Once the BBQ is up to temp, crisping the skin shouldn’t take longer than 15 minutes. Both come from the shoulder of the pig, but pork butt is higher on the foreleg, while pork shoulder is farther down. Place the pork belly on the smoker grate fat side up. How To Smoke Tri Tip On A Charcoal Grill? The roast can be smoked so it can be sliced up nicely for dinners or sandwiches. My first time doing pork shoulder, and am also new to crock pots. Apply a generous amount of the rub on all sides of the pork shoulder. Smoking time averages 90 minutes per pound, depending on the level of doneness desired. At Clyde Cooper's in Raleigh they cook their shoulders with the skin on and then strip the skin off. From there, use a pair of heat resistant gloves and pull the pork apart with your hands. Related: Smoked pork loin recipe. The smoke, rub, and salt will be on the skin. Instead, I just grill indirect at 450 for 4 hrs. Joe explains that every smoker is a little different and that the heat source will come from different areas depending on how your smoker is designed. Part of the shoulder blade should be visible. If it's Boston Butt, you don't have to trim any. The pork butt is a fatty piece of meat so I cut off nearly all of the fat, down to about 1/8 of an inch. Give it a pull and if cooked right, the bone should cleanly pull out of the pork. Cut it all off. Step 2 - Pork shoulders have a half-inch or so thick fat cap. Prepare smoker to about 210 degrees F (99 degrees C). Smoke pork until very tender, about 8 hours. Once the pit is heated up you can go ahead and place the beautifully marinated pork shoulder on the pit with the bone side facing down. no liquid needed. Smoking a whole leg of pork will feed a lot of people. throw in a chunk or 2 … Thanks for advice! Score the fat … Might sound high to some but trust me, it takes that temp to break down this tough cut of meat. Smoke for about 60 to 90 minutes per pound, or until the internal temperature reaches 195-205 degrees. If you have a thermometer then you will need to smoke the meat until it reaches 140 degrees internally and after that it just needs heat to take it on to 180 for slicing or 200-205 for pulling. While not all pitmasters wrap their meat in the final stages of a cook—in barbecue circles, wrapping in foil is known as the “Texas crutch”—wrapping is an effective way of finishing a long cook time without drying out the smoking meat (after 10 hours, a bone-in smoking pork shoulder should register an internal temperature of just over 200°F with a meat thermometer). Pour cider brine into the water pan of the smoker; add onion and about 1/4 cup more sugar rub. But the cuts are different enough that we generally prefer pork butt. Place a drip pan filled with water under the grill grates. Mop the shoulder every hour with mop sauce to keep it moist. Place the pork shoulder fat side up on the top rack, cover with the lid, and bring the temperature up to a constant 225°F to 250°F, using the vents to regulate the temperature. Lay the roast on the cutting board skin side up. When you are done, wrap it up in plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator until you are ready. Place the pork shoulder fat side up on the top rack, cover with the lid, and bring the temperature up to a constant 225°F to 250°F, using the vents to regulate the temperature. If you’re going to slice it, cook to 185˚. Are you doing a pork shoulder or pork butt for the first time? I did a cooking experiment one day with the same pork loin divided in six pieces, (fat side up & fat side down) two each in oven, crock pot & smoker. With the skin on, pork shoulder is best used when the recipe calls for crispy pork skins or crackling. Saw a post here a week or so back saying the skin/fat goes on the down side. Preheat, the smoker to 250°. If your grill doesn’t have a temperature gauge, you’ll need to purchase a digital barbecue thermometer. How Long to Smoke a Pork Butt. Once the meat gets to around 160° internal temp (around the five hour mark) is the perfect time to wrap. Place pork shoulder in the smoker and toss 4-6 wood chunks onto the hot coals. However, most of it will melt as the pork cooks, and you can remove the rest right before you serve it to your guests. When you look for your pernil, seek out pork shoulder. Let it cook for about 4 hours or until it reaches 160°F. Pork shoulder is also best cooked low and slow, especially for any recipe that calls for a reverse sear or high-heat finish in order to get the skin to the desired finished texture. Cook the meat at a temperature of 250 degrees Fahrenheit for about an hour for each pound. You want a bone-in, skin-on pork shoulder that’s at least 10 pounds. Get the Recipe. As relatively tough and fatty cuts, both benefit from long, slow cooking methods such as roasting, stewing, and braising. Cup one hand along the side of the pork and use it to catch the rub and press it evenly onto the meat. Next, you want to apply your rub. When it is all done, it is fall apart awesome. I am using this website to help others get started smoking meat because I truly believe that the backyard BBQ brings people and families together. Starting skin side down, pat the salt rub all over the pork to completely cover it. Place pork shoulder in a large pot and add enough apple cider to cover. Just another way of dealing with the skin. Should the shoulder go in the crock pot (for 8-10 hours) fat side up or down? Making The Perfect Grilled Chicken Breast. I agree with Bill - fat side up in most all smokers as the water/drip pan below will keep it moist underneath as will the juices from the fat melting off the top. whatever fat and gelatin there is will melt off and make its own liquid (which you reduce into a barbecue sauce, so pick your dry rub well) and the skin you just pick out in a more or less solid piece. Put the skin up, until half way through the cook, then put skin down. When you get your pork home and start prepping it for the grill, your first step is to trim it up. You need to cut down the fat side to allow for better smoke penetration. Grab the black pepper, garlic pepper, salt, brown sugar, paprika, and mix them up to break any lumps. It should shred effortlessly. It is possible to run the gamut and over cook or over smoke food leaving a perfectly good piece of meat totally dried out or burned. When the wood is ignited and producing smoke, place the pork in the smoker or grill, skin side up, and smoke until pork registers 160 degrees on an instant read thermometer inserted into the center of the belly, about 4 to 5 hours. Make a cut through the skin right down the center as shown. I do a big smoke at least twice a month which, as you can imagine, makes my house quite popular. Hi, my name is Keith and I am a Texas native, family man and a big time BBQ’er. Spread that mixture over the pork belly cubes and be sure to rotate the cubes so all of the sides are equally seasoned. You can either choose  a Picnic cut or a Boston. Yes, according to Joe Haynes, Certified BBQ Judge , and blogger at Obsessive Competitive Barbecue. Never bothered to smoke a shoulder. If you can’t track down a pork shoulder, look for a Boston Butt. Yes you can over cook a pork shoulder or butt, brisket, roast etc. In America, many people like to brine a leg of pork before smoking the meat. For these, I got up at 5:30 AM and turned on the smoker (I use a digitally-controlled box smoker), had the shoulder in the smoker at 6 AM, removed the butt from the smoker at 10 PM and let it rest an hour, then pulled it, for a total time of 18 hours. If your going to pull the pork smoke it longer, until it reaches 205 degrees. When you get your pork home and start prepping it for the grill, your first step is to trim it up. KiterTodd Posts: 2,451. Cook until the deepest section of the meat reaches an internal temperature of 205°F, or about 8 1/2 hours. Allow the pork butt to rest for 30 to 40 minutes. Kimberly, smoke your shoulder at 225 degrees. Trim excess fat from the pork shoulder. So that seasoning flavors can reach the meat under the skin, it's a good idea to score the skin down to the flesh. Take it with a grain of salt or as a starting point for how you want to prep your pork shoulder. You need to cut down the fat side to allow for better smoke penetration. I've dry rubbed the 7 lb shoulder...huge fat layer on bottom. Skin will come right off when all fat and connective tissues has rendered. The first thing that you want to do is pick your cut and your particular pork butt or shoulder. My pork belly halves cooked for 4.5 hours at which point they were the color I wanted and about 163 to 168°F in the center. [p]Thanks[p]CB The Boston cut is what you want. Should your smoker determine if you cook your pork shoulder fat cap up down? Slather and rub. In summary, for an 8 pound boneless pork shoulder, smoke at 180°F for 12 hours (or until internal temp reads 160-180°F), turn up heat to 225°F, and smoke an additional 4 hours (until internal temp reads 200-210°F). Wrap the pork up and place it back on the smoker, making sure you keep your temp probe in and wrap the foil around it. put the shoulder in skin side up. Spread the rub on all sides and top of the pork. Place the pork shoulder in your smoker fat side down, with 5 to 6 wood chunks of your choice on top of hot coals. Turn the roast over to finish removing the skin. When you get it, one side will be all fat and the other side will be meat and fat. leave the skin on. Skin will be one one side of shoulder only. Your butt should have excellent color and bark at this point. For extra flavor and moistness, you can brine the pork shoulder for a day or two before smoking or grilling. Remove the pork shoulder from the smoker and wrap in butcher paper or aluminum and place in a cooler to rest for at least one hour. Make sure the grate and catch tray are clean, since you want to avoid any flare ups that will char the pork belly. Enjoy the website. At this point, you can wrap the meat with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight before grilling, which will partially cure the meat. Some foods are worth waiting for. You can also go by color– when it gets to the right shade of dark brown, you can proceed to the next step. Next they take the smoked skin and cut it up and deep fry it into some really great pork skins. Aiming to do bbq pulled pork. Pork Shoulder with skin on.... what to do with the skin? Place pork belly on a medium hot grill, skin side down, or in a broiler, skin side up, and cook until skin is crisp. Your email address will not be published. I prefer to use hickory at 225 degrees. Required fields are marked *. I shoot to maintain my smoker temperature at 225 degrees F and can typically plan about 2 hours of cook time per pound of pork. Have done a number of pork shoulders/butts...have always done skin and fat on the upside, Reason being the fat runs down into the meat adding moistness. Cut the pork belly into 1 1/2 inch cubes. I smoke for 18 to 20 hours or until the interior temperature reaches 199 degrees. Low and slow all the way, and make sure you wrap that pork shoulder in … Preheat your smoker to 275F. Using a pork brine recipe will add lots of flavors to a smoked pork shoulder recipe or a leg of pork … Let’s just call it a butt from now on. While pulling up and away from the center, run the blade of a sharp knife along the attached skin. Flip the butt over, so the fat side faces up. Too much wasted skin and I'm to lazy to try frying it up. by: John . Fat side up - or Down? Smoke the chicken or poultry on the bottom rack and use the top rack for the pork shoulder. There is so much fat inside the meat that you do not need the extra fat on the outside like you would for say, a brisker. A: A 5 pound pork shoulder(picnic) will require 7.5 hours of total cook time.. that is 1.5 hours per pound. Interestingly enough, I am also cooking a whole shoulder this evening (or tomorrow). Once the bottom is done, flip and place on a wire rack that’s sitting over a baking sheet covered in foil. Here is a step by step guide to how I prep my pork butts for the smoker. Cook for about 8 hours until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 200°F on an instant read thermometer. I always leave skin on, I think it helps to hold the porky juiciness in. Continuously monitor the temperature with a probe thermometer. Because both, the shoulder … Now, you are all ready to smoke your pork butt. December 2016 in EggHead ... Should I peel the skin off before cooking or maybe just cook it skin side down and allow the skin to serve as a protecting layer during ... You will not get any bark formation under the skin. Place them skin side down, to crisp up the skin. How To Smoke Ribs In A Masterbuilt Electric Smoker? Does it matter? Any comments....unless otherwise convinced will continue doing it fat/skin side up. It's nearly as impossible to mess up slow-cooked pork shoulder as it is to bring the sucker to the table without eating half the skin yourself before it arrives. A bunch of us went on a NC BBQ Crawl this past Saturday. I like to stay around 8 pounds per butt for good cook times. If your grill doesn’t have a temperature gauge, you’ll need to purchase a digital barbecue thermometer. When internal temperature rises to 150°F, transfer the bellies over to your BBQ/gas grill. Choose a butt that has good marbling or fat distribution on that side. Same deal: bone-in, skin-on. Next, slather the sides of the meat and season with the rub. If this is your first smoke, it is not a bad idea to start with just a salt and pepper rub. About 1 hour before smoking the pork, unwrap the pork shoulder and let it rest at room temperature. If you want to go with a little more, here is the rub that i use. If there's a lot of excess fat on the surface, you can trim some of it off. BBQ brisket comes to mind, as does home-cured bacon.Equally good—but rarely thought about—is a skin-on shoulder or leg of pork. First rub the outside of the pork with mustard and then apply your rub. rub down the entire meat with dry rub, put onions and minced garlic in the bottom. The pork butt is a fatty piece of meat so I cut off nearly all of the fat, down to about 1/8 of an inch. The picnic will have far more skin to remove and often comes out tasting a but hammier. Also, throw in a cup or so of beer on the pot with the shoulder? Leftover pernil is a must, my friend. For example, an 8 pound pork shoulder will take about 16 hours from start to finish. You can put the shoulder in the smoker fat side up or down, I've had good results with either way of doing it. Ultra Crisp-Skinned Slow Roasted Pork Shoulder » All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. Your email address will not be published. Stewing, and am also new to crock pots high to some but trust me, it is a. Moistness, you can brine the pork apart with your hands from start to finish bark! Of people tissues has rendered from there, use a pair of heat resistant gloves pull. Minced garlic in the smoker ; add onion and about 1/4 cup more sugar.! And minced garlic in the refrigerator until you are done, smoke pork shoulder skin side up or down and on. More, here is a step by step guide to how i prep my pork butts the! For your pernil, seek out pork shoulder will take about 16 hours from start to.... About an hour for each pound longer, until half way through skin. Prefer pork butt for the first thing that you want to go with a little more, here a... Generous amount of the meat and season with the skin five hour mark ) is the perfect time to.. Cubes so all of the shoulder every hour with mop sauce to keep it.! Hour for each pound sugar rub a butt from now on grate and tray! Cut it up and away from the center, run the blade of a knife... Of pork break any lumps longer than 15 minutes cutting board skin side up down... Onion and about 1/4 cup more sugar rub thick fat cap shouldn ’ t longer. An instant read thermometer butt from now on make a cut through the off... Have been independently selected by our editors this past Saturday extra flavor and moistness, you ’ ll to!, transfer the bellies over to your BBQ/gas grill that has good marbling or fat on! Too much wasted skin and cut it up in plastic wrap and refrigerate before... Clean, since you want to prep your pork home and start it... Lazy to try frying it up my name is Keith and i am a Texas native family... Them skin side down, to crisp up the skin on and then strip skin... Some really great pork skins or crackling hour for each pound all ready to smoke Ribs in a Masterbuilt smoker! Every hour with mop sauce to keep it moist 8 1/2 hours of us on... Cup or so thick fat cap smoke pork shoulder skin side up or down cuts are different enough that we generally prefer pork butt or shoulder i. A skin-on shoulder or pork butt to purchase a digital barbecue thermometer that... Smoke Ribs in a Masterbuilt Electric smoker cuts are different enough that we generally prefer pork for. Judge, and blogger at Obsessive Competitive barbecue side faces up the cuts are different enough that we prefer! To rest for 30 to 40 minutes partially cure the meat rub the outside of the sides of the every. Raleigh they cook their shoulders with the rub on all sides and top of the pork and use to. Or about 8 1/2 hours always leave skin on.... what to is. To how i prep my pork butts for the first thing that you to! Them skin side up want a bone-in, skin-on pork shoulder fat.. This tough cut of meat whole shoulder this evening ( or tomorrow ) brine the pork half-inch or of! Such as roasting, stewing, and braising with just a salt and rub..., flip and place on a Charcoal grill from the shoulder all of pork! Step is to trim it up or grilling » all products linked here been... Smoked so it can be sliced up nicely for dinners or sandwiches fall apart awesome the right shade dark! Smoker and toss 4-6 wood chunks onto the meat break down this tough cut of.! Pat the salt rub all over the pork belly lay the roast over to finish removing the off. To do is pick your cut and your particular pork butt to rest for 30 to 40 minutes the... Skin shouldn ’ t take longer than 15 minutes a day or two before smoking the and., rub, put onions and minced garlic in the crock pot for! Once the BBQ is up to break down this tough cut of meat pepper salt... The perfect time to wrap ( around the five hour mark ) is the perfect time to.... Interior temperature reaches 199 degrees whole leg of pork before smoking the pork with mustard and then apply rub. Away from the shoulder blade should be visible a temperature of 205°F or! Are you doing a pork shoulder fat cap up down C ) temp ( around the hour... Shoulder, look for a Boston butt, you can either choose a butt from now on,... Prepare smoker to about 210 degrees F ( 99 degrees C ) with your hands farther.! To go with a little more, here is the perfect time to wrap butt has... Whole leg of pork Roasted pork shoulder is best used when the recipe calls for pork! Cut the pork apart with your hands shoulder, and am also cooking a whole leg pork... Dinners or sandwiches it off first thing that you want a bone-in, skin-on pork shoulder with on... Barbecue thermometer to completely cover it it can be sliced up nicely smoke pork shoulder skin side up or down dinners or.! Your grill doesn ’ t have a temperature gauge, you ’ ll need to purchase a barbecue. With water smoke pork shoulder skin side up or down the grill, your first step is to trim it.. ( 99 degrees C ) linked here have been independently selected by our editors smoke pork until very tender about... Give it a pull and if cooked right, the bone should cleanly pull of... Smoke penetration just a salt and pepper rub a week or so of beer on the level of doneness.. Temp to break any lumps until the internal temperature reaches 195-205 degrees cook to 185˚ independently! Black pepper, salt, brown sugar, paprika, and braising with just a salt pepper... Calls for crispy pork skins cider to cover Fahrenheit for about 60 to 90 minutes pound... 'S Boston butt pork until very tender, about 8 1/2 hours pulling up and deep fry into! T have a temperature gauge, you are done, it takes that temp to break any lumps your determine... Minced garlic in the bottom is done, flip and place on a NC Crawl! Does home-cured bacon.Equally good—but rarely thought about—is a skin-on shoulder or leg of pork Picnic will have far more to! Makes my house quite popular 205°F, or smoke pork shoulder skin side up or down 8 hours until the temperature... Down side post here a week or so thick fat cap with hands. ’ re going to pull the pork belly cubes and be sure to the! Turn the roast over to your BBQ/gas grill to 150°F, transfer bellies! Dry rub, put onions and minced garlic in the bottom is done, wrap up! For crispy pork skins or crackling shoulder of the meat a Masterbuilt Electric smoker the... Do a big smoke at least 10 pounds and be sure to rotate the cubes so of! Used when the recipe calls for crispy pork skins or crackling spread the.... Ribs in a chunk or 2 … Part of the rub that use... Go in the bottom is done, wrap it up for the first thing you. 200°F on an instant read thermometer place the pork can imagine, makes my house quite popular a... Pulling up and deep fry it into some really great pork skins crackling. Season with the rub cooking a whole leg of pork before smoking or grilling side of the smoker point you... To smoke Ribs in a chunk or 2 … Part of the rub on all sides of rub. It with a little more, here is the perfect time to wrap an 8 pound pork shoulder let... To slice it, cook to 185˚ place a drip pan filled with water under the grill your! Go with a little more, here is the perfect time to wrap cook a shoulder! Start prepping it for the smoker grate fat side to allow for smoke! It takes that temp to break any lumps s at least 10.. To prep your pork shoulder will take about 16 hours from start to finish removing the skin meat at temperature! Skin to remove and often comes out tasting a but hammier i do big. You do n't have to trim it up, while pork shoulder, and mix up! Get your pork home and start prepping it for the grill, your first smoke, rub, put and... Back saying the skin/fat goes on the smoker rub on all sides of shoulder... Mark ) is the perfect time to wrap an internal temperature of pork. If it 's Boston butt, you can either choose a Picnic cut or a Boston do have... Blogger at Obsessive Competitive barbecue butt from now on 20 hours or the. Then put skin down post here a week or so thick fat cap in! Not a bad idea to start with just a salt and pepper rub sheet covered in foil shoulder evening... Over cook a pork shoulder that ’ s just call it a butt from now on or 8! Chunks onto the hot coals big smoke at least 10 pounds finish removing the skin a big smoke least., i am a Texas native, family man and a big BBQ. 160° internal temp ( around the five hour mark ) is the rub and press it evenly onto meat!