PICS - Meat for first smoke

Others may chime in, but I don't want to leave you hanging for too long. IMHO, You'll want to get the skin off the picnic roast, and I tie up my pork butts with butcher string, get them both in a brine (if you are using a brine), and if not, then rubbed down with your favorite rub...which may still be coming in the interior of the SMO55.

Depending upon how shipping is working, I hope you didn't jump the gun in buying the pork. Remember you'll need to season the new smoker for at least 4 hours with nothing in it, too, before you can load it up with meat.

And my actual advice is to look up the "Getting Started" lessons online here, and then the "Pork Butt". You can treat the picnic the same as the pork butt, except for losing the skin on the picnic, and depending upon the density of the meat, "probably" the picnic will take longer because the mass of the picnic is probably larger than that of the butt.

COngrats and welcome!!! Dig into those 101's for more details.

I kinda agree, except I don't see the need to brine the pork roasts. If you do take off the skin, put the shoulder under the butt for extra basting. I would take it off just so I could get more rub on the roast. I think they are the same size. In that case, wouldn't matter which you monitor. You will need 4-6 oz. of wood chunks, probably 3 large ones from CookShack. Don't get impatient. If the plateau scares ya, turn the Smoker up full blast. You or it won't know the difference. I don't know where you are, sometimes we can get pork roasts for 89 cents a pound.

Good luck!

As far as prices, here in Kentucky the two butt pack at Sams Club has been consistently priced at $1.34/lb for the last year or so. When they go on sale at the big markets, 1.29 is the usual price at Krogers. Two of the local markets which carry more ethnic goods usually put butts on sale at .99/lb.

Don't bother taking the skin off the picnic. I just score the heck out of it (don't know if that really helps), and pull it after cooking- much easier job then!

Make sure you keep the picnic separate from the butt after cooking. Definitely different tastes and textures in each, most seem to prefer butts, but two of the KCAL gals prefer picnics...see which you and yours prefer.

No need to brine the butt or shoulder in such a moist cooking environment -- unless you are looking to add spices & flavorings. For the first smoke I would go as natural as possible; smoke and a basic rub.

Get to know your smoker THEN experiment with "whatever."

God luck!

One thing no one has mentioned is that your butts have been treated with the dreaded 'solution'. (8% if I read it correctly) No problem really except it is something you want to avoid if possible and if you do buy something that has been 'enhanced', you don't want to brine it because the 'solution' is a brine.

You're paying for that 8% water so try to avoid it for that reason as well.

quote:

Originally posted by vettman1:
My wife thinks I'm so strange because of the time that I'm spending on this forum...

Don't worry 'bout dat, we're all a little strange in here, but we like it dat way.

Good luck to ya, and have fun with your new purchase!!

seems like most all the wallmart meat has been injected.

quote:

My wife thinks I'm so strange because of the time that I'm spending on this forum...

Your wife is right. In fact I was just telling my wife that this vettman1 character is always logged in when I am logged in..... Strange....

yeah, really strange since I don't even have my 55 yet!

V'man...I, too, did not notice that the meat packages indicate the addition of an injected solution. I don't think you'll find that particularly off-putting in flavor, but you might find the texture of the meat different than what you'd normally expect.

Just keep that in mind and next time you may want to try some meat with no additives to compare.

For the record, I do not usually brine a shoulder or butt prior to smoking either, but some do and like it that way. I thought I'd throw that out as an option. You'll figure and decide along the way. And you keep on learning.

I shamefully admit that on my latest smoke I put in too much wood and turned the whole thing a bit bitter, so, note to self...

quote:

Originally posted by vettman1:
yeah, really strange since I don't even have my 55 yet!

vettman1, I have been a member for over 3 yrs before I purchased my cs50. I lurked even longer (before I actually registered).

Tell your wife that, and she won't think you are strange anymore. ** Thinking ** but I don't think I will ever be invited over for dinner. hehe

Just got the news. IT WILL BE HERE TOMORROW! (Unless it really snows on us like they say it's going to and with my luck, it will.)

quote:

Originally posted by vettman1:
Just got the news. IT WILL BE HERE TOMORROW! (Unless it really snows on us like they say it's going to and with my luck, it will.)

If it does get there I can't think of a better time to be screwing around with a new toy than with wintery weather all around.

Got some butts rubbed and in the fridge waitin' to be smoking tonight and on generator power in the morning.

Ok, it's here and if you haven't seen my other post, the smoker is at 4 hours on its seasoning voyage.

So... How much wood? I've got hickory, apple and cherry. (Got the apple and cherry from charcoalstore.com.) What would you use? Everyone has two hours to help me out with this decision...

How long do you think that these 2 9 pound pieces of meat will take?

Ok, if you're putting the 55 at 235, and presuming your temp to be accurate...it will take, hmmmm....awhile.

BUT, I'll put $5.00 in the pool and say 12 hours to get to 195 degrees. Others??



We make light, because it's reallllly hard to tell because of variations in temp, fat content of the pork, mass of the meat, tied or not, top of the cooker or bottom right near the 'smokehouse,' open the door to check on it, open to spritz it, keep it closed like you're supposta, cold meat when starting, cold CS or heated, ambient temps, and position of the moon, etc. etc. So, if nothing else, keep this phrase ringing in your ears, "it's done when it's done" oh, and if you bought a remote thermometer, sleep with it by your pillow!

Well you asked.

At 225*, I will bet on alot longer than 12 hours. Posted on the other thread.

I agree though, anyones' guess. Could take up to 24 hours. It is brand new.

I did a Boston Butt 7.5 lbs & a Brisket(?)lbs last Saturday it took 8hrs to hit 196Ëš with the dial all the way up. Sometimes it takes a lot longer. I had the brisket on the top shelf in a stainless pan covered with apple juice the Boston But with the fat cap up under closer to the heat source. They were both rubbed down with Canadian Steak seasoning I bought at SAMS. I had a deep fryer thermometer stuck through the vent hole in the top into the brisket and a digital thermometer with cable stuck in the Boston butt. The strange thing is the brisket came up on temp faster being on the top. It might have been that the butt was thicker even though it was on the bottom. They both came out perfect moist & yummy.

BTW I almost always use 2 chunks of Hickory when I smoke

Good luck with your new smoker.

quote:

Originally posted by GLH:
Well you asked.

At 225*, I will bet on alot longer than 12 hours. Posted on the other thread.

I agree though, anyones' guess. Could take up to 24 hours. It is brand new.

My bet's on 18 to 18.5 hours

Hey stop cheatin. You was post ta guess last night right after his post that he put it in at 9:30 pm !!!

I originally guessed 6 pm. I think it is gonna finish around 4:30 if he takes it to 195*.

quote:

Originally posted by GLH:
Hey stop cheatin. You was post ta guess last night right after his post that he put it in at 9:30 pm !!!

I originally guessed 6 pm. I think it is gonna finish around 4:30 if he takes it to 195*.

LOL!

quote:

Originally posted by GLH:
Well you asked.

At 225*, I will bet on alot longer than 12 hours. Posted on the other thread.

I agree though, anyones' guess. Could take up to 24 hours. It is brand new.

The 24 hours might be close !

All I know is it will get done when it gets done....

Congrats on the smoker vettman1