Exact Answer: 90 minutes
The smoking of meats and fish has long been regarded as a high-end culinary delight owing to the meat’s deep, rich flavor enhanced by the smoking technique.
Summary
When smoking pork, one must always remember that there’s no such thing as too much smoke. The smoker’s temperature must stay consistent, and if it does not, then the cooking time will vary.
The best way to get a consistent temperature is by adding wood chips to generate more heat or less smoke. One can also add water to keep the smoking process going.
How Long To Smoke Pork Shoulder At 225?
| Meat | Duration |
| Pork Shoulder | 90 Minutes Per Pound |
| Pork Tenderloin | 1 hour |
The timing to smoke a pork shoulder varies depending on the size of its weight, and it generally takes 90 minutes per pound. Take the temperature using a probe from an instant-read thermometer during the last 2-4 hours of cooking time.
When cooking at 225°F, the average internal temperature should be around 180°F after 4 hours or 195°F after 7 hours. If the meat is not getting there despite being close to that amount of time, then bump up to 250°F for about 15 minutes before going back down again and continuing checking.
For instance, the pork shoulder has a higher fat content than other meats, and smoking reduces the propensity for flare-ups on the grill.
Basting with wine also helps by giving the meat a flavor boost. If one is grilling with charcoal, soaking some apple or cherry wood chunks in water beforehand will impart that signature smoky flavor to the finished product. Still, they’re generally more effective if one has access to pellets as they require less fiddling around.
The duration depends on the size of the shoulder and how well-done one likes their meat. Generally, the longer one smokes it; the more cooked through it will be. A five-pounder should take about 5 to 6 hours depending on the desired level of cooking; a seven-pounder should take six to seven hours; an eight or nine-pounder about 7 1/2 to 8 hours.
Why Would Smoking Pork Shoulder At 225 Take So Long?
Pork is usually smoked from an overnight cook at 200 instead of 225 degrees because after 12 hours; meat tends to dry out too much. Smoking meat below 140, though, can promote pathogenic microbial growth, so be careful.
The cooking time will depend on how many pounds of pork one has in the smoker, and it should take about 90 minutes per pound, but that can vary depending on several factors.
The ideal internal temperature for pork is around 170 degrees Fahrenheit. As the manufacturers get their meat from different places and at different times, it’s possible to purchase pork shoulder with a wide range of moisture content like moist or very dry, dark meat, or light meat if the purchased roast is close to the top end, look out for a moister one next time.
This translates into between 8 hrs to 16 hrs cooking time. This is not an overnight process, and it’s not quickie food.
Pork shoulders require a high enough smoking temperature to kill trichinosis parasites. Trichinosis is a parasitic disease caused by a roundworm found in pigs and other mammals, including bears.
A pork shoulder should not ever be eaten rare or pink, but because the parasite is killed around 170 degrees Fahrenheit, this is the safety standard for cooking meat at that temperature.
Smoking bacon at low temperatures could lead to undercooked, potentially diseased meat. A good rule of thumb for cooking meat is to take its internal temperature with a thermometer.
Conclusion
Smoking pork shoulder at 225 is a great way to prepare the meat. If one is looking for a recipe for smoking at 225°F, there are three different ways to achieve this temperature.
One can choose to use the smoker’s built-in thermometer or test the internal temperature of the meat using an instant-read thermometer.
Using a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the pork shoulder is a good idea. The ideal temperature for this cut is 225 degrees, and it will take approximately 8 hours to reach that temperature, so one needs about 5 hours to smoke it at 225 degrees F.
References
- https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jf960250s
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0740002002000990
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