Pullin' some Pork!

I decided to smoke a pork shoulder this time, I have not done many pork shoulders so I figured it was time to get some more practice, and have many delicious meals!
I also had some new rub that I wanted to try out, Dizzy Dust  that I picked up at the Backyard BBQ store in Wilmette IL.

Picked up a nice big bone-in pork shoulder from Family foods.

Next step is to clean it up a bit.

Check to make sure there are no visible bone fragments and just trim some of the loose and excess fat.  Sometimes there will also be a large vein or two that you might want to cutout.

 Nice fat cap, don't trim this, it will protect the meat somwhat.

You don't want to trim too much fat off, this cut of meat is cheap and has lots of fat that is needed to keep it moist and juicy during cooking.   Most of the internal fat will render out as it cooks, the fat cap will mostly remain and can be scraped off or just avoided during the pulling process.

Injection time!

I didn't show the process for making the injection since its just putting stuff in a bowl and mixing.

Here is the ingredients:

• 1 cup Apple juice 
• 2 - 6oz cans Pineapple/Orange Juice (normally just pineapple, but I picked up the wrong package at the store)
• 3 Tbs Dark Brown Sugar
• 1 Tbs Chipotle Tabasco
• 1 Tbs Light Soy
• 1 Tbs Worcestershire

Inject all of the marinade into the shoulder, make as few holes as possible and just move the needle internally.
Focus on the Money Muscle and areas around the bone, which is usually the sweetest meat.

Cover and refrigerate for 12-24 hours, I don't like to rub it yet since much of the rub will come off.
I will rub my pork in the morning...

13 hours later -

Make sure to rub your pork well!   Generously apply it to all areas and make to rub it in good, don't get skimpy, it is a big cut of meat and needs lots of rub.   The only area to go easy on is the fat cap, most of it will be wasted so I only use a little on that side.

Wait another 12 hours or so...

Now to get the smoker ready.   I am cooking this on my Saffire, (Green Egg like cooker), and will be using Wicked Good Lump Charcoal.

First Entry

I thought I would start this site as a way to track my Homebrewing and BBQ smoking activities.

Beef Brisket Smoke

I got a 7.5 lb cryo packed Brisket from Costco.

24 hours before the smoke I injected the brisket with this:

In a bowl combine.
2 cups of homemade beef stock
2/3 cup lowfat low sodium beef broth(I had a partial can from making Slyders).
1/4 cup Extra virgin Olive Oil
1 TBS Apple cider vinegar
2 tbs Worcestershire
2 tbs Onion powder
1 tbs garlic powder
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tbs Paprika
1 tbs TABASCO® brand Chipotle Pepper Sauce

Inject the brisket and rubbed with Uncle Bub's dark rub.

Let sit for 8 Hours in the fridge then added a little more rub since some of it comes off from the injection oozing back out.

From Brisket 2010-01-30

From Brisket 2010-01-30

From Brisket 2010-01-30

After 24 hours remove from fridge and let warm for about an hour while preparing the smoker.
I used my Louisiana Country Smoker CS-570
Using Perfect Mix pellets(Hickory, Cherry, Pecan & Apple) from - Cookingpellets.com

When the brisket hit about 145 I started mopping with the leftover injection which I added about a cup of my home brewed Dunkelweizen to.

Smoked at 235 for 11 hours and finally the brisket hit 165, so I foiled it and put it in the oven at 250 to hasten the cook time, It was already 7pm and I was starving. I knew I should have started the night before but I was being lazy.

The brisket had the best flavor of any brisket I have ever cooked but was a little dryer then I was hoping for. I was concerned that it was going to get dry being on so long but it just did not want to gain temp.