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He returns all questions . . . . . . .
Topic: I did everything wrong - I think, . . . .
From: Debbie,
Subject: Re: Pork Roast Disaster
Smoky,
I did everything wrong - I think, First John said to pick up a pork roast (he meant a pork loin with a good slab of fat on top), I picked up a pork bottom roast - fat all through the inside!, second the roast was 4.78lbs, so I figured on 10-12 hours, we started to smoke, and it started to rain and snow and the wind blew (we live in Santa Fe), it was cold all day and the temp inside the smoker dropped down below 150°F. At 10 hours the roast was 140°F, at 14 hours it wasn't much better, I ate deviled eggs and red beans and rice, we continued all night. At three in the morning we kept going. Anyway, when we were done the roast was a bit bitter, we used charcoal and hickory chips, and I cut it up and added it to chili. Was it the weather, the roast, or what. I am determined not to quit.
Debbie
Golly Gee, Deb,
Sounds to me like it was all John's fault.
Frigid, wet weather will play havoc with cooking times - especially when your grill lacks the capacity to pump out ample BTUs to overcome the heat loss. Next time, cut your losses and take it inside to the oven for finishing up.
The pork loin should only take 6-8 hours. Because of the relatively narrow cross section and the lack of great gobs of fat to melt out, it cooks faster than a shoulder or butt. If you use good charcoal, only a small handfull of hickory chips is all you need. More is too much. That's what makes the bitter taste.
You have to change your attitude. You're trying to make work out of a fun thing. Relax, pop a chili and have a cool cerveza on me.
Keep on cooking,
Smoky
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