You would run out of fingers before you can count all the delicious recipes you can prepare from smoked pork. Smoked pork is versatile and can be used in most dishes, from starters, main dishes, and even desserts in some cultures.
Smoking large amounts of pork may seem like a daunting task. However, with the right steps and a keen eye, you can produce finger-licking pork every time. In most cases, you likely need a small amount of pork for your recipe. However, there are instances where you’ll need to prepare the pork in bulk.
So, how do you smoke the perfect pork every time? More importantly, how do you choose the best cut, and what should you be on the lookout for? Below is an exhaustive guide on preparing the best 8 pounds of pork shoulder. This guide will cover everything from choosing the right cut, prepping it, seasoning and marinating it, cooking time, and resting before eating your delicious pork.
What is Pork Shoulder?
The first step to smoking the best pork is finding the right cut. Admittedly, there are numerous ways to cook various pork cuts. Pork shoulder is a primal cut from the pig’s shoulder and can be further divided into picnic shoulder and pork butt, also called the Boston butt.
The main difference between these two cuts is the fat content. The Boston butt has higher fat content, while the pork shoulder is leaner and has more muscle. Understanding the piece you’re working with improves the end result as the cooking time can vary depending on the type of cut you’re smoking.
How Do You Choose the Best Pork Shoulder?
As established, every great cooking process starts long before you start cooking. The first step of picking out your cut of meat is a crucial one if you want the best results. Some of the factors you should consider when selecting the best cuts of meat for your pork shoulder include;
- Color – Always go for the fresh-looking meat. Here, you want to get meat with a vibrant pink hue and stay away from brown, dull, or smelly cuts.
- Marbling – This is where the fat is stored and once rendered. Marbled smoked means giving out a ton of flavor and moisture.
- Bone-in – Leaving the bone in place makes the pork stable when you’re cooking it. The bone also adds great flavor to your final meal.
- Feel – Touch both the meat and fat cap and ensure they are both firm. If the fat cap is soft, you’re better off choosing a different cut.
Cutting and Trimming the Pork
Since you’ve chosen a pork shoulder with some fat cap, the first step is removing the excess fat you don’t need. Leaving the fat on means the flavor will take longer to penetrate the meat, while removing all the fat can leave your meat exposed which could easily dry it when smoking.
When trimming your pork, try and leave about 1/4 inch of the fat.
This will render down as you cook and add flavor to your final meal. When trimming, lay the pork on a cutting board with the fat side facing you. Next, use a sharp knife to cut off the top layer until you’re left with the desirable fat amount.
Turn the pork on its side and continue to trim excess fat. Trim a small piece instead of slicing off a chunk of fat. This will ensure you have a consistent fat cushion all the way around.
While trimming your pork, you might come across purple or red glands on the edges. Remove these glands as they can leave an unpleasant texture on your meat. After this, you’re a step closer to learning how to smoke 8lb of pork shoulder.
How to Season Your 8lb Pork
Since you are smoking a large piece of pork, you want to ensure the flavor penetrates every layer. This means you likely have to season your meat ahead of time and leave it to rest.
The time you leave the meat while seasoned can be influenced by various factors. Nonetheless, you should give the meat anywhere from a few hours to overnight to allow the seasoning to spread through the pork.
To make your dry rub, you’ll need regular spices and herbs like black pepper, apple juice, onion powder, cumin, dark brown sugar, garlic powder, kosher salt, ground black pepper cumin, cayenne pepper and mustard.
You have the liberty to play around with the different spices depending on your preference and desired taste. The dark brown sugar will add a distinct sweet and smoky barbecue flavor to your pork recipe.
Start the seasoning by rubbing Dijon or yellow mustard all over your pork. You can leave this for a while before applying your dry rub. Using your hand, press the dry rub on your meat and ensure every bit is well coated.
Most people prefer using Dijon mustard as it adds depth to your flavor. You can also use regular yellow mustard in a pinch.
After applying your rub, tightly cover the pork shoulder with a plastic wrap film and keep it in the fridge. For the best results, leave the meat overnight. However, you can start smoking the pork after about five hours if you’re pressed for time.
While not necessary, you can also opt to brine the meat. Brining is a slow process, and you should start on your shoulder about 15 hours before preparing it.
A brine is made of simple ingredients such as hot water, ginger, garlic, and sugar. Keep whatever mixture is left, as you can use it while smoking your pork for extra flavor.
How to Prepare the Smoker
When you start prepping the smoker (or about the hour mark before you start cooking), remove the pork from the fridge and leave it to rest at room temperature. To prepare your smoker, fill it with charcoal and light it. Cover the smoker and let the heat and smoke build-up to around 225 degrees F.
Adjust the air ventilation and coal level when you’re just about to start smoking. About ten minutes to your cook time, add your wood and fill the water tank and ensure the heat is right. You can use a kitchen thermometer if your smoker doesn’t have one.
Cooking the Pork Shoulder
Before learning how long to smoke 8lb pork shoulder, you’ll want to make sure all the steps above are followed. Preparing ahead of time is the best option, as you can add anything you skipped while allowing the flavor to penetrate the meat. At this point, you’re ready to start smoking your pork shoulder.
Before delving into how long to smoke 8lb pork shoulder, let’s quickly delve into a breakdown of the math here. Generally, smoking a pound of pork requires about 1 hour and 15 minutes. So, if you multiply that by 8 pounds, you get about 10 hours. It is noteworthy to mention the actual smoking process may take a while longer, so plan about 10 to 12 hours in mind.
You don’t necessarily need to weigh your meat after trimming. In most cases, the fat cap takes only a small part of your meat. So, while trimming it will reduce your pork, the change isn’t significant to alter the cooking time. Additionally, since you’ll be monitoring your pork as it smokes, you can easily know when it’s done, even with the reduced weight.
The smoking process is arguably the simplest here. You can break down the entire process into a few actionable steps. These steps are;
- Smoking the pork shoulder for 3-4 hours at 250 degrees F
- Spritzing the pork every half hour until the internal temperature registers 165 degrees F
- Wrapping the meat in foil
- Repeating the smoking process at 250 degrees F till the internal temperature on your meat thermometer registers 200 degrees F
- Leaving the pork to rest
- Slicing or pulling before serving
The above process will leave you with the perfect smoked pork shoulder every time. Let’s now dive into what each step entails.
Step 1: Smoking your pork
Once the smoker is at 250 degrees F, place your pork inside and place a meat thermometer to monitor temperature changes. This step will take about 4 hours but doesn’t require a lot of attention. You just need to occasionally check the smoker and pork’s temperature.
Step 2: Spritzing the meat
After smoking your pork for 3 t0 4 hours, use a spray bottle to spritz your meat with the aforementioned brine. Spray the meat with a light cover of the brine every 30 minutes. Continue spritzing the pork until it registers an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
Step 3: Wrapping your pork
After reaching 165 degrees F, remove the pork from the smoker. Double wrap it tightly in aluminum foil or butcher paper. Place the meat thermometer back into your pork before returning it fully covered in the smoker.
Step 4: Smoking your meat again
Continue smoking your pork butt at 250 degrees. Monitor the internal temperature until it registers 190 to 200 degrees F. You might have to exercise some patience and allow the pork to reach 200 degrees F, which will tenderize your meat even further.
The second smoking process takes about 5 to 6 hours. The lengthy cooking time ensures the meat is fully cooked through, and the flavor gets to every part of your pork.
Step 5: Leaving the pork to rest
At this point, your meat is ready. However, since you’re after the best results, you’ll need to leave it to rest for a while. Once you remove the pork shoulder from your smoker, place it in a covered area for at least 20 minutes.
You can either place the pork in a cooler without ice or an oven without any heat. Ideally, the longer you leave your meat to rest, the more it sucks in moisture and juices. While 20 minutes is perfectly fine, you can leave it for about an hour before proceeding.
Step 6: Slicing or pulling the pork
Depending on how you’re serving the meat, you can either slice or pull it. Pulling is the preferred option if you’re making sandwiches or something similar. When pulling, you can use a fork to gently run across the meat. If you find any cartilage or fat when pulling, simply toss it aside and continue.
Once you’re done pulling your pork, you’ll be left with long stringed sections that can be added to almost any recipe. You can also add your favorite barbecue sauce, and your meat is as good as ready.
What if your pork stalls while smoking?
During the smoking process, you may realize the meat thermometer is barely moving. This is fairly common, and you need not be concerned. It may take an hour or two for the thermometer to register any changes. This is because of the liquid that sweats out of your pork which may temporarily cool your meat. If you’re certain, the smoker is working properly, just continue smoking and trust in the process.
Simple Smoked Pork Recipes
As mentioned before, pork is versatile and can be used in a number of ways. Even when you have leftovers, there are more than a few simple recipe ideas you can use. Here’s a simple yet classic recipe idea you can whip up in minutes.
Pulled pork sandwiches
This is a fool-proof recipe that you can whip together in a few moments. If you’re looking for a quick snack, this should be one of your go-to’s. Like any other sandwich, you’ll need bread, pulled pork, cheese, mustard, and pickles. Just assemble the ingredients, and that’s it; you’re ready to go. The pulled pork sandwich is best served with coleslaw on the side.
Essentially, there are numerous recipes you can try with pork shoulder. Whether you want to make a fresh meal, a quick snack, or even use leftover pork, there are a ton of recipe ideas to try.
Ultimately, cooking large amounts of meat can seem like an uphill task. However, once you’ve broken down the steps and know what to expect, you’ll realize it’s an easy and straightforward process. And the next time you want to prepare some meat, you’ll how exactly how long to smoke 8lb pork shoulder.