Old Dog Learns New (to me) Trick

[twharton]

I've been cooking on a KK for a long time and have done hundreds of butts or pork shoulder. I've got it dialed in....Rub at least 24 hrs in advance, KK temp stabilized @ 225, smoking chips or chunks on the fire then immediately the meat....wait 12 - 18 hours (depends on size / quantity when internal temp is 195-205 take it off). Sometimes rest sometimes not but I've never disappointed the eaters.

I did my first cook on my 32" Bad Boy over the weekend  (a more involved post about that elsewhere) and the only thing I changed was I used a foil smoke pouch. I decided to use chips not chunks, Apple Wood.  Double layer pouch...fill with chips....holes in the bottom....placed over hot spot in Coco Char just before placing butts on.

In past cooks, placing smoking wood directly on coals, I've always gotten of course a lot of smoke initially and the 3-5 hours of smoke as they are slowly consumed. Not this time.  I got 14 hours of continuous steady smoke...never heavy....well just look at the photos. I am blown away. And the kicker was the comments of the eaters. All family members who have had my pork shoulders many many times...all asked what I did different because it was the best they had ever had and I already had cooked for them in the past...the best they had ever had. The highest praise was from my B.I.L. who prefaced it with..."I hate to say it to you....." 

Anyway check this out...

Photo #1 Foil smoke pouch immediately after removing meat. Sitting on top of Coco Char for 14 hours.

Photo #2 Unused fuel and ash after 14 hour cook + 2 hour heat soak. THERE IS A LOT LEFT!

Photo #3 + Video....I take the pouch off and noticed a tiny wisp of smoke and opened it up. Of course when the oxygen hit it this happened....after about 15 minutes it flamed and burned up. I bet that would have produced for another 14 hours.

Did I mention the compliments I got?

 

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Edited July 18, 2016 by twharton

[CeramicChef]

There's always more than 1 way to skin a cat!  

[tinyfish]

Sounds like it worked great. Similar concept to the smoking pot.

[nolan8v]

I'm impressed and jealous!

Do you think you would have the same smoke results if Apple wood chunks were placed in foil as well as on the coco char the same way that the chips were?

[Poochie]

I need to try that method one day. As for now, I put chunks like a bomb fuse on the coal. For low and slow, I only light a small section and then put the end of the first piece of smoke wood right where the hot coals are. Then an inch away, I'll put another and so on until I have a trail around the coal. Only one piece will burn at a time and it lasts the whole cook and then some. But your method looks interesting enough to give it a try. 

[mk1]

I am in!

[ckreef]

I've done that with a handful of fresh rosemary before. 

[tony b]

Poochie, give Syz's cast iron dutch oven smoking pot a try.  It's the way to go, my friend!  

[Tyrus]

I 've been doing the same for sometime with excellent results on my other kamado;s. I'm just surprised it's not mentioned enough as an alternative. Same principle as the 2qt. A recent post on blackening the wood prior to adding was also an option. Wet wood vs dry, ahh lifes an experiment in the works.