Step 2 – Pork shoulders have a half-inch or so thick fat cap. You can put the shoulder in the smoker fat side up or down, I’ve had good results with either way of doing it. However in general you want the fat side up so the juices baste the meat while cooking.
Should you cook meat fat side up or down?
Most of the time, the fat side down team have got it right. Because the fat is on the bottom, when it melts it will not wash the seasoning away, and the bark retains all the flavors you added. Additionally, the smoke produced as the fat hits the hot coals will add a great flavor to your meat.
Do you cut the fat off pork shoulder before slow cooking?
Pork shoulder has a good amount of fat layer on the surface. Make sure to cut away most of the excess fat, leaving just a small amount for flavor. This will make it easier to remove the fat later when making the barbecue sauce.
What do you do with the fat from pork shoulder?
So baked beans and or chili are an excellent place to add the excess pork fat from the cap juices. 2. Another option to use pork fat cap extras for is any kind of sausage or jerky. It’s excellent to add the pork fat cap in the grinder with the sausage or jerky making process.
Should you rub a brisket overnight?
Seasoning your brisket the night before and letting it sit in the refrigerator or cooler for at least 6 hours yields the best tasting and juiciest results.
Do you cook a roast covered or uncovered?
Step 2: Prepare the Meat for Roasting
Place the meat, fat side up, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. … Do not add water or liquid and do not cover the roast. Covering the roast would result in more steaming than roasting in the oven so we cook a beef roast uncovered.
Can you overcook pulled pork in slow cooker?
If you keep your slow cooker set to “LOW”, it’s almost impossible to overcook it, as the pork shoulder self-bastes and stays moist. But the “HIGH” setting will boil the meat and you can overcook it if you cook it for too longer.
Should I remove the fat cap on pork shoulder?
On many large cuts of meat like pork shoulder, there is a fat cap, a layer of hard white fat that sits on top of the meat. … You do not need to remove all of the fat, and you should be careful not to trim too much, so you do not remove any of the meat below.
Can you overcook pork shoulder?
I don’t think you can overcook as in dried out or burnt but it will get mushy and gooey after that long if your temps get to high. With a 3 -4 hours rest in a cooler I would figure more around 12 – 15 hours cook time at 250 or so.
Should I score pork shoulder?
scoring lightly will give a little more surface area for the rub to dig in. I love to eat the crispy skin. The fat layer really keeps the meat moist. You do lose a bit of the nice crunchy bark mixed in with your pulled pork, but for tamales it should be great.
Where do you put the probe in a pork shoulder?
You should, insert the thermometer probe into the center of the thickest part of the roast, but make sure that the thermometer tip is at least an inch away from the bone.
How long can you let a pork shoulder rest?
Give it a rest: As with all grilled or roasted meats, you should let a cooked pork shoulder rest before chopping or serving it. This “relaxes” the meat, making it juicier and more flavorful. Let it rest on a cutting board for 15 to 20 minutes loosely tented with foil.
Why did my brisket turn out tough?
Brisket contains a lot of connective tissue, which can make it tough. The type of connective tissue in brisket is called collagen. Cook the meat quickly and you get tough, dry meat. Cook a brisket slowly, with some liquid, and the collagen turns into gelatin.
How long can you rest a brisket?
You can usually safely rest a brisket up to 4 hours foil-wrapped in a cooler with towels. In my book, the longer the better — no less than 2 hours and preferably 3 or longer.