After getting home around 3pm from Seaworld, I decided to fire up the Smokey Joe and do a rather quick cook (~2 hours) on a couple of fillet steaks that I dry rubbed the day before. I think I'm really getting the flavours of my dry rub down pat, as this both went on the Pork Butt from yesterday and the steaks today. Versatile !

The pit was on at 3:30pm and by 4pm, the steaks and veggies (potatoes, onion) were on. At 4:30pm, the steaks reached the internal temperature of 80C, so I wrapped them in alfoil. The temperature then went up to 100C at which (5:15pm) I closed the vents and about 15 minutes later, took the meat off to rest for at least 30 minutes.

Once again, I had cooked some nice pieces of meat, but not long enough for it to start breaking down. I was really tired after our day at Seaworld, so I just wanted to do something quick and that's why I didn't leave the meat on there longer. Still, it was tasty and everything was gobbled down at dinner time.

Have I mentioned how awesome my wife is ? She did a small grocery shop on Friday and picked up a Pork Shoulder for me to turn into pulled pork and a couple of thick steaks to do on Sunday.

The Pork Shoulder aka Pork Butt was to be turned into pulled pork, so that when we go to Seaworld on Sunday, we'll have something to eat, instead of paying their high prices.

As I didn't have a deadline for this timeline (ie. not for dinner), I decided at 12:30pm to get the fire started I used about 16 briquettes and put another 6 as the outer wall inside the Smokey Joe, hoping that'll give me a longer cook time. I really had no idea how long I would be cooking for, I guessed somewhere between 4-6 hours. The pork butt only got rubbed at 11am, as I didn't know my wife's plan until then and by 1pm, the butt was on the grill at 13C internal temperature.

At about 3pm, 2 hours later, the pork's internal temperature had reached 79C, so I wrapped it in alfoil and half closed the top vents. At 3:40pm, it's internal temperature was 97C and at that point, I read an article, which said anything over 82C and it can be pulled. Don't do it hotter than that, or it'll dry out.

"Once the meat reaches an internal temperature around 180 degrees F (82C) to 190 degrees F (87C), it is ready to be pulled."

So, at 4pm, I took it off the grill and rested it. Unfortunately, I don't think I should have listened to that article, main reason being, the pork was cooked, but hardly any of it could be pulled. Only the meat directly under the top fat could be partially pulled.

So, it turned out to have a nice smoke ring, great flavour from the rub but didn't pull. Oh well, better luck next time.