Pork, Brisket, Chicken Thighs & Wings

[clairbare]

OK last post of the night



We couldn't slice this baby so now we are pulling it, moist, with an ever so slight kick of heat from the bark (although bark a bit soft not sure if this is acceptable)

[mcdodge]

OK
First up the Hooters wings (thanks Scott)

Lee loved these - well after i crisped them off a little more in the oven (nothing like sloppy chicken skin to put you off but it was my fault as i placed these on a tray in the smoker so they didnt crisp like they should)

Out of interest, what do you mean by hooters wings? Sauce?

[clairbare]

Hooters as in the chain of restaurants in the States - their style of wings

http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A ... A_8bH3BkKQ

Not sure if the link willl work

[MrBlue]

Can anyone help us out here with the Pork please..........we're just baffled as to why it didnt pull easily - especially as we hit the right temp - I can only conclude that the Asda bought shoulder was crap quality - as I find with a lot of meat from there. Maybe we got it up to temp too quick? maybe the Q was too hot?..........we really cant understand it

[Swindon_Ed]

What was the joint that you bought? Did it say what part of the animal it's from? looking at your picture it looks like that cut is from the rear leg. The bone in it looks like the ball from the top of the rear leg where your really wanting the shoulder which has a flat paddle bone in.

I could be wrong as i'm no expert, and i've never cooked a picnic joint which might have the same bone but that's what it looks like to me.

As i said i'm no expert so would be interested to hear what other people think about that.

[joker smoker]

Pork often needs taking to 205 F. Maybe your probe was resting on the bone[ which conducts heat]. Brisket may be ready as early as 185, always worth checking at this point with a skewer for butter like tenderness. Sometimes the meat is just whack! Maybe it was a picnic rather than a butt . As I've mentioned to Clair, give me a call and I'll order what you need from my butchers. I get packer briskets , real Boston butts and meaty spare ribs. Chickens I'm sure you can get!

[clairbare]

What was the joint that you bought? Did it say what part of the animal it's from? looking at your picture it looks like that cut is from the rear leg. The bone in it looks like the ball from the top of the rear leg where your really wanting the shoulder which has a flat paddle bone in.

It said Pork Shoulder on the packaging but yes the bone was like a ball not a paddle

Pork often needs taking to 205 F. Maybe your probe was resting on the bone[ which conducts heat]. Brisket may be ready as early as 185, always worth checking at this point with a skewer for butter like tenderness. Sometimes the meat is just whack! Maybe it was a picnic rather than a butt . As I've mentioned to Clair, give me a call and I'll order what you need from my butchers. I get packer briskets , real Boston butts and meaty spare ribs. Chickens I'm sure you can get!

Cheer again John, we will ve in touch - our brisket joint (if that was what is was) turned out ace which was a shock

[clairbare]

Thanks John, we are just SOOOO confused over temps - one person tells us 195-200 is done, and other says over 200 turns it to mush - is it quality of meat?...........the size?.......fat %?...........cut?..........organic?,...............non-organic? .......free range?.........non-free range?.........girl or boy?.................................................................time to stop guessing! HEELLPPPPPP

[Steve]

Clair,

Temps can only ever be used as a guide, it's the feel that matters. ideal core temp will be affected by the meat, the temperature it's been cooked at and a number of other factors. Also if you end up with your probe in a fat pocket or against a bone you'll get spurious readings.

When I'm cooking at about 250F I start probing my pork around 190F with a thermapen, if I cook it hotter and faster (275F) as I nearly always do on an Excel then I don't start to probe until just short of 198F. Similar approach for brisket but generally I take it a little higher.

The feel you are looking for is like sticking your probe into room temperature butter, i.e. just a little resistance but nice and soft.

[mcdodge]

Hooters as in the chain of restaurants in the States - their style of wings

http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A ... A_8bH3BkKQ

Not sure if the link willl work

I know full well what Hooters is, I'm an Owl Reward Club member! Much to the wifes chagrin...

I was just more interested in what made them Hooters like, the Anchor Bar Sauce from the recipe? You can get the real thing here

To add, how long was the pork on for?

I had a bit more meat than you on the smoker when I did my 1st pork the other week, but the butt was 4lbs. I put the pork on at 9:30 Friday night, and I judged it to be done (internal temp between 190 and 195 for about an hour) by 11:45am. It was super soft - I shoved my finger in to test (I'm not a pervert) and it then pulled so easily.