  most 4 hours of smoke... = 12 pucks,, the cook may  take 12 to 24 hours, depending on  raw weight, water in the meat, out side temp and wind,,  inside box temp... never go by  time,, go by  internal temp it is more accrate

[toiler]

Thanks for the replies. I had two big bone in shoulders.  I have a PID so go by internal temps. I used about 6 hours of smoke. I asked the smoke question about half way through.

After about 14 hours internal thermometer said  it was 205. I pulled one shoulder out and determined that probe was in wrong place and was only 190 on average. I had started to foil wrap but I put it back on the rack sitting on the foil.

It took another 4 hours to get both to 205. Then foil, towel cooler for 90 min. The pork that sat on the foil the last segment was moist and perfect. The shoulder that was on the rack without foil was a little dry.

A good lesson for me. I was surprised it took 18 hours. I think I will get the second burner mod as it seems to take a long time to get up to temp. Also thinking I might cook at a little higher temp next time.

[KyNola]

When you throw a load of cold meat in the tower, it takes a long time for the temp to recover because the cold meat is absorbing all of the heat the 500 watt heater can generate.  Also, the pork will go into a stall period somewhere around the 150 internal temp for 2-3 hours.  You can minimize that by wrapping the butt in foil when the IT reaches 140 although the bark will not be as pronounced on a foiled butt.

All in all, sounds like you had a successful smoke.

[TedEbear]

It took another 4 hours to get both to 205. Then foil, towel cooler for 90 min. The pork that sat on the foil the last segment was moist and perfect. The shoulder that was on the rack without foil was a little dry.

I used to cook butts with the chamber temp set at 225*F.  I never foil them, since I like the pronounced bark and chopping it up to mix with the pork after I pull it. 

Lately, I've been cooking them at a chamber temp of 210*F and take them to an IT of around 190*F.  They turn out noticeably more moist with the lower temp and I think I'm going to be cooking them that way from now on.

Also, I apply 4 hours smoke at the start, no more after that.