I've never seen a shoulder look like that at my grocery stores. Never any skin, and never a leg bone portion. Are you sure the butcher wasn't just lazy?
So how did it turn out?
Doesn't the Primo have an insert to allow indirect heat ala the BGE's Conveggtor? It seems you're using the beans for that. Do the beans stand up well to the hours on the coals after cooking? Do you add more liquid during the cook? Ever try to cook them while they sit there on the grill?
BTW, I did Hasenpfeffer tonight on the stove. Working out the kinks in my new wabbit season favorite. Sooooooooo good. Was planning on grilling the rabbit but the weather didn't cooperate.
Hey John!
The shoulder was the primal cut - full shoulder butt and hock. You get both bones. Both are in the crock pot along with the skin and some extra fat making some pork stock for later. It is cheaper than a bone out butt, but you pay for the bone/skin and it all cooks the same, just take longer and more work. I think it was $0.99/lb at BJs vs $1.59 for the boneless. I am just cheap
I have the charcoal separator (plate) and the hanging racks. The plate is good if you are wanting to do one side or do some grilling on the other. For using the whole grill as a smoker, the hanging racks are nice. They have some expensive plates for it, but better to catch dripping in a pan vs splatter off those ceramic plates. Using the rack plus the chaffing dishes fit on it perfect - steel or aluminum. I almost always use this - sometimes add the double rack on top for smaller stuff - it cooks really hot up there, though. Some of the guys on the Primo forums put sand in their steel chaffing dishes. If I am not doing beans, I just put the steel dish in.
Beans are done. They were still too firm after 30 mins in the pressure cooker and about 7 hours in the smoker. I put on low today in the croc pot, and they were perfect. Added vinegar, honey, sugar, some left over salsa, pork rub, a little bbq sauce, salt this AM. Pretty good. First time using Maple - and I really liked it.
You got to put them on pretty soaked. I did about 2 lbs of beans and then fill up the chaffing dish most of the way with liquids. I will usually spray the pork bbq with cider/juice/stock with a spray bottle, but this time I just dumped a quart of chicken stock on it about half way through and then stirred the beans a bit. Sometimes they do get well done on the bottom if you don't stir them. You do need to add about 2 cups to a quart of liquid every 4-6 hours.
Never tried to do them on the grill by themselves - I am sure it would be about the same situation if not easier - - I just use them to catch drippings and make the beans wholly unhealthy. I do almonds like that too - - put in a little bacon grease or healthier oil and salt and smoke them till they are dark brown.
Pulled the shoulder out last night and it was only about 150 internal after about 7 hours at <250. Had it in the oven all day today at 225 and that was too low. It only got up to about 175. Upped the oven to 275 tonight and just got through chopping/pulling it and seasoning and putting it away. It was still about 190 in the coldest spot, so I just chopped it against the grain and then removed all the stuff I didn't want w/ the meat to put in the crock pot. Added a cup of vinegar to the pan I used for the beans and later for the oven for the 2nd day of the shoulder. Vinegar deglazed the pan added in the chopped pork with rub and tossed. Most of the bbq we do here doens't get eaten until later. I typically just smoke stuff for 4-5 hours, wrap it in foil, and then finish in an oven whenever we want to eat it.
First I have heard of Hasenpfeffer! Looked it up and sounds really good. I don't know much about seasoning rabbit. I was just getting into rubs for duck before I had to move. Would love to hear what you use on rabbit.
