I had some friends invite themselves over (which we love) on Saturday night wanting some of the smoked chicken my wife raved... No pictures, but I took the advice and kept the temps higher than last time (avg 325 vs. 275ish last go around). Chicken finished at the 60 min mark on the dot reading 165 in the breast. Skin was much better and the juiciness was off the charts, though I think I'll run it up to 350-375 next time for the skin. Is it best to cook in that range the entire time or just the last 10-15 minutes?
After that cook, around midnight, I refueled and put on an 8lb butt after dry brining for 11 hours and then using a little olive oil and beef & game rub. I added three Weber Apple Wood chunks. Pit was running 350+ after 30 min (I think this was caused by using some hot coals from the chicken cook in addition to the chimney method), so I plugged one rebar hole and hit the sack. 4 hours later, temp was 247, so I took the foil off. 3 hours later, temp was 270 and maxed at 296 during that time so I was happy about that. Meat was 171 and I needed to get a move on, so I wrapped in foil, but an hour later temps were 250 with dying coals, so I finished in oven at 325. I pulled when temp was 203 and I was about 10 minutes late for church... So just right
. Roughly 10 hour cook.
Rested meat for 2 hours in faux cambro and was 186 before letting rest at room temp for 20 min before we couldn't keep our hands off of it... We then cracked some beers, ate BBQ and apple pie, and cheered on participants in an Ironman triathlon (a delicious irony, I love America!).
My friends swear they weren't lying to me when they said it was the best pulled pork they had (admittedly we don't have good BBQ joints in Chattanooga, kind of ironically). There were a few places where the meat wasn't as tender, but I was super pumped about the overall tenderness and bark.
Now to read about those ash catcher mods...
After that cook, around midnight, I refueled and put on an 8lb butt after dry brining for 11 hours and then using a little olive oil and beef & game rub. I added three Weber Apple Wood chunks. Pit was running 350+ after 30 min (I think this was caused by using some hot coals from the chicken cook in addition to the chimney method), so I plugged one rebar hole and hit the sack. 4 hours later, temp was 247, so I took the foil off. 3 hours later, temp was 270 and maxed at 296 during that time so I was happy about that. Meat was 171 and I needed to get a move on, so I wrapped in foil, but an hour later temps were 250 with dying coals, so I finished in oven at 325. I pulled when temp was 203 and I was about 10 minutes late for church... So just right
. Roughly 10 hour cook.Rested meat for 2 hours in faux cambro and was 186 before letting rest at room temp for 20 min before we couldn't keep our hands off of it... We then cracked some beers, ate BBQ and apple pie, and cheered on participants in an Ironman triathlon (a delicious irony, I love America!).
My friends swear they weren't lying to me when they said it was the best pulled pork they had (admittedly we don't have good BBQ joints in Chattanooga, kind of ironically). There were a few places where the meat wasn't as tender, but I was super pumped about the overall tenderness and bark.
Now to read about those ash catcher mods...
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