What to put in the smoker this weekend?

[chuckchili]

I did some wild game a couple days ago that turned out really good. Antelope roasts and ribeyes and an elk heart. Tried a combo of hickory wood pieces and pellets together which seemed to work well. Covered everything with bacon to keep it nice and juicy.

[Great-Kazoo]

I think it's about a 10 pounder or so, give or take. I go low and slow (215-225deg max) versus hot and fast so for my I find that getting it on the night before alleviates people standing around with empty plates and growling stomachs for an hour or more while I try to rush it at the end. I also like it to be done before lunch time (not dinner in the evening) so that way we can pick on it throughout the day. If it's early I can simply drop the oven or smoker (depending on where I'm finishing it) to a warm temperature or wrap it in a bath tower and throw it in a large cooler for a few hours. Either way, having it done early always beats being late and what I've found about 'que, especially when you go low and slow, it's done when it's done. No good way to time or rush it w/o sacrificing some quality in the end.

As for the critters.. I feel for you there. That would certainly add a new caveat to the smoking game. I even spilled my render bucket onto the patio the last time I smoked. You can't ever clean that crap up fully since it seeps into pores of the concrete. When we had the dogs they'd sit and lick the patio forever even if I cleaned that spot up like crazy. Now, since we don't have dogs, I don't even really clean it as much as let the rain take care of it over the years. If we had a coyote or other wildlife problem that would be a bit more of a troubling mistake.

Ok i understand the early start for a mid afternoon serve time. "Thought" it was for dinner.

[Jer]

Ok i understand the early start for a mid afternoon serve time. "Thought" it was for dinner.

Even if it is for a dinner time meal the common estimate is 1 to 1 and 1/2 hours per pound. For 10 lb Boston butt that would equate to about 15 hours by my math. It's been my experience that for whatever reason every cut of meat I ever smoked ends up taking until the upper end of that window or longer.

Like I said it's a lot easier to have it end up done hours early and let it rest than it is to have it end up late and have everybody hungry and upset. all it takes is a couple situations where your smoke runs long and everybody has to wait an hour or two extra to eat and you start adjusting what time you start them. Since I wake up pretty early anyway I previously assumed it would be easier to just put it on first thing in the morning but what I quickly discovered was it's even easier to put it on before you go to bed the night before.

I didn't monitor anything throughout the night and when I rolled out of bed this morning it was exactly 165 degrees... Time to foil anyway. I preheated the oven to 225 foiled that bad boy up and brought it in for the rest of the cook which just finished an hour or so ago. Had I started it this morning I would have been well behind the eight-ball already.

I don't know who these superhumans are that are able to smoke a Boston butt in six or seven hours but that's never been my personal experience.

[wyome]

I can cook a pork butt in 6hrs or so, but i'm using a Pit Barrel Cooker which cooks a lil hotter than an offset smoker or what most ppl run their pellet smokers at

[Gman]

It's been my experience that for whatever reason every cut of meat I ever smoked ends up taking until the upper end of that window or longer.

It's been my experience as well and I think this is due to our elevation.

It's pulled pork. It holds and reheats really well, so whatever is easiest for you is best IMO.

[Jer]

It's been my experience as well and I think this is due to our elevation.

It's pulled pork. It holds and reheats really well, so whatever is easiest for you is best IMO.

I think that plays a large role in it as well.

For what it's worth the pulled pork turned out great and the added cook time came through in terms of tenderness and juiciness. The flavor was very good and I prefer when I have enough time to do it this way verses when I don't budget enough time and find myself increasing the temperature down the run to try to get it to a desired internal temperature quicker. It usually turns out a little bit drier and tougher in that case with less of the fat rendered. Ultimately it took this thing probably 16 hours or so to cook completely not counting the couple of hours I rested it.

[Great-Kazoo]

It's been my experience as well and I think this is due to our elevation.

It's pulled pork. It holds and reheats really well, so whatever is easiest for you is best IMO.

Not really, it's due to size / weight of meat being smoked. I don't usually go over a 5 - 7 lb brisket of pork shoulder for the two of us. Probably because i take 5 lb off a brisket to brine a weekish for corned beef or pastrami. 1/2 a whole(12+ lbs) pork shoulder is cut for green chili or sausage.

[electronman1729]

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[BladesNBarrels]

Be sure and post after results!

[wyome]

Chicken thighs on the pit barrel Cooker last night...

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