Oak Smoked Pulled Pork

[navyintel]

Last night at about 1700 hrs (5:00pm) I lit a 10lb batch of Doug fir and let it burn until it was almost out - that was about 30 min. Then I threw in a 5 lb chund of Oak to set up a longer burning heat source for the bricks and to get rid of any lingering Doug fir smell. this burned for about 30 min. All that was left was flickering coals. I sealed the oven.

while this is going on, I had 2 x 10lb pork shoulder butts, washed and air dried in an aluminium foil lined pan - fat side down - salt and pepper only.

At 1900 hours (7:00pm) the floor temp had decreased to 300 degrees and was falling very slowly. I put a 1 lb chunk of oak on the burning embers now pulled to the left side of the oven. I let it ignite and start to smoke.

I put the pork in on the far right side and partially closed the door so that the smoke would continue. I was then able to close the oven fully and let the smoke and moisture stay in the oven. Over the next 2 hours I put in 2 more 1 lb chunks of oak to keep up the smoke.

At 2100 hours (9:00 pm) I close the oven off.

At 0700 hours (7:00 am) today I took these pixs of the pork.

they smell oaky and wonderful. They are resting for about an hour so before I pull the pork.

The oven is still at 240 degrees.

[mrchipster]

Re: Oak Smoked Pulled Pork

Looks very tasty, you might also want to try and smoke pork tenderloins, cut them into steaks about 1.5 - 2 inches thick and give them a rub - then smoke them on an elevated rack or screen, also very tasty.

The split ribs I made a few weeks ago also turned out nice.

Chip

[navyintel]

Re: Oak Smoked Pulled Pork

Great idea with the split ribs - they are small enough so that you don"t have to have a full rack that might take up a lot of room.

[mrchipster]

Re: Oak Smoked Pulled Pork

Great idea with the split ribs - they are small enough so that you don"t have to have a full rack that might take up a lot of room.

I stand them in an upside down turkey roaster rack (shown in previous photo) so they are separated and get a good smoke. The rack is placed on a Tuscan grill to elevate them in the oven. Apple wood smoked.

Chip

[Gulf]

Re: Oak Smoked Pulled Pork

Looks very tasty, you might also want to try and smoke pork tenderloins, cut them into steaks about 1.5 - 2 inches thick and give them a rub - then smoke them on an elevated rack or screen, also very tasty.

The split ribs I made a few weeks ago also turned out nice.

Chip

That looks like a Super Bowl Sunday offering if I ever saw one

[mrchipster]

Re: Oak Smoked Pulled Pork

That looks like a Super Bowl Sunday offering if I ever saw one

SuperBowl's are way to far apart to wait for these, I am thinking more like month end specials or something like that.

[mountain adventures]

Re: Oak Smoked Pulled Pork

Chip- How did you cook the ribs? What Temps did you operate at?

I have a door for my Firerock Pizza Oven that has holes at the botom that will allow some air draw. Did both you guys shut the oven completely off? (Meaning you didnt allow any heat escape up the chimney?)

--Scott

[mrchipster]

Re: Oak Smoked Pulled Pork

Chip- How did you cook the ribs? What Temps did you operate at?

I have a door for my Firerock Pizza Oven that has holes at the botom that will allow some air draw. Did both you guys shut the oven completely off? (Meaning you didnt allow any heat escape up the chimney?)

--Scott

Oven temp was about 200 with a small smoldering pile off to the side of the oven. Throw a couple of 1 inch diameter apple sticks on the ember pile.

The apple smokes so much that when I take the door off it is so smokey I cannot see anything in the oven.

Door insulated door completely closed, my oven seems to leak just enough air to keep the coals from going out. Smoked for 3-4 hours, removed the ribs, brought up the heat to about 300 removed the coals and put ribs back in and cooked for another 2- 3 hours

[navyintel]

Re: Oak Smoked Pulled Pork

I did it a little different. I smoked it at 300 with the door pulled so that the smok wwas thick and fire was low. After about 4 hours, reinstalled the door.

Next time I am starting at 200 with about 5lbs of oak and letting it burn low for the smoke 4 hours then close the door.

[V-wiz]

Re: Oak Smoked Pulled Pork

That looks awesome, what i would do differently is put the shoulder fat side up, and filled the pan with some apple juice. That way the fat cap is on top and doesnt dry up, the fat drip slowly down the side and into the pan. Either way it looks great. Next time try Peach wood, its amazing.

[mrchipster]

Re: Oak Smoked Pulled Pork

Next time try Peach wood, its amazing.

A Peach tree in Minnesota....Now that would be Amazing...

I think the lower initial heat give a better smoke penetration and the final cook makes them nice an tender. I do lay them fat side up for the smoke, standing is for the final cook.

[navyintel]

Re: Oak Smoked Pulled Pork

That looks awesome, what i would do differently is put the shoulder fat side up, and filled the pan with some apple juice. That way the fat cap is on top and doesnt dry up, the fat drip slowly down the side and into the pan. Either way it looks great. Next time try Peach wood, its amazing.

I have tried it both ways and I have found that while it sounds good to put the fat cap on top, if you try to put any kind of rub on the meat, it will be on the bottom and the the pool of fat will wash it off. I like to put the fat cap on the bottom which forms kind of moisture barrier cup for the juices in the pork and the spices (even if just salt and pepper, stay on the meat - you wind up with more burnt ends. But who does not just love burnt ends? I like the idea of apple juice in the bottom however, that sounds like another experiment.

[V-wiz]

Re: Oak Smoked Pulled Pork

I see what you mean. I never had issues with the rub washig off.

Check this out, i did this before i had my oven. 12 HR Smoked Pork Butt. (Pron Galore) -.

[V-wiz]

Re: Oak Smoked Pulled Pork

A Peach tree in Minnesota....Now that would be Amazing...

I think the lower initial heat give a better smoke penetration and the final cook makes them nice an tender. I do lay them fat side up for the smoke, standing is for the final cook.

How about mulberry? The fruit bearing mulberry is similar to peach.

[mrchipster]

Re: Oak Smoked Pulled Pork

How about mulberry? The fruit bearing mulberry is similar to peach.

Thanks, V. I will look for some, my brother inlaw tells me that he had a peach tree for a few years, it finally died in a harsh winter but they will grow here.(who knew).