• Watch Out for Scammers!

    We've now added a color code for all accounts. Orange accounts are new members, Blue are full members, and Green are Supporters. If you get a message about a sale from an orange account, make sure you pay attention before sending any money!

Maggie’s THE "NOM NOM NOM" THREAD

I suppose I could actually test my temperature and smoke with the propane modification without ruining a batch of meat.

Just occurred to me.

Kind of like a dummy round.

Jesus the things that come up while sober.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Barneybdb
Lol I know what you mean! I am removing an old deck and ripped up 10-15 boards with a 4lb sledge and crowbar before it occurred to me that I don’t need to save the boards, get a saw and just cut them out.... ugh!
 
  • Haha
Reactions: Snuby642
I have had trouble making sausages in my standard offset stick burner.

Basically have to wait for cold weather since I live in Texas.

One recipe calls for 100 degrees Fahrenheit for an hour to dry the casing, then smoke at 120, 140 and finish at 170 for about an hour each.

The slightest bit of overheating will cause catastrophic failure due to fat out. At that point they are ruined except for dog treats.

I think even my dog gave me the shanked it again look.

Have tried a propane burner with a cast iron plate inserted into the fire box with limited success.

Using wood chips, thinking of trying same with pellets instead.


While I can't speak for the step-ups in terms of not letting the fat render. You can dry the casings by leaving the links out in the fridge for 24 hours to form the pellicule...

and while 165 F is the recommended minimum temp for ground meats per the FDA, you can achieve 7D lethality (99.9999999%) holding at 150 for 71 seconds...

I've warm smoked bacon for years by holding 145 IT for a min of 10 minutes to achieve the same and never had an issue with very little fat render.

https://www.seriouseats.com/2015/09...ntals-science-of-heat-versus-temperature.html
 
  • Like
Reactions: Snuby642
Couple 'hawks on the Weber tonight. Dont mind where the dogs have dug up the grass.
20200628_174248.jpg


20200628_192000.jpg


20200628_205505.jpg
 
Last edited:
Good Lord those look good!!!! No action shots of the cut finished product? I feel slightly cheated. :D Good look'n Pup too. And happy as well.
They got devoured before I got a pic.
 
  • Haha
Reactions: 1J04
Gonna smoke up a pork shoulder for some pulled pork action.

Never cooked one before.

Any helpful info.

3lb shoulder how long should I cook it.
 
Do you have a temp probe to check that Weber thermometer against? The thermometer on my Weber shows 50-150 degrees hotter than actual grate temp.
 
Gonna smoke up a pork shoulder for some pulled pork action.

Never cooked one before.

Any helpful info.

3lb shoulder how long should I cook it.
I am doing that on Saturday...Have a 7.5 pound beauty. Never did it before either. Guidance I have received so far is
  1. Keep temp below 250 degrees
  2. Wood to use is apple, pecan, oak. Hickory is a bit overpowering so if you use it, use it sparingly and in concert with the other flavors noted
  3. Use a Slather of either water or yellow mustard and then add your favorite rub. Cover the butt completely. Wrap the butt in Saran Wrap and refrigerate for 12-24 hours.
  4. Smoke for 4-5 hours in the smoker
  5. When it has a rich mahogany color, remove it and wrap with a double layer of foil. Add about 12 ounces of a good beer before wrapping it tightly. Place back on cooker for 2 more hours with the seam side up. Remove when the internal temperature is 195-200 degrees.
  6. Let it rest for 30 minutes. If you need more time before serving, then keep foil on, wrap in heavy towels and place in a cooler. Cover the cooler tightly. Monitor temperature as it rests. Serve before the internal temperature falls below 140 degrees. Supposedly, this will buy you as much as 2 hours. Before serving shred with two forks.
I plan to make a vinegar based Carolina BBQ sauce and a more conventional tomato based BBQ sauce. Top with a good, homemade Cole slaw and a couple of pepperonchini
 
Gonna smoke up a pork shoulder for some pulled pork action.

Never cooked one before.

Any helpful info.

3lb shoulder how long should I cook it.
I am in my mid 30's now...have been a sponsored bbq competitor since I was 13.....my #1 rule has never changed...stop fucking with it! bbq, like wine making loves lazy! put in a digital thermometer and leave it alone.

temperature does NOT matter at all unless you are cooking with pecan because it becomes sooty and fucks up the meat over when the fire is hotter than 250...I personally do not use pecan even though I have at least a dozen pecan trees, because I like to cook hotter and not as long.

bench
 
Biggest thing, don’t worry about time other than to have an estimation of a finished time. Plan for it to be done at least 1-2 hours early. Cook it to 200-205 internal.

It’s technically safe to eat after 160* but it won’t be tender until about 200-205*.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Nik H
Biggest thing, don’t worry about time other than to have an estimation of a finished time. Plan for it to be done at least 1-2 hours early. Cook it to 200-205 internal.

It’s technically safe to eat after 160* but it won’t be tender until about 200-205*.


Meat came out great but it wasn't "shreddy".

Juicy, smoky, well seasoned but looked more like pork cut in chunks rather than pulled pork.

I bought a pork shoulder maybe it should have been some other cut?
 
I am in my mid 30's now...have been a sponsored bbq competitor since I was 13.....my #1 rule has never changed...stop fucking with it! bbq, like wine making loves lazy! put in a digital thermometer and leave it alone.

temperature does NOT matter at all unless you are cooking with pecan because it becomes sooty and fucks up the meat over when the fire is hotter than 250...I personally do not use pecan even though I have at least a dozen pecan trees, because I like to cook hotter and not as long.

bench

Very cool...I know nothing so I appreciate your advice about the pecan. If I leave out the pecan, you say that temperature does not matter. How do you judge when it is time to pull it? Do you cook straight through or do you wrap?

Any advice is welcome
 
Meat came out great but it wasn't "shreddy".

Juicy, smoky, well seasoned but looked more like pork cut in chunks rather than pulled pork.

I bought a pork shoulder maybe it should have been some other cut?
There are two cuts to choose from when you buy it. Do you know whether you got the "picnic" cut (lower shoulder) or the upper shoulder? Very different meat with different results.
 
Meat came out great but it wasn't "shreddy".

Juicy, smoky, well seasoned but looked more like pork cut in chunks rather than pulled pork.

I bought a pork shoulder maybe it should have been some other cut?


You want pork butt, it is a square cut chunk normally 6-9 lbs. It has one bone it's flat and will pull out by hand.
It has a thin layer of fat on the top leave it there, and just enough internal fat to keep it moist.

The cut actually comes from the front shoulder some places may call it a boston butt.

Smoke at 225-250 no hotter about 1 hour per pound at 225.

Main thing is an internal probe not touching the bone.

Run it till 200 degrees and let rest.

I like oak 60% or more with a small amount of pecan and smaller ammount of mesquite .

Look up the Texas Crutch method.
I smoke 2/3 of the time then WRAP TIGHT TO finnish off. DO NOT TENT IT.

A little Dales or Allegro liquid seasoning rubbed all over to hold the dry rub of your choice is gtg.

Adkins BBQ dry rub with some other spices added is good on pork or chicken, do not ever put if on a brisket.

You just got the wrong cut thats all
A butt done proper can be pulled into pieces with bare hands .

20200201_141225.jpg


This is a raw pork butt fyi.

Been cooking on a smoker since the early 1970's, a pair of digital remote thermometers and some foil are your friend. You want to go foil less your on your own it is not fool proof.

Edit: spices shown are part of my Mexican pulled pork rub.
 
Last edited:
Meat came out great but it wasn't "shreddy".

Juicy, smoky, well seasoned but looked more like pork cut in chunks rather than pulled pork.

I bought a pork shoulder maybe it should have been some other cut?
I’d see above, I’ve always gotten a Boston butt. I am by no means as experienced as others on here, just sharing what I know. My guess is like @Snuby642, you grabbed the wrong hunk of porky pig. 🤷🏼‍♂️
 
  • Like
Reactions: Snuby642
If you look at the butt picture you can see the tiny fat cap on the bottom side but important thing is the small well distributed fat you can see on the side.

That is why people allways get discouraged by trying to use a pork loin, no internal fat.

When you get to 200 degrees all that internal fat liquifies. (Is that a word?)

@benchmstr has a point on the pecan.
Too much will kill anything and caution should be used with mesquite as well.

I have done 100% mesquite fires on beef and ribs but its not forgiving and will never again try 100% pecan.

Think of every wood except oak as a spice and go from there as a start.

Pecan and mesquite are best burnt to coals before meat hits the chamber.

Most of the no wrap cooks I know that run long cooking times use 225 as a max and burn wood to coals before adding it to the cooker.

That was the way the best briskets I ever had were done but takes practice.

Note: Yesterday I got my oak pile and pecan pile mixed up in the confusion of a new smoker and gusting winds over 30 mph. It came out decent for ribs thankfully not a long smoke.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Nik H
There are two cuts to choose from when you buy it. Do you know whether you got the "picnic" cut (lower shoulder) or the upper shoulder? Very different meat with different results.

Dont recall.

But of the two which is better suited?
 
You want pork butt, it is a square cut chunk normally 6-9 lbs. It has one bone it's flat and will pull out by hand.
It has a thin layer of fat on the top leave it there, and just enough internal fat to keep it moist.

The cut actually comes from the front shoulder some places may call it a boston butt.

Smoke at 225-250 no hotter about 1 hour per pound at 225.

Main thing is an internal probe not touching the bone.

Run it till 200 degrees and let rest.

I like oak 60% or more with a small amount of pecan and smaller ammount of mesquite .

Look up the Texas Crutch method.
I smoke 2/3 of the time then WRAP TIGHT TO finnish off. DO NOT TENT IT.

A little Dales or Allegro liquid seasoning rubbed all over to hold the dry rub of your choice is gtg.

Adkins BBQ dry rub with some other spices added is good on pork or chicken, do not ever put if on a brisket.

You just got the wrong cut thats all
A butt done proper can be pulled into pieces with bare hands .

View attachment 7363665

This is a raw pork butt fyi.

Been cooking on a smoker since the early 1970's, a pair of digital remote thermometers and some foil are your friend. You want to go foil less your on your own it is not fool proof.

Edit: spices shown are part of my Mexican pulled pork rub.


No bone in mine and it was tied by the butcher into roast shape.

Seems like I got wrong cut.

Good meal but my son, who discovered he loves pulled pork on our recent vacation, was bummed it wasnt shredded.

Still chowed it down though.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Snuby642
No bone in mine and it was tied by the butcher into roast shape.

Seems like I got wrong cut.

Good meal but my son, who discovered he loves pulled pork on our recent vacation, was bummed it wasnt shredded.

Still chowed it down though.
Not so sure you got the wrong cut.

Sounds like you got the same cut I will cook. I will tie and season it on Friday morning. Will let you know if I have the same issues
 
  • Like
Reactions: pmclaine
Seems it is possible to get a pork butt rolled and tied by the butcher.
Probably added a 1.50 to the price per pound and completely unnecessary for pulled pork.

 
The other reasons you may not have gotten the tender pulled pork experience is.

It was not cooked to internal temperature of 200 degrees Fahrenheit.

It was not wrapped or not tight enough after hitting the stall, aproxamatly 150-165 degrees.

It was not rested in the wrap.

The Texas Crutch method works for pulled pork or brisket the main difference is cooking times and when you hit 200 i.t. on the briskets you open the foil to let out steam for a while so it will slice not shred.

Let steam out and when it starts to cool rewrap and rest a couple hours.

Your standard digital remote thermometers will tell you that meat is well done at 170 degrees.
While that is technically true it is not tender.

Keep pushing the up button till desired temperature is at 200 degrees.

Running a back yard pit is different than a large commercial pit.

You can not shove your meat as hard as they can. The ammount of meat in a large smoker can be pushed harder than a smaller amount of meat.

Suggest you stay closer to 225 for a max than 250 or more.

The Texas Crutch method is used for many reasons, saves time, saves wood and tenderizes.
Once wrapped you can transfer to the oven if you want.

Once a piece of meat stalls (sweats) a little it is time to wrap, very tightly.

This cuts cook time by 1/4 to 1/3.

Any of you that get variables in results will probably never go back.
 
Last edited:
A note on meat sweat times.

A smaller piece will sweat less and should be wrapped sooner at a lower temperature. A large piece will take longer and I let it sweat a little while before Crutching.
 
I think my problem was a failure to wrap my meat.

I didnt get that pressure cooking action that forces the meat to pieces.

I think my temps are good because this thing was on the grate from 1100 - 1800 and had it been too hot I cant imagine it would have been as tasty and moist as it was.

I was using the indirect fuel bins and sat a pan of water under the cut.

I included two chunks of pork belly laid on top to baste the shoulder.

Thinking had I wrapped everything up in foil nice and leak proof once the exterior pulled a good color Id have got my pressure cooking action.

Live and learn. Now I will have to try again.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Snuby642
Seems it is possible to get a pork butt rolled and tied by the butcher.
Probably added a 1.50 to the price per pound and completely unnecessary for pulled pork.

Tying a roast is super easy and it is really important to ensure a consistent cook and even distribution of temperature during the cooking process.
The upper shoulder is more desirable in terms of marbling as well. That is why you pay more.

Wikipedia has many uses but I will defer to the information that the butcher that taught me to cut meat provided
 
I think my problem was a failure to wrap my meat.

I didnt get that pressure cooking action that forces the meat to pieces.

I think my temps are good because this thing was on the grate from 1100 - 1800 and had it been too hot I cant imagine it would have been as tasty and moist as it was.

I was using the indirect fuel bins and sat a pan of water under the cut.

I included two chunks of pork belly laid on top to baste the shoulder.

Thinking had I wrapped everything up in foil nice and leak proof once the exterior pulled a good color Id have got my pressure cooking action.

Live and learn. Now I will have to try again.
I think the wrapping is important

Did you measure the internal temperature when you pulled it off? How long a rest did you give it? That is also important

Forgive all of the questions but I have not cooked a butt yet so I am just seeking to learn from others
 
Tomb thumb has pork butts at 1.37 lb on sale.

At that price grab some and experiment.

I get the big ones because everybody wants some of my pulled pork. Lol

Cook just one as I describe with your own favorite spices.
 
I think the wrapping is important

Did you measure the internal temperature when you pulled it off? How long a rest did you give it? That is also important

Forgive all of the questions but I have not cooked a butt yet so I am just seeking to learn from others


Always glad to converse with you.

I thinking wrapping is key.

Let it rest 15-20 minutes uncovered on the cutting board.

Texture of the meat was immediately recognizable as not conducive to "shredding".

Didnt have that "corned beef" texture that falls apart. Required knife work as the proteins were still intact.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Nik H
We should probably play it safe and start slowly into this and maybe just boil some water 1st. Then we'll work our way up to something really exciting like Smore's. :LOL:


1593626450566.png



You Boys are over thinking this stuff. Grab some meat. Put what strikes your fancy on it. Toss it in "something" low n slow. Baste if you like, but drink copious amounts of Beer and Whiskey. If you're not stumbling when it's done, you're doing it wrong. 😂
 
I usually use a shoulder or as it's sometimes called a blade roast. Has the big single bone in it. I just use a kosher salt and pepper rub and then smoke it on my Louisiana pellet grill at 225 for about 2-4 hours depending on size. Next, an Instant pot is your friend. Put roast in pot add about a half bottle of beer of choice ( I also sometimes add about a half teaspoon of liquid smoke or for variety add a chopped whole onion) and set on meat setting and seal. The meat will literally fall apart with a couple of meat forks. Then you can add BBQ sauce of your choice, either to the whole mess or individual sammiches. I personally like a little Stubbs with a shot of Frank's hot sauce.
 
I normally drink beer or whiskey when BBQing .

But ok shots of Frank's it is.

20200702_113401.jpg
 
Just started the road to pulled pork.

I really want to thank @Snuby642 for his awesome advice.

I started this morning by slathering the Boston Butt in yellow mustard to help bind the rub that I made.

Pork Butt - Slathered.jpg


I made my rub which is the same as I use for St. Louis Pork Ribs. I don't use sugar in my rub. Not a fan of sweet in BBQ. It can also taste bad if it burns. It helps the formation of bark but I think it is a crutch. Just my opinion.
I then tied the butt tight and wrapped in clear wrap. It will be refrigerated for the about 18 hours to let the salt in the rub work its magic.

Pork Butt - Marinating.jpg


I will add to this tomorrow!

Day 2

Meat is on

Pork Butt is On.jpg


4 Hours In!! Looking Good

Pork Butt - 4 Hours In.jpg
 
Last edited:
Just started the road to pulled pork.

I really want to thank @Snuby642 for his awesome advice.

I started this morning by slathering the Boston Butt in yellow mustard to help bind the rub that I made.

View attachment 7365507

I made my rub which is the same as I use for St. Louis Pork Ribs. I don't use sugar in my rub. Not a fan of sweet in BBQ. It can also taste bad if it burns. It helps the formation of bark but I think it is a crutch. Just my opinion.
I then tied the butt tight and wrapped in clear wrap. It will be refrigerated for the about 18 hours to let the salt in the rub work its magic.

View attachment 7365511

I will add to this tomorrow!


I wish you success where I have failed!

Carrying your shield or carried upon it are the only two options.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Nik H and Snuby642
I like mustard in a rub but the wife is not a fan. Next time I have multiple racks of ribs I will pester @Nic H for his no sugar rub.

I used to drive people in Atlanta nuts when I got mustard base Q and then eat it with tomato based sauce . Lol

Happy Independence Day to all.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Nik H
I like mustard in a rub but the wife is not a fan. Next time I have multiple racks of ribs I will pester @Nic H for his no sugar rub.

I used to drive people in Atlanta nuts when I got mustard base Q and then eat it with tomato based sauce . Lol

Happy Independence Day to all.

'Merica!
 
I like mustard in a rub but the wife is not a fan. Next time I have multiple racks of ribs I will pester @Nic H for his no sugar rub.

I used to drive people in Atlanta nuts when I got mustard base Q and then eat it with tomato based sauce . Lol

Happy Independence Day to all.
Super simple. I will send it to you
 
  • Like
Reactions: Snuby642
I haven’t used mustard as a binder in a long time, haven’t used anything and never had a problem keeping the rub on the meat. I’m cooking brisket, pork butt and ribs tomorrow. Pics are from a previous cook.
 

Attachments

  • C64F5877-D58B-4B21-9926-AA98E151E927.jpeg
    C64F5877-D58B-4B21-9926-AA98E151E927.jpeg
    83.2 KB · Views: 46
  • F9C13502-8ED3-484D-9B8E-6067BB837D5B.jpeg
    F9C13502-8ED3-484D-9B8E-6067BB837D5B.jpeg
    71.2 KB · Views: 39
  • E444F117-EF81-4573-AF82-E323DF022F50.jpeg
    E444F117-EF81-4573-AF82-E323DF022F50.jpeg
    82.8 KB · Views: 48
  • FC312CB1-EE4C-40F6-8784-C19FE3154C07.jpeg
    FC312CB1-EE4C-40F6-8784-C19FE3154C07.jpeg
    84.4 KB · Views: 52
@SRW what kind of pit in the last pic. All looks great. Traeger and barrel cooker here but looking to add to the herd
 
Microwaves are for expediting a defrost and feeding kids warmed mac and cheese.......