Whole Shoulder Pulled Pork

In a recent thread we discussed shoulder cuts, Butts & Picnics, and how they're used. Here's an example of both being used for pulled pork.

I was asked to supply 30-35 lbs. pulled pork for a memorial service. By ordering a 50 lb case of whole shoulders I got it for $1.39/lb. Needless to say, I couldn't pass on that deal .

I picked up my order, a 52.4 lb case of 3 whole pork shoulders weighing about 17 1/2 lbs. each. As requested they were cut in half to separate the Butts & Picnic cuts. These things were FRESH!


The Stoven gets its first real workout - Loaded up two whole shoulders (2 Butts & 2 Picnics) - about 35 lbs. A third smaller picnic shoulder went on the Weber (about 42 lbs in all- including the bones).

Water pans & apple/hickory pellet blend in the smoker pot for additional smoke flavor.


I let it ride for about 7+ hours around 250° until the wee hours of the night. Super tired, I sealed them in a couple of foil pans to braise and then rest in the oven so I could get a little sleep. Got up early next morning to check on them they were still nicely hot and very tender.



Once pulled I tried some of each and couldn't tell any difference between the Butts & Picnics. Both were just as moist and flavorfull.


Got home from work, made the homemade BBQ sauce (which was also requested)...


BBQ Sauce cooled & bottled. Pork pulled & packed tightly into a tub ready to go!


That tub was heavier than it looks!

Thanks!

Looks great Tent, how did the Stoven do with the cold temps?

Ditto. We need a Stoven review! (how big is the hopper, how long will it run, how low, how hot, how accurate, etc.)

I put a digital thermometer probe just above the grate to monitor the pit temp. Between the cold temps outside & all the cold pork sucking the heat out of the air, I had to crank it up to get the pit temp up initially. But once the pork started coming up to temp I kept easing the Stoven's rheostat type controller down and it just cruised at a fairly even 250°-265°.

That's where the MAK's or Memphis controls would have taken over and done that automatically, but I was quite pleased.

I can definitely see why the pellet cooker's ease can get addicting.

Very cool! You might try a trick I use in my Traeger... Pile the bottom of the kettle with firebrick. Give it some time to preheat, and they help hold the temps up (and soften the eventual temp swings) when you put the cold meat in.

looks real good TH. nice job.

Trent

Fantastic butts