Advice on a Picnic Shoulder in the PBC

[KingOfSilverSpring]

To date I have done a number butts, or boneless boston butt pork shoulders on the PBC with a great deal of success.

I was at my local grocery store yesterday and they have a great deal on picnic shoulders. I got a 12 pound shoulder with the skin still on one side.

I have not seen a lot of posts or discussions about smoking a picnic shoulder versus a boston butt in the PBC and I know Meathead recommends the boston butt for pulled pork.

Anyone have any experience with picnic shoulders? My primary questions are:

1. Should I remove the skin or not?

2. What is the best way to hang a picnic shoulder?

3. Is the time / method to smoking the same as I would use for a boston butt?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

[bbqoaf]

I can only comment on #3 and the answer is yes. I have done Picnics before and they are delicious.

[W.A.]

I remove the skin and hook it close to the bones in two spots. I think it takes longer for shoulder, but I don't have good evidence.

[Dewesq55]

I don't use a PBC, but I have cooked a few picnics since until recently that was all I could get. You definitely remove the skin for smoking and trim the fat under it as well. Skin and fat don't give you bark. Shoulders are great for pulled pork, they just have more bone than a butt.

[_John_]

I have only done a couple, but only used one for pulled pork. I remove the skin, fat, and hang til 165 and slice, makes a great holiday type ham. Some people I know leave the fat and skin and say it's just like a built in hunk of pork belly. The pulled pork I did the same way as a shoulder.

[_John_]

Also that reminds me of something I wanted to try the next time I did one like a ham. I found a recipe some time ago for Momofuku Bo Ssam that looked different and awesome. Same general principle but at the end you heat an oven to 500, cover it in brown sugar, and bake for 10 minutes. Gives a very cool looking caramel crust.

[jmott7]

I've done a butt momofuku style, but I just cranked the heat in the pit at the end, rather than going to the oven. It was excellent. Maybe my best butt to date. Don't forget the ginger scallion sauce. I'm doing a shoulder today.

[Dewesq55]

If I was cooking a Latin American style pernil, I would cut the skin almost off but leave it hanging by a small piece near the hock. I would flap it back when I rubbed the marinade paste all over the shoulder then flip it back and just put salt and pepper on the skin. When the IT reached about 185-190, I would turn the oven temp up to about 400 to crisp the skin into cracklings, watching it like a hawk that it doesn't turn to soot, which it can in a hurry. Mmm, mmm good, as they used to say.

[Jerod Broussard]

I cooked one in the Pit Barrel. Time didn't seem a whole lot longer than a butt. May have been a tad longer. I know them bones came right out.

I definitely removed the skin, let me see if I can find some pics. Not in order. hahaha

[Spinaker]

Duuude, rub overload!!!! That thing is getting a real rub bath, eh? I bet you get a brak a mile thick with that slather!!

[Jerod Broussard]

Next time I cook one, I think I'm going to cut it down the middle to the bones, remove them, stuff that sucker with onions and bell peppers, rub down, cook the crap out that sucka!

[Spinaker]

I've done quite a few picnics
.
#1 I always remove the skin.
#2 I tie mine with four pieces of butcher twine to keep it all together, then hook the butt down as far as the hooks will permit. The Butt should rest with the side pointing up and the other side down towards the fire. So what would be the "top" and "bottom" of the butt, if it were on a table, are facing the side walls. Just like Mr. B did in the pics above.
#3 I havent noticed any real significant time difference between doing a bone in or bone out.

Usually I hang mine until the IT is about 190 or so, then I put the grate in and wrap that bad boy. If you wait until 180 F or north there of, you get an awesome bark formation on the butt. Its for this reason that I try to go as long as possible before wrapping. Some people are not comfortable waiting that long to wrap. So you can do it when ever you want.When I do eventually wrap I, put about a cup of Apple juice in the foil and put it back on the PBC till about 202 F.
Good Luck, I hope this helps

-John

[Spinaker]

@ Jerod, Yep 3/4 inch pipes, and they work awesome. I just got the 733 and forgot to add it. Thanks for the heads up.

[Jerod Broussard]

Now that is where a motorized vent cap would work on a big enough pipe. Allow it to open and close depending on pit temp. Rather than have a fan below blowing air in, have a vent up top controlling air flow, and subsequently pit temp.

[_John_]

Tube socks mod

[Jerod Broussard]

Also, I forgot to mention. Picnics have loooooooong muscle strands. Next time I am slicing that thing in three, across the length of it, then pulling each section.