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I picked up a Brinkmann Smoke’N Grill Charcoal Smoker (El Cheapo Brinkmann aka ECB) to make some chipotle peppers but after seeing a Labor Day sale on pork shoulders (aka pork butt) I decided it was time to get this baby worked in.
Whether it is gardening or cooking I am never one to jump right into something new without thorough research so after some data gathering this is what I found:
- Have to cook low and slow. Unlike better quality of meats shoulder/briskets are loaded with connective tissue given these are the main working muscles of the beast. As a result cooking these fast will result in some very tough meat. Alternatively cooking at a lower temperature over a longer period of time will result in delicious tender meat.
- 200-225 is the ideal range to cook your meat for optimum tenderness.
- After an internal temperature 145F your meat can no longer build a thicker smoke ring.
- Meat is done when the internal temperature is at least 185F
