Smokin meat - Start in the oven, finish on the grill?

[VKK3450]

When smoking meat (Pulled pork, ribs, brisket, etc), can you start it in the oven for the first few hours then finish on your smoker?

I know its not ideal, but we're throwing a party this Saturday and I just dont have the time required to constantly maintain the temp in my crappy leaky offset smoker. This way I would get the easy temp control of the oven while I’m prepping in the morning, then finish it in the smoker once I get all the other junk out of the way.

If it matters, I'll prob just be doing pulled pork this weekend

Thoughts?

K

 

[Piobaire]

I do not know if this is true but I have read that smoke stops being absorbed once the meat reaches a certain temp therefore it's the early phase of smoking that provides the majority of flavour. Again, I have no idea if this is true. Since it's pulled pork you're doing why not try what they do in Hawaii for oven made kaluha pork? Take some liquid smoke, add it to 1/2 a cup of water, pour over the butt that is sitting in a roasting pan, and cover pan with foil tightly. You could then put the butt onto the smoker later, in case that will do any good, but have some smokey flavour already there.

 

[KJT]



I do not know if this is true but I have read that smoke stops being absorbed once the meat reaches a certain temp therefore it's the early phase of smoking that provides the majority of flavour.

I've heard the same, and believe it to be true. Or at least you can get significant flavoring with a few hours of smoking.

I have done it the opposite of what OP is suggesting with success. So smoke the ribs or the butt for some hours, then into the over wrapped in foil (with some applejuice or beer or water mixed with dry rub) until done.

 

[braised]

I agree with the posters above: invert your approach, start in the smoker and transition to a low oven. Unless the party is remote from a kitchen, this method has the real virtue of the messy/smoky part being done early when it has the most impact and the last stage is done when you have a lot of time and control.

For a pork shoulder set the oven at 225, 210 if your over will hold that low and let the joint come slowly up to 185 to 190. After 3-4 hours no more smoke flavor is absorbed. There is no compromise in going to the oven if you don't over heat the meat. Done slowly, the whole mass will confit in itself.

Damn good stuff,
Braised

 

[VKK3450]

I've also heard that more smoke is absorbed in the early hours, but was hoping that i could get away with oven first, smoker afterwards.

I'll be spending most of the morning making burgers, prepping sides, etc and wont be able to watch the smoker out in the backyard. Hoped I could transfer it to the smoker once I got all the prep done and it could smoke 3-4 hours while we drank and grilled the hot dogs and burgers (smoker sits beside the grill)

Hoping to steer clear of the liquid smoke. I have some in the cupboard, but wanted to do au natural...

K

 

[hypoluxo]

The meat will slow absorbing the smoke as it heats. Start by putting a dry BBQ rub on your meat a few hours before you put it in the smoker. Get your smoker up to temperature. Then place add the meat and put the wood chips on the coals. I keep a pan with a mixture of apple cider vinegar, apple juice, and water in the smoker. The ratio is not too important. You just want to keep some moisture in the smoker to help keep the meat moist. This will probably lower the temp in the smoker, but don't worry about that.

I place the meat in an aluminum pan, and I usually smoke a butt (pork shoulder) for about 6 hours for a 10 lb butt. You can get by with less if you are pressed for time. I then remove the butt from the aluminum and place it in another aluminum pan and wrap the butt with foil. Transfer the drippings to the new pan. You can use the same pan, but you had better REALLY like the smell of BBQ in your house. I will be strong enough as it is. I put the oven temp at between 350 - 400 degrees depending on how long I have to finish the cooking. If you want to be able to easily pull the pork, get the internal temp up to 195 - 200 degrees.

Once the internal temp is reached, remove the butt and place in the fridge for an hour or so if you have the time to spare.

I live in Memphis. BBQ is what we do.

 

[Piobaire]



The meat will slow absorbing the smoke as it heats. Start by putting a dry BBQ rub on your meat a few hours before you put it in the smoker. Get your smoker up to temperature. Then place add the meat and put the wood chips on the coals. I keep a pan with a mixture of apple cider vinegar, apple juice, and water in the smoker. The ratio is not too important. You just want to keep some moisture in the smoker to help keep the meat moist. This will probably lower the temp in the smoker, but don't worry about that.

I place the meat in an aluminum pan, and I usually smoke a butt (pork shoulder) for about 6 hours for a 10 lb butt. You can get by with less if you are pressed for time. I then remove the butt from the aluminum and place it in another aluminum pan and wrap the butt with foil. Transfer the drippings to the new pan. You can use the same pan, but you had better REALLY like the smell of BBQ in your house. I will be strong enough as it is. I put the oven temp at between 350 - 400 degrees depending on how long I have to finish the cooking. If you want to be able to easily pull the pork, get the internal temp up to 195 - 200 degrees.

Once the internal temp is reached, remove the butt and place in the fridge for an hour or so if you have the time to spare.

I live in Memphis. BBQ is what we do.

Just my opinion, and I don't live in Memphis so take it with a grain of salt, but 350-400 degree oven? No.

 

[hypoluxo]



Just my opinion, and I don't live in Memphis so take it with a grain of salt, but 350-400 degree oven? No.

I suggested that temp since I didn't figure he had another 6 hours to finish the butt. A lower temp works better, but it takes a long while to get the internal temp up to about 195.