So, I finally caved and got myself one of those electric smokers. Everyone’s been raving about them, saying how easy they are. “Set it and forget it,” they said. Yeah, right. Let me tell you about my first real go at it, trying to make some decent pulled pork because, well, who doesn’t like pulled pork?
My Grand Plan (Sort Of)
I didn’t go too crazy with a fancy recipe. Honestly, I just wanted to see if this thing actually worked without me burning the deck down. I grabbed a pork shoulder, a decent-sized one, maybe seven or eight pounds. Figured if I was gonna spend all day on this, I might as well make a good bit.
For the “rub,” I just kind of winged it. I remember throwing in stuff like:
- Brown sugar, a good handful
- Paprika, because it makes it look nice
- Garlic powder, lots of it
- Onion powder, too
- Salt and pepper, obviously
- A bit of chili powder for a kick, but not too much.
I just mixed it all in a bowl and rubbed it all over the pork. Made a bit of a mess, but that’s part of the fun, I guess. Then I wrapped it in plastic wrap and threw it in the fridge overnight. Seemed like the right thing to do.
The Actual Smoking Part
Next morning, bright and early, I got the smoker going. Filled up the little tray with wood chips – applewood, I think. Heard that was good for pork. Set the temperature to around 225°F. That seemed to be the magic number everyone online talks about.
Getting it in there was easy enough. Just unwrapped the pork, stuck a temperature probe in it (this is important, I learned), and put it on the rack. Closed the door and hoped for the best.
And then, the waiting. Man, oh man, the waiting. They say “low and slow,” and they ain’t kidding. I tried to keep myself busy, but I kept peeking at the temperature, both on the smoker and the probe. Probably opened the door more times than I should have, letting out all that precious smoke. Old habits die hard.
I had to add more wood chips a few times. The little tray on this thing isn’t huge. That was a bit fiddly, trying not to lose too much heat.
The Moment of Truth
Hours later – and I mean HOURS, like, most of the day – the probe finally beeped at around 203°F. That’s the target for shreddable pork, or so I read. It looked pretty dark on the outside, a nice bark they call it. I was hopeful.
Pulled it out, wrapped it in foil, then wrapped that in a couple of old towels, and stuck it in a cooler to rest for about an hour. Supposedly this makes it juicier. Who am I to argue?
Then came the shredding. Got a couple of forks and went at it. It was hot, and a bit messy, but it pulled apart pretty easily, which was a good sign. It smelled amazing, I gotta admit.
So, Was It Worth It?
Yeah, it was pretty darn good. Way better than anything I could have done in the oven. The smoke flavor was definitely there, not too overpowering. We made sandwiches, had it with some coleslaw. Classic stuff.
It wasn’t exactly “set it and forget it,” though. You still gotta pay some attention, manage the wood chips, watch the temperature. But, for a first real try, I was happy. The electric smoker does make it easier than managing a charcoal fire, I’ll give it that. Less babysitting, for sure.
I’ve got a few more ideas for what to try next. Maybe some ribs, or even a brisket if I’m feeling brave. It’s a learning process, right? But yeah, this electric smoker thing? I think it’s gonna stick around in my backyard for a while.
