The Pulled Pork Thread

[TripletDaddy]

So for every meat it is the buttery resistance test you are using?

no. obviously chicken doesnt require that sort of test. ribs and tip don't really, either. butter test works best for meats that require a low and slow breakdown of connective tissue. ribs do fit into that category but dont have enough meat to warrant that kind of test.

[Joe Public]

no. obviously chicken doesnt require that sort of test. ribs and tip don't really, either. butter test works best for meats that require a low and slow breakdown of connective tissue. ribs do fit into that category but dont have enough meat to warrant that kind of test.

I disagree on ribs. Lots of people use the toothpick test. The bend test and twist test are also the same kind of test.

[Moliere]

I disagree on ribs. Lots of people use the toothpick test. The bend test and twist test are also the same kind of test.

Yes, bend and twist test on ribs is the best. I use a fork on butts and brisket but generally start testing when they hit 185.

I like having the Maverik as it allows me to check the temp without interrupting what I'm doing. Seems like DDD doesn't mind spending going in and out of the house 5-6 times to check temps. I imagine it would suck even more when it's raining

[ERCougar]

I disagree on ribs. Lots of people use the toothpick test. The bend test and twist test are also the same kind of test.

Right, I was thinking "just like ribs, I guess" when I read DDD's post in the first place.

Anyway, DDD--the part about temp not being an accurate gauge of doneness makes a lot of sense. I'm converted. Now to your pan idea--don't the drippings just bake to the pan? Or do you line it with foil first? Do you put a tent of foil over it? I'm still not sold on foiling at all and frankly, after this last run, I'm not sure why people do it at all. I've heard that kamados don't dry out meat as much as other smokers because there is less air circulation, so maybe you just don't need it in a kamado, but every time I've foiled, it seems to ruin the bark.

[TripletDaddy]

Right, I was thinking "just like ribs, I guess" when I read DDD's post in the first place.

Anyway, DDD--the part about temp not being an accurate gauge of doneness makes a lot of sense. I'm converted. Now to your pan idea--don't the drippings just bake to the pan? Or do you line it with foil first? Do you put a tent of foil over it? I'm still not sold on foiling at all and frankly, after this last run, I'm not sure why people do it at all. I've heard that kamados don't dry out meat as much as other smokers because there is less air circulation, so maybe you just don't need it in a kamado, but every time I've foiled, it seems to ruin the bark.

I do the toothpick test for ribs, too. fair point. I was envisioning larger cuts but I suppose we do the same for ribs, minus inserting a maverick probe.

As for shoulder, my post was unclear. Generally, I smoke shoulders directly on my grill. Once the bark sets, i will move them to a pan, cover the pan with foil, and then ftc/faux. I dont worry about letting the pork hit 195 before moving into the ftc/faux stage anymore.

I have tried smoking them in a pan (sitting on a grate) from raw to set bark phase, but I only did that once. It didnt really make much of a difference other than clean up was a breeze.

When i said "i get great results..." I was referencing the post-bark phase only. I normally smoke the raw shoulder directly on my smoker grill without a pan.

[TripletDaddy]

Yes, bend and twist test on ribs is the best. I use a fork on butts and brisket but generally start testing when they hit 185.

I like having the Maverik as it allows me to check the temp without interrupting what I'm doing. Seems like DDD doesn't mind spending going in and out of the house 5-6 times to check temps. I imagine it would suck even more when it's raining

I almost never go out to check temps. that is the entire point. There is no purpose to check the temp on a shoulder. Are you concerned after 10 hours that the pork is still raw?

I only go out to check bark.

You can use the mav temp probe but Bam Bam and Harry Soo will laugh you into oblivion. What are using it for? Is it important for you to know when the meat temp rises one degree?

[imanihonjin]

I do the toothpick test for ribs, too. fair point. I was envisioning larger cuts but I suppose we do the same for ribs, minus inserting a maverick probe.

As for shoulder, my post was unclear. Generally, I smoke shoulders directly on my grill. Once the bark sets, i will move them to a pan, cover the pan with foil, and then ftc/faux. I dont worry about letting the pork hit 195 before moving into the ftc/faux stage anymore.

I have tried smoking them in a pan (sitting on a grate) from raw to set bark phase, but I only did that once. It didnt really make much of a difference other than clean up was a breeze.

When i said "i get great results..." I was referencing the post-bark phase only. I normally smoke the raw shoulder directly on my smoker grill without a pan.

You mentioned earlier about using a scratch test to test your bark....what exactly is that?

[TripletDaddy]

You mentioned earlier about using a scratch test to test your bark....what exactly is that?

As the name implies, bark is "set" when it can withstand a fingernail scratch without falling apart or leaving too much residual on your finger. As you scratch the bark, it sounds like it has hardened into a crust almost. For ribs it is a different sound than for shoulder. Bam Bam said that he was taught that method by the Slap Yo Daddy team and that it is a competition standard for many of the national teams. Sounded good to me so I went with it.

[imanihonjin]

As the name implies, bark is "set" when it can withstand a fingernail scratch without falling apart or leaving too much residual on your finger. As you scratch the bark, it sounds like it has hardened into a crust almost. For ribs it is a different sound than for shoulder. Bam Bam said that he was taught that method by the Slap Yo Daddy team and that it is a competition standard for many of the national teams. Sounded good to me so I went with it.

Awesome, I am going to give it a try.

[TripletDaddy]

Awesome, I am going to give it a try.

it has worked well for me on ribs and shoulder. i dont scratch my tip

[Green Monstah]

As the name implies, bark is "set" when it can withstand a fingernail scratch without falling apart or leaving too much residual on your finger. As you scratch the bark, it sounds like it has hardened into a crust almost. For ribs it is a different sound than for shoulder. Bam Bam said that he was taught that method by the Slap Yo Daddy team and that it is a competition standard for many of the national teams. Sounded good to me so I went with it.

+1 for the WSM!

[smokymountainrain]

Wuap should put TD's last few posts in this thread in that one thread he created to obsess over TD. For somebody who still doesn't have a smoker, I'm loving this stuff. They are gems.

[cougjunkie]

I almost never go out to check temps. that is the entire point. There is no purpose to check the temp on a shoulder. Are you concerned after 10 hours that the pork is still raw?

I only go out to check bark.

You can use the mav temp probe but Bam Bam and Harry Soo will laugh you into oblivion. What are using it for? Is it important for you to know when the meat temp rises one degree?

Oh please like you would know about competition bbq. You own a traeger. They would run you out of town in the south.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk

[TripletDaddy]

Oh please like you would know about competition bbq. You own a traeger. They would run you out of town in the south.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk

technically they would laugh me into oblivion, which seems like a lot less travel than having to leave town.

[FMCoug]

Brought the UDS to CA and doing some shoulders for a reunion tomorrow. Not a bad way to hang out at a campground.