Advice on 1st-time pork shoulder

[rdetexas]

Hello everyone, this weekend I will be doing my first pork should smoke on my new 1150 pro series V3. This model has the sear plate. My plan is to cook the shoulder uncovered directly on the grill grates at 250 degrees. My main question is, since this is a pretty fatty piece of meat, how do I prevent a flare-up from the grease dripping on the diffuser, or from grease dripping into the fire pot during the cook? I thought about putting a single piece of foil to cover the sear plate area during this cook to prevent any dripping from going into the fire pot, but I'm not sure if that is recommended, safe, or even necessary. Is 250 degrees even hot enough to worry about a flare-up? I will be cleaning my smoker before I cook to get rid of any extra old drippings.

Is there any other advice you all could recommend for this cook, especially to prevent a flare-up? Should I cook it on the top rack and place a foil pan underneath the meat the catch the drippings? I will also be using a smoke tube for more smoke flavor.

If I do place a foil pan under the meat, it will be pretty much directly over the burn pot area. Is there a danger of the foil pan getting to hot at that area, or any chance that the foil pan could prevent the grill from maintaining temperature?

Thank you all for any help you can offer!

 

[hollrusl]

I never cook mine directly over the heat unless I’m filling it up that much. I always go on the left and right side and work my way inwards if I’m cooking multiple pieces of meat. I’ve never had an issue with pork but, or any cut, cooking this way. If you’re overly concerned, you could lay a grate over a foil pan so lo of your dripping collect in the pan. You could also fill that pan with water, juice, etc so the evaporate hits the meat. Best of luck! I’m sure it will come out great with minimal problems.

 

[Jimsmokes]

If your diffuser plate is in correctly any grease or spritz wil flow into the drip bucket. I usually cook butts in a pan on a rack to catch the drippings for a finishing sauce.

 

[rdetexas]

Are you saying you have a rack, that is sitting inside a foil pan, and the butt is sitting on the rack that is placed in the pan?

 

[brewersfan73]

This is what I've been doing lately, mostly just to make clean up easier.

 

[rdetexas]

Gotcha, thanks for the idea!

 

[Jimsmokes]

Are you saying you have a rack, that is sitting inside a foil pan, and the butt is sitting on the rack that is placed in the pan?

Yes.

Not always though.

 

[ANT0407]

Yes i say cook on the top rack and put a foil pan under it on the bottom rack to catch the drippings.

 

[TXCANE]

Hello from TX. I have an Austin XL that has the searing grate that I can open and close. Only flare up I’ve had was searing hamburgers. On my pork butts, I smoke on 180 (P button at 5 for a bit more smoke) for 2 hrs. Then 275 for around 5-6 hours…internal temp around mid to low 170’s. Then I wrap in foil pain for two hours. Then rest it for 30-60 minutes, then pull it. Comes out great. Never had a flare up except w the burgers which I didn’t mind ref getting a little char. Good luck and let us know what you decide and how it turns out.