A fun way to start 2016. I fired up the Oklahoma Joe Highland and did a long slow smoke. Apple Rub with Hickory, Apple, and Oak Woods. I'll chop and store for tomorrow. I'll also be doing a chicken tomorrow with Pecan Wood. Got the family coming in for meal. As a side note, the Oklahoma Joe Highland is worth every penny. Once fired, I am able to peg the temperature anywhere I want it. 225/250/275/etc degrees as long as I want. I did some mode to assist with temp control and air flow.
Looks great! I did a small 4-pound pork butt yesterday for last night's meal. I have a small side-box smoker and use a lot of pecan, hickory, oak, and fruit woods. It's a nice relaxing experience when I have the time and opportunity to smoke something. Hope it all goes well!
Thanks for the compliment. Yes - relaxing and enjoyable. I am looking forward to smoking the chicken tomorrow.
180F Degrees. Most all smoking blogs suggest 190F -200F for "melt in your mouth tender". However, I prefer 180F. It is still tender but has a little"tug" to it which I prefer. It was wonderful...had some pan sauteed cabbage and onions and a pot of black eyed peas. A little Texas Pete hot sauce. Pure dining bliss.
Below 200 degrees, so the water isn't boiled out. When I do mine, on a heavy big smoker, I usually smoke for 6-8 hours, then finish in the oven. My smoker works so good, it can be too Smokey. That's why I limit the smoke time. Oh, hickory or oak is used.
Nicely done! Nothing like a low&slow well-smoked pork shoulder/butt that is pull-apart tender. Bone-in, preferred.
I use a traeger for all my smoking...I go real low 120/140 degrees for all day on my bacon for pork butt 225 until it reaches 170 . Let stand for 20 minutes over-baking takes it to 180.
Interesting selection of wood. I just did a 10 lb shoulder myself last week. 15 hours of smoking and @190 I pulled it.. Mm mm mmmm
Yes...I like to mix my woods. I have a buddy where it has to be Hickory only - period. The Oak and Apple impart a little "sweetness"; the Hickory gives the smokey flavor. However, with chicken it is Pecan only. When I do BabyBacks it is Cherry and Hickory. Since the Pork Butts are "forgiving" on the temp, I generally do about 275 degrees for as long as to takes to get to ~180. degrees. This gives a very tender Pork Butt with, as I said, a little "tug". Since we are exchanging information, I prefer my Port Butts with the bone in. I tried the boneless version and it came out a dry. I also believe the bone helps to maintain the internal temp and helps with any moisture loss. You got my mouth watering......looks like a Pork Butt in the next few days.
Speaking of smoking' pork and other goodies, there's a thread I started in June 0f 2013 that has plenty of BBQ shots, smokers, and other info…. Click here to see BBQ & Grilled Grub **Any broken image links are due to Photobucket's current server issues. The images should reappear once they solve their problems.
I'm partial to this method too with one variation. I finish off in my cast iron pot with either a jar of my homemade salsa verde or about a pound of roasted hatch chilis. My mouth just watered.
Local Market Basket grocery store had their pork butts on sale at $0.59/lb. I put 35 pounds in the deep freezer. Some will be stuffed with onion, garlic, and cayenne pepper. The rest becomes boudin, Cajun rice dressing sausage. Some of that I'll smoke with pecan.
Wow that's cheap !! I would have done the same that sounds delicious!! i use either hickory or apple or both .. I always get bone in and usually smoke about the same temps as you. The last two were shoulders bone in and I used them for pulled pork. Butts I like sliced..
