I’m a somewhat new smoker with my electric Masterbuilt. I’ve got Ribs, Turkey and Chicken down, always VERY tasty, ribs are da bomb. My Briskets are a work in process and I just did my second shoulder that came out good, but just average.

The Shoulder recipe I used called for cooking @ 245 and optimally wrapping at some temp (don’t recall right now) and then pulling at an internal temp of 190. I wrap my brisket and pork in that red butcher paper Franklin in Austin uses.

What’s the effect on the shoulder if you don’t wrap it and/or if you go to a low 200’s on the internal temp? I did have good bark on mine, but I think I prefer a coarser/ touch drier meat than what I ended up with. Good enough smoke taste, but my rub and spritz didn’t seem to flavor through and through. Rubbed and fridged for 24 hours, cool down to room temp before going in the smoker. Meager attempt at injecting, I need a new/better one.

Charlie

Plenty of salt and pepper for the rub. In the smoker for 4 hrs at 250, then wrapped in foil with about 6 or so ounces of diet coke or beer, then in the oven at 250 until the internal temperature is between 195 and 205. Using the thumb and fore finger, pull the bone out, shred, and serve.

I'm guessing it's going to be hard to get a good bark and drier meat in an electric smoker. If yours is like my buddies it's basically an insulated mini fridge with the heater element. Everything comes off tender and moist with no bark. Regarding the pork butt; I like to inject mine with an apple juice/honey/butter mixture WITH whatever rub I'm using on the outside in it. I then do mustard and very liberal seasoning on the outside. I let it roll until it has a bark that I like (an internal temp anywhere from 165-185) then I put it in a foil pan with a little bit of beer or dr pepper and cover with foil so that it really breaks down. I pull when it hits an internal temp of 203-205 and shred immediately in it's own juices. I add more rub at this point while I'm shredding and bbq sauce if that's what the masses want.

For injecting buy one of these and never look back:

https://www.amazon.com/Hold-Your-Ho...q+injector&qid=1579012515&sr=8-8

Edit - cooking temp wise I typically run pork butts 275-300

I don't cook by internal temp most of the time with bbq and that is what makes pork buts easy, unless you catch it on fire you cant hardly overcook one there is plenty of fat to render that keeps it moist. I cook till the bone can be pulled out. Sometimes I wrap if the bark is getting too heavy but most of the time I don't. I like to start them just on the grill, but like to finish in or over a pan to catch the drippings. Unless you inject them (not my preference) you cant season the inside, so do not go sparingly on the rub. If I wrap it or cook it in a pan I will save some of the juice that cooks out and add back when I shred it.

Thanks for the comments...

I try to follow the temp thing as I tend to not cook things long enough vs over-cooking. I really like the electric smoker given the convenience and bark/smoke rings tend to do OK if the final cook is without the steam pan in there.

I did get a real injector, but did so right after I made the original post. I was trying to reuse my plastic Tony C's turkey injector.

Kroger had Butt's for .99 /lb few days ago so I picked another one up. I'm going to try the oven-finishing ya'll are talking about.

Thanks
Charlie

You can get a great bark on anything, don't wrap it. mop with apple juice and apple cider vinegar. I also slather with mustard before adding the rub. pull at 195°.

I don`t agree with that 100%. I had a couple of butts that went to about 220 internal temp when I got distracted from what I should have been doing and I personally did not like the texture of the meat. It was a bit to mushy for me. I have found that 205 degrees internal temp has the best doneness for my personal taste.

LOL you go run errands and get side tracked for a few hours, internal temp gets too high and too long, turns a pork butt (or brisket) into a piece of charcoal ... did that with a brisket several years ago, was hard as a rock and couldn't even slice it ... dry as cardboard