Thread: 120lbs of Pulled Pork

I've never seen this kind of a grill. I was surprised by the amount of briquets you put in. I would think the tempurature would exceed 250 with that many briquettes. Am I missing something? Is there a technique for keeping the heat down? Lessening the amount of air?

I use about 1/4 of that many briquettes and add a few every two hours or so. I will try to do them for 10-12 hours as you suggest. I usually only go 4 hours max.

I may need to come down for some lessons.

Originally Posted by stimpy52

Our church uses little to no fine bourbon... but I am willing to preach the word.

BTW -- eating pulled pork as I write this.

Are you telling me that the cup on the alter is NOT bourbon?

Originally Posted by woodchuck

I'm in Auburn Hills but we spend alot of time on Lake Oakland.

We need to pull together another Michigan get together before it get's too cold to run a smoker.

Originally Posted by AFDavis11

I've never seen this kind of a grill. I was surprised by the amount of briquets you put in. I would think the tempurature would exceed 250 with that many briquettes. Am I missing something? Is there a technique for keeping the heat down? Lessening the amount of air?

I use about 1/4 of that many briquettes and add a few every two hours or so. I will try to do them for 10-12 hours as you suggest. I usually only go 4 hours max.

I may need to come down for some lessons.

Good question. I learned this technique from the Virtual Weber Bullet site. It is called the Minion method after the guy who invented it on accident. He was at a competition and I can't remember the exact thing that happened, but he ended up layering Kingsford and his wood chunks.

So what you see there is:
1. A single layer of charcoal
2. 3 wood chunks
3. A single layer of charcoal
4. 3 wood chunks
5. A single layer of charcoal
6. 3 wood chunks

Ok - so here is what happens. You light 15 briquettes per smoker and scatter them around the top of the charcoal mound. These 15 briquettes slowly ignite the coals underneath them, then they light the ones underneath them, then they light the bottom layer. With each layer of charcoal there is are fresh wood chunks to keep the smoke production.

So you start by opening all top and bottom vents. Assemble the unit and put in your meat. Leave it that way until the internal temperature of the unit reaches 200 degrees. Then close 2 of the 3 bottom vents and leave the top wide open. Now you only have one vent on the bottom that will control the whole temperature of the smoker for the whole cook time.

Setting it up this way will give you about 15 hours of cook time - easily enough for 60 lbs of meat. The whole mound does not ignite all at once like you might think.

I only had this fail once. I got hold of some bad Kingsford and the stuff just would not get to temperature. So I had to open all the vents. That got me my temperature, but also burned out my coals about 8 hours into a 14 hour smoke and I had to set it all up again 1/2 way through with fresh coals - that was a major PITA!

So I hope that explains it.

Oh wow! Very cool. That makes perfect sense to me. I'll try a few varieties of this concept out in the next few tries.

Originally Posted by AFDavis11

I've never seen this kind of a grill. I was surprised by the amount of briquets you put in. I would think the tempurature would exceed 250 with that many briquettes. Am I missing something? Is there a technique for keeping the heat down? Lessening the amount of air?

I use about 1/4 of that many briquettes and add a few every two hours or so. I will try to do them for 10-12 hours as you suggest. I usually only go 4 hours max.

I may need to come down for some lessons.

One other thing. What separates BBQ from other kinds of cooking is what happens chemically to the meat. When you apply low heat - 220-230 degrees is ideal - for that many hours you change the chemical composition of the connective tissue and keep the fat intact. It's base composition is collagen. But over time with the low heat, it turns into gelatin. The muscle fibers themselves would be dry without it. But the fibers are cooked and then coated by gelatin and fat - so the meat takes on a different texture.

I am looking for an internal temperature of 190 degrees and achieved at a near steady temperature of 220 to 230 degrees. It takes as long as it takes based on sizes and dimensions of the meat. But typically for a 10 lb shoulder you would be looking at 12 hours for the transformation to take place. Also during this time, smoke is penetrating the muscle tissue and chemically changing it's compsition as well - that is the pinkish smoke ring you see. But we are not trying to cure the meat like a ham would be. Just cook it with low heat, smoke and time.

I have read that fat boils at over 250 degrees. I am not sure exactly what happens to the collagen, but I assume that it won't turn to gelatin - probably burns off. But that is the difference between BBQ and roast pork. The meat should be fall apart tender. If not you have made roast pork.

David

Originally Posted by Alembic

We need to pull together another Michigan get together before it get's too cold to run a smoker.

If you are willing to host, I would be pleased to help with organizing and setup. I had a great time in Grand Rapids.

Originally Posted by Bill S

What??? I know you're kidding....right?

Sadly, no. My wife has severe food allergies and intolerances. She can't have beef or pork and I tend to try to cook and grill things that we both can have, so I have never done pulled pork...yet. Someday though, I'm going to have to do one if I can ever make room in the freezer, because I guarantee if I'm going to do it, I'm going to stuff that Egg to the brim!

Originally Posted by Utopian

My wife has severe food allergies and intolerances. She can't have beef or pork and I tend to try to cook and grill things that we both can have, so I have never done pulled pork...yet. Someday though, I'm going to have to do one if I can ever make room in the freezer, because I guarantee if I'm going to do it, I'm going to stuff that Egg to the brim!

That's unfortunate for both of you. My sister in law has a similar condition and I have seen what a challenge it can be. You have my sympathy.

Here I thought you were just being lazy....should have known better.

Originally Posted by Bill S

That's unfortunate for both of you. My sister in law has a similar condition and I have seen what a challenge it can be. You have my sympathy.

Here I thought you were just being lazy....should have known better.

It has gotten better in the past year. Before that I couldn't cook anything that smelled, because it automatically made her cry. I ate a lot of rice and pasta with stir fried vegetables and no sauce--the sauces all smelled and set her off. Eating food that is entirely unsatisfying lead to me gaining weight because I was eating too much of it. Fortunately, lately she has become more tolerant of some smells. I still wouldn't dare have popcorn or pizza in the house, but I can cook more variety than I used to.

The only meats she can eat are unadulterated chicken, bison, and lamb. I guess I'll just have to grill some lamb the day before I put the butts in the egg. That way we can both be happy!

Her food issues used to be so bad that I would cheat on her a couple times a year. In my case though, cheating consisted of going out to eat with a friend of mine and having ice cream!