First Pork Shoulder on my new WSM 22

[ecowper]

I've done one cook on the new WSM so far. I've also added the lid hinge, cause that's just a cool mod. I'm planning 6 racks of back ribs for the fourth. I wanted to make sure and get in another cook and really understand the thing over a long cook. So ran to the store and grabbed a pork butt, some Kingsford Blue and a fifth of Suntory scotch. Cause you can never have enough scotch at home.

Anyhow, going to cook that pork butt on the WSM and see how it goes. I have been doing pork butt for years on the Hasty-Bake, so I have a pretty good feel for it. But new to the WSM, obviously. I run the Hasty-Bake between 250-275 for pork butt. Going to try and run the WSM at 235. Mostly that's because it's the temp I like to cook ribs at, so I want to learn to manage the WSM at that temp. I never crutch, I just power through the stall.

Good looking pork butt. In cryovac at Safeway.

Tied and ready for a salt marinade for a few hours.


Salt marinade for a few hours, hanging out in the garage fridge.


My WSM 22 with lid hinge kit. As you can see, the inside is still kinda shiny. Need to get some more smoke in there.


Going to do this pork butt for Carnitas for tacos and tamales and that kind of thing. Gotta find a good rub recipe for that. Anybody have one?

Will put this guy on early tomorrow AM, figuring on a 12 hour cook, plus an hour (minimum) in the cambro. Will be getting started around 4:00 AM. I'll post pics in this topic as I progress, including the rub, how I load the charcoal, grill and meat temps, meat progress and final product.

[ecowper]

This is the rub I'm going to use, based on input from Breadhead ..... modified slightly based on my own likes (mostly adding garlic and onion powder)

2 TBSP garlic powder
2 TBSP chili powder
1 TBSP onion powder
1 TBSP ground cumin
2 tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp corn starch
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

Going to put that rub on tonight and let the butt sit in it overnight.

[Breadhead]

ecowper ...

Hmmm... Because you are using this as a rub you can take the corn starch out of it if you want. I put that in when I'm seasoning my taco meet in a skillet. The corn starch is included to thicken the beef stock I use when seasoning the taco meat. If you've already made the rub cool. The corn starch won't effect it.

[ecowper]

gotcha .... that makes sense and I was going to ask about the corn starch

[Danjohnston949]

@ecopower, If you look in the recipe section for Rubs under Dan's Damned Good BBQ Rub you will find a Post I made some time ago! It must be OK? I made up a Fresh Batch on Monday! I have reduced the Salt and Tenderquick in the Recipe because I Dry Brine with Kosher Salt for a Day Maybe Two Before using the Rub! I use the Spritz Recipe Incl to make the Rub adhere to the Butt, Ribs or What Ever!
Eat Well and Prosper! From a Backyard Cremator in Fargo ND, Dan

[ecowper]

Gonna check it out. Thanks for the tip

[ecowper]

Now the rub .... Used the recipe above, put a bit of olive oil on first and then the rub very liberally.

I'm already drooling and I've got 24 hours to go

[Breadhead]

Mmmm.... That should bark up nicely. I would have been tempted to cut that sucker in half. More bark, more better.😆

[DWCowles]

Looking good ecowper

[Mitchl]

Looking forward to the updates. Looking good so far. M

[ecowper]

Got the WSM fired up. I'm using Soo's donut for the charcoal, and 6 chunks of apple wood for smoke. The pork butt went on at about 5:30 AM. WSM is at 235 nice and steady.

[Huskee]

Beautiful. Only other pitmasters can look at a loaf of raw meat and say beautiful.

[ecowper]

I look at that and I can see what it will be

[fzxdoc]

"Beautiful. Only other pitmasters can look at a loaf of raw meat and say beautiful. "

You've got that right, Huskee.

[DWCowles]

Nice photos ecowper I have two pork butts ready for the WSM tonight

[ecowper]

I am definitely liking this rig. The temp slowly floated up from 235 to 250. I now have the bottom vents closed, except for one that is perhaps 1/8 open. The top vent is about 1/3 open. That brought the temp down to about 240. It's been sitting there for 20 minutes now. If that is the worst fluctuation I experience, that's nothing. Been running about 3 hours now.

[Jerod Broussard]

Apple and pork go together like peas and carrots and applesauce.

[Huskee]

Apple pie & moonshine go together (in a bottle) like 2 peas + a pod. Ain't that right DWCowles ?

[ecowper]

And we are deep in the stall now.

[ecowper]

Soo's donut after 12 hours is still going strong. Pork butt has hit 198. The smell is driving me crazy.

[Huskee]

Very nice pictures!

[fuzzydaddy]

ecowper that's a beautiful butt. Very very good bark. Even though I have a PartyQ on my BGE that runs the show, I still hang around just to catch the aroma.

[ecowper]

The stall is fine by me. It's part of the cook. I don't crutch, either. Yeah, it was looking good at 198! Took it off at 201 .... Bone moved nice and free, came out with my fingers.

[ecowper]

Finished product. Made tacos with it. Squeezed a little lime juice on the pork and stuck it in a tortilla shell.

My wife said this is how I should do pork butt from now on. My friend that cameover tonight asked me to make this for his 50th birthday in September.

I think I scored a major hit with this cook.

[DWCowles]

Looks great! ecowper