First kettle

[1st timer]

Hello, Just purchased a master touch kettle in slate. Will be using it to grill but will also start smoking. I have much to learn.
Looking at the snake method. What's the best piece of meat to start with?

[michaelmilitello]

Congratulations on your master touch.  A very capable grill.  For smoking, pork shoulder.   Very forgiving piece of meat.  It's tough to mess up.  It'll build your confidence.  That's the first smoke I did and I did it with a 22 and a snake. 


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[JEBIV]

Welcome from Doraville Ga, nice grill, I 2nd the pork shoulder and snake

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[1st timer]

Thank you! How do you gauge the amount of coal you'll need?

[michaelmilitello]

Thank you! How do you gauge the amount of coal you'll need?

A 2x2 snake most of the way around should get 6-8 hours depending on your vent settings.  I'd do 1/4 open on bottom.   Wide open on top.  Should hold 225-250 with little intervention. 


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[avega2792]

+1 on the pork shoulder. The key to great bbq is to let it rest. I pull mine off at 200-205 and let it rest until internal temp is 150 F. Any higher and it's way too hot to pull apart and the connective tissue hasn't been allowed to render properly. That was my biggest rookie error but I gave my cooks the time to rest it went from barely edible to fantastic. Now my bbq is being requested for family parties. Pork shoulder and pecan wood are your tickets to great bbq


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[DaveG74]

Welcome from just outside of Chicago, IL!

[Tomeda19]

Can i ask what temp it is when done please, also new to this thank you

[1st timer]

Pork....around 145F

[Walchit]

For pulled pork your gonna need to get up around 200 like @avega2792 said above.

[jhagestad]

Welcome from Highland Park, IL (north of Chicago)! 

With a 22" kettle, a 4lb pork shoulder should take about 9-10 hours to reach internal temperature of 200F using a steady cook temperature of 250F. As noted above, use the snake method of arranging unlit charcoal briquettes around the bottom of your grill using a circular pattern around a aluminum pan filled halfway with water.  Check out YouTube for step by steps on the specifics - it's virtually foolproof (hell if I can do it, anyone can).  If you don't have probe thermometers for the grill temp and the pork shoulder internal temp, you'll want to invest in that as I've found them to be critical to managing a low-n-slow cook.  Light one end of the snake using 12 hot pieces of charcoal, dial your vents back (bottom to 1/2 open and top at wide open to start), then wait for the temp to reach 250F then adjust the top vent as needed from there. Wrap the shoulder in foil when it reaches an internal temp of 160F and let it cook in the foil for the rest of the cook.  There are TONS of recipes for pork shoulder - find one that sounds tasty for the rub, seasonings, etc. and just go for it!  Definitely let it rest before eating - 30-45 minutes wrapped in the foil is totally fine. Good luck and welcome aboard!