First Pulled Lamb Shoulder - Noob help?

All Meats Including BEEF, PORK, LAMB & GAME
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jimmysea
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Joined: Sat Jan 23, 2016 6:15 pm

First Pulled Lamb Shoulder - Noob help?

Post by jimmysea »

Hi All

I've read a lot on these great forums but finding it hard to get all the pieces of the puzzle. I've done one pulled pork before, but I'm planning on doing my first pulled lamb shoulder this Easter Sunday.
I plan on serving the lamb as a pulled gyro, in a nice pita wrap with typical onion, tomato, tzatziki - so I want Greek flavours. But I still want a nice bark on the lamb.

RUB
So I'm thinking finely chopped rosemary, paprika, salt n pepper (maybe garlic powder too, or stick bits of garlic in the meat?)
- will this give me a good bark but work with greek flavours?

COOK
Going snake method on my Webber Kettle.
I have a 1.8kg boneless Lamb Shoulder. (I couldn't afford bone in for something that gets discarded... curious, is bone in better?)
I believe I need to get to 95C for pulled lamb?
How long to cook this much meat, I need it ready to serve at 5pm Sunday?
Cook Temp? Between 107C-135C?
Should I add a water pan under the Lamb?
Do you spritz lamb, if so.. what with?
Do I need to foil it (and why is this done - stop the bark going to far but keep cooking the meat?)
It's forecast for showers on Sunday, will rain on the Webber affect temp? - how to deal with rain?

Appreciate any tips. She's a beautiful piece of meat and wasn't cheap so I want to give it the best chance of success.
Thanks in advance
~Jimmy :D
titch
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Location: Sth East Melbourne

Re: First Pulled Lamb Shoulder - Noob help?

Post by titch »

i would aim for 120c or there abouts its not really important.
Bone in is always better the bone acts as a heat sink and when its easy to wiggle out you know the meat is pullable.
I would cook it early ,untill pullable and rest in an esky untill service.
Cut and pan fry for a few seconds as your serving it, bit of Olive oil will work, that should crisp up the outer edges a bit.
Enjoy the day

BTW
You have most of everything else covered
Cheers
Titch
jimmysea
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Joined: Sat Jan 23, 2016 6:15 pm

Re: First Pulled Lamb Shoulder - Noob help?

Post by jimmysea »

thanks Titch
Smokey
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Re: First Pulled Lamb Shoulder - Noob help?

Post by Smokey »

^^^ Titch, The lamb shoulder king,,, Do as he says Jimmy. 8)
If trees screamed when we cut them down, We wouldn't. If they screamed all the time we would.
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Pesto3
Posts: 246
Joined: Fri Jan 29, 2016 9:37 pm

First Pulled Lamb Shoulder - Noob help?

Post by Pesto3 »

Sounds like you have it all sorted.
I love pulled lamb too. I normally set mine up like this
Image[/URL]
At the 2 hour mark I put some water in the tray and a heap of fresh herbs and cover it up with foil. This one took 5.5 hours total.
Let us know how you went. Good luck!



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jimmysea
Posts: 6
Joined: Sat Jan 23, 2016 6:15 pm

First Pulled Lamb Shoulder - Noob help?

Post by jimmysea »

Thanks all. Appreciate the support. God I love smoking.

Setup the snake yesterday with some small wood chips. Only had hickory, hope that works?!

Image

Had some dramas lighting the darn coals but eventually got the lamb on at 9am (1hr late). Got her to 120C and its held there most of the day. Here's the old girl before going on the heat this morn.

Image

Currently Internal temp of 70c 5hrs in. Not sure how much longer it will take to get to 95c?


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Pesto3
Posts: 246
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First Pulled Lamb Shoulder - Noob help?

Post by Pesto3 »

Mate it really all depends. Every piece of meat is different. If you are in a hurry you can always foil it. As for
The 95c, just make sure it's probe tender.


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Pesto3
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First Pulled Lamb Shoulder - Noob help?

Post by Pesto3 »

Have you noticed the temp just stop increasing on the lamb?


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jimmysea
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First Pulled Lamb Shoulder - Noob help?

Post by jimmysea »

Pesto3 wrote:Have you noticed the temp just stop increasing on the lamb?


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Yes. 80c internal is as high as it's going?!
Pesto3
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First Pulled Lamb Shoulder - Noob help?

Post by Pesto3 »

It's called the stall. Don't stress, that's normal when doing this process. Wrapping it in foil will speed this up but you don't have to. It will continue to cook as is.


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Pesto3
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First Pulled Lamb Shoulder - Noob help?

Post by Pesto3 »

Providing you have ample coals.


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jimmysea
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First Pulled Lamb Shoulder - Noob help?

Post by jimmysea »

Learnt plenty today, lots of fun. Thanks everyone.

It didn't pull, but no real problem. Carved easily, tasted bloody marvellous.

Image

Image


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Pesto3
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First Pulled Lamb Shoulder - Noob help?

Post by Pesto3 »

Looks fantastic!!


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Davo
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Re: First Pulled Lamb Shoulder - Noob help?

Post by Davo »

Looks bloody marvellous too....yummo!!

Can I give you some advice regarding the snake method jimmysea,...... I seen by your pic that you have the top row of coals on top of the outside row, you'd be better off if the top row was directly in the valley between the 2 bottom rows....kinda like a pyramid triangle so that give it more chance of lighting evenly as the snake fire goes along. So the heat Bead Briquette is sitting evenly between 4 coals touching all 4 coals evenly so you'll have no gaps in the snake.
For the wood, I find in this set-up it's better to use chunks rather than chips.....chips burn too quick, even if they've been soaked whereas chunks are dense and will mostly only smoulder on a low fire like the snake....that will give you more even smoking.
Generally most meats won't take on more smoke after 3 hours, so try and take that into consideration......perhaps use smoking woods for half the snake's length.


Sounds like everyone has had a successful Easter Sunday cook-up....awesome!!


Cheers

Davo
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jimmysea
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Joined: Sat Jan 23, 2016 6:15 pm

Re: First Pulled Lamb Shoulder - Noob help?

Post by jimmysea »

Thanks Davo
Appreciate the helpful advice. Will sure take that on board. I've been thinking I need to try wood chunks so that will be my next move.

Cheers mate!
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