Wrapping a boneless pork shoulder

[Mgils24]

I was wondering what everyone’s thoughts were on wrapping pork shoulder.

I am am doing an 8lb boneless pork shoulder from Costco next weekend in my Backwoods Chubby. Does everyone wrap? Butcher paper or foil? It’s my first one so any advice/ techniques would be appreciated. Thanks

[RonB]

Either way will work. Wrapping will speed the cook a bit, but might affect the bark - the longer you wait to wrap, the less the affect will be.

You could cut the shoulder in half and cook one piece wrapped and one without wrapping to compare. An added bonus of doing this would be more bark because there is more surface area. They would probably cook a bit faster too.

[BriggsBBQ]

I actually score my pork shoulders to increase surface area. Also I trim the money muscle so that it is almost off of the shoulder.

[Huskee]

Cutting in half is a great plan, and doing one half each way is an even greater plan. Nice idea!

[Mgils24]

Good idea. I may have to do this now

[carsonbeeching]

I typically smoke my shoulder till it gets to around 160 to 165. At this point I put it in a foil pan with a little apple juice in the bottom. I stick a probe in it, foil over the top tightly and let it go until it reaches 200 or so. This is not the best for producing exceptional bark but it makes a tender shoulder.

[Nate]

Welcome from Indiana

[RonB]

Welcome to The Pit.

[RonB]

Welcome to The Pit.

[EdF]

I never wrap. Must be some kind of fundamentalist or something. TBH, I'm just lazy, and don't detect much difference. Could be that I've used a BGE since 2002, whose moisture retention affects the outcome.

[BriggsBBQ]

For me shoulders have enough fat they are hard to dry out. The other thing is everything on the egg is usually juicy because so much less airflow for the temp.

[klflowers]

I never wrap either. I'd rather drink beer through the stall...

[HawkerXP]

If I rap its after the stall. When all my neighbors are asleep.

[Mgils24]

That is definitely a solid plan

[klflowers]

HawkerXP lol

[SMO]

I only wrap during the cambro stage while waiting for everything else to be finished!

[scottranda]

I wrap when I need to speed it up. Otherwise, it stays unwrapped.

[Huskee]

Here's what I do. I smoke at 225-300 (anywhere in there is fine). I smoke until 180ish IT, then I wrap tightly in double layer of foil. Always. Here's why- wrapping at this temp will give me good bark, plentiful for what I personally like. Wrapping will also save quite a bit of jus in the foil, which I then drizzle back over the pulled product and stir in. This is lost if you go nekkid. I then take it to 200ish and do a 1-3 hr faux cambro hold. The bark softens some but delaying wrapping until after the stall allows enough bark to form so that wrapping doesn't hurt it. This is just what I like, not that it's best or that you should do it, but it's an option.

[BriggsBBQ]

Never done shoulder this way. Going to try it out next shoulder.

[klflowers]

After finishing one in the oven last night, I think I am going to try the Huskee method. I saved the jus out of the pan and mixed some of it in with the meat before serving and it was excellent.

[carsonbeeching]

The jus thing is why I wrap as well.

[jgreen]

If I am going to slice, I don’t bother wrapping, but if I want to do pulled pork I usually wrap at some point. Like Huskee , I prefer after the stall.

[Mgils24]

Thanks everyone. Really appreciate the ideas and look forward to trying a few different ways now. Will keep u updated with pics and process

[jlazar]

Also recommend you wrap it with butchers twine for the entire cook.

[Santamarina]

I rarely wrap, but if I do it’s only after the bark has fully formed and it has the right color (metiorite). The stall or internal temp never dictate when/if I wrap. Only bark formation.

[jecucolo]

Make sure you post pictures of you success!

[Mgils24]

Will do