A long smoke

Fired up the smoker to cook a two-pack pork shoulder from Sams yesterday (Sunday.)  It had been a while since I smoked shoulder and I was stressed a bit about how much time it would take.  Boy was I in for a surprise!


I actually got the shoulders rubbed Friday night so they were ready to go when I got up.  I had them on and smoking starting at 4:30 AM.


The smoking progressed as customary during the day, but I was not happy with the temperature readings from the oven thermometer.  I had positioned the port on the top and middle shelves and separated them so one would not be over the other.  In doing so I had pushed the middle shoulder over and it was making contact with the oven thermometer, which hangs in back of the middle shelf.


So I opened the smoker and switched them around then the temp readings normalized and I could adjust the temp more accurately.


Once adjusted the temp stayed right in the 220-230 F range where I want it.  That is a good sign for my plans for next time.


Since I only do this every other year I was unprepared for the total amount of time it would take to finish these.  They both hit 160F around 1PM but they rested there all afternoon rising at about one degree per hour.  So that stressed dinner and I had to crank them temp to 250F around 4:30 to help speed things up.


Even that didn't do it and I pulled the lower one off the grill at 6 PM and it was at 177F.  Too low, but it was still delicious.  It did not pull that well and was not really done all the way, though it was at a food safe temp.


I left the other shoulder on until 8PM and it had risen to 183F by then, still too low but high enough to wrap things up.  That shoulder pulled easier but clearly I need to cook them overnight to get them both to 190F and finish.


So I have a tactic for next time.  Now I just have to remember to do it that way.  Also I should just place the shoulders side-by-side on the bottom shelf to avoid the temperature issues.