Low & Slow: Master the Art of Barbecue in 5 Easy Lessons (29 page)

OFFSET

 

WHEN THE FIRE IS FULLY ENGAGED
and the cooker is ready, open the lid and place both pork shoulders fat-side up on the grate, about one-third of the way down the grate from the opening to the firebox.

Set the oven thermometer in the middle of the grate, between the pork shoulders.

The vents should be open.

 

 

30 MINUTES INTO THE COOK

Close the firebox vent by one-half.

Open the firebox and add one split of wood to the pile of charcoal.

When the wood is fully engaged and stops billowing smoke, about 5 minutes, close the firebox.

1 HOUR INTO THE COOK

Open the cooker and check the oven thermometer and the water pan. If the water pan is less than three-quarters full, refill it.

Flip and rotate the meat so that it is fat-side down and the shoulder closest to the firebox shifts to the position away from the firebox. Close the cooker.

Open the firebox and check the charcoal pile. Are most of the coals burned down? If so, you may need to light a full chimney of charcoal to pour onto the pile. (For detailed instructions, see Restocking the offset firebox, page 40.) If the pile is high with lit, glowing-hot charcoal, you may need only to pour one chimney of unlit charcoal on the pile to maintain the fire. Use your barbecue judgment.

Add one split of wood to the charcoal. Close the firebox when the charcoal and wood stop billowing smoke, about 5 minutes.

 

2 HOURS INTO THE COOK

Open the cooker. Check the oven thermometer and refill the water pan.

Flip and rotate the meat so that it is fat-side up and the shoulder closest to the firebox shifts to the position away from the firebox. Close the cooker.

Restock the firebox with lit or unlit charcoal, as needed. Add one split of wood to the charcoal. Close the firebox when the charcoal and wood stop billowing smoke, about 5 minutes.

 

3 HOURS INTO THE COOK AND EVERY HOUR THEREAFTER

Check the oven thermometer and refill the water pan.

Flip and rotate the meat.

Restock the firebox with lit or unlit charcoal, as needed. Close the firebox when the charcoal and wood stop billowing smoke, about 5 minutes.

 

7 HOURS INTO THE COOK

Check the oven thermometer and refill the water pan.

Spritz the meat with Tart Wash.

Poke the meat with your finger. At this point, the meat should be starting to “yield,” which is a fancy way of saying that it’s not as firm. Stick an instant-read thermometer into a meaty—not fatty—section of the shoulder to gauge how things are going. Remember: temperature is only one indication of doneness. The temperature will probably be in the range of 160°F to 170°F. The internal temperature of a pork butt plateaus during the cook (see page 185), and can hover at this temperature for hours. Be patient, and know that this check is more for educational purposes. Observe, don’t act.

Restock the firebox with lit or unlit charcoal, as needed. Close the firebox when the charcoal and wood stop billowing smoke, about 5 minutes.

 

8 HOURS INTO THE COOK

Restock the charcoal as needed and refill the water pan.

Poke the meat and check the temperature again to see if it is done. (See The Wabba Wabba, page 186.) Pork shoulders in the 7- to 9-pound range can take anywhere from 8 to 12 hours to cook. If you are just beginning to think the meat might be done, it’s not done yet and could easily use another hour or more.

After this check-in, give the pork shoulder a look and a poke every 30 minutes to check for doneness and spritz the meat with Tart Wash. Keep an eye on the charcoal and water pan levels, and restock or refill as needed.

When the smaller of the two pork butts is truly, indisputably done, take that shoulder off. Leave the other one on the cooker for an additional 45 minutes to 1 hour to compare the different stages of doneness.

Let the meat rest for 15 to 20 minutes before handling. The meat “pulls” most easily when warm.

KETTLE

 

WHEN THE LIT CHARCOAL AND WOOD
are in place and ready for cooking, place the pork shoulder fat-side up on the grate across from the water pan. It should be close to the outer edge of the grate without touching the lid.

Set the oven thermometer next to the meat on the cooking grate. Close the cooker.

Check the vents. The top and bottom vents should be completely open.

 

 

20 MINUTES INTO THE COOK

Close the bottom vent by one-half.

45 MINUTES INTO THE COOK

Open the cooker and check the oven thermometer.

Use the tongs to slide the water pan to the side and flip open the grate. Check the charcoal. Are most of the coals burned down? If so, light a half chimney of charcoal to pour onto the pile. (For detailed instructions, see Restocking the kettle two-zone fire, page 41.) If the pile is high with lit, glowing-hot charcoal, you may need only to pour a handful or one-half chimney of unlit charcoal on the pile to maintain the fire. Use your barbecue judgment.

Add two wood chunks, and use the tongs to maintain the banked pile of charcoal.

Close the grate and slide the water pan back into place with the tongs.

Check the water pan. If it is less than three-quarters full, refill it. (For detailed instructions, see Refilling the kettle water pan, page 41.)

Flip and rotate the meat so that it is fat-side down and the side of the shoulder facing the fire is shifted away.

After you restock, wait until the billowing smoke from the wood and charcoal dies down, about 5 minutes, before closing the cooker.

 

1½ HOURS INTO THE COOK AND

EVERY 45 MINUTES THEREAFTER

Check the oven thermometer.

Assess the charcoal pile. Restock the charcoal as needed, add two wood chunks, and refill the water pan, as instructed at the 45-minute mark.

Flip and rotate the meat so that it is fat-side up again and the side of the shoulder facing the fire is shifted away. After you restock, wait until the billowing smoke from the wood and charcoal dies down, about 5 minutes, before closing the cooker.

 

5 HOURS INTO THE COOK

Check the oven thermometer.

Poke the meat with your finger. At this point, the meat should be starting to “yield,” which is a fancy way of saying that it’s not as firm. Stick an instant-read thermometer into a meaty—not fatty—section of the shoulder to gauge how things are going. Remember: temperature is only one indication of doneness. The temperature will probably be in the range of 160°F to 170°F. The internal temperature of a pork butt plateaus during the cook (see page 185), and can hover at this temperature for hours. Be patient, and know that this check is more for educational purposes. Observe, don’t act.

Restock the charcoal as needed and refill the water pan.

Flip and rotate the meat. Spritz with tart wash.

After you restock, wait until the billowing smoke from the wood and charcoal dies down, about 5 minutes, before closing the cooker.

 

6 HOURS INTO THE COOK

Check the oven thermometer.

Restock the charcoal as needed and refill the water pan.

Flip and rotate the meat.

Spritz the meat with Tart Wash

Poke the meat and check the temperature again to see if it is done. (See The Wabba Wabba, page 186.)

Pork shoulders in the 4- to 6-pound range can take anywhere from 6 to 9 hours to cook. If you are just beginning to think the meat might be done, it’s not done yet and could easily use another half hour or more.

After this check-in, give the pork shoulder a look and a poke every 20 minutes to check for doneness and spritz the meat with Tart Wash. Keep an eye on the charcoal and water pan levels, and restock or refill as needed.

Let the meat rest for 15 to 20 minutes before handling. The meat “pulls” most easily when warm.