My pork shoulder bark went from pale to perfect in just 2 hours

I was smoking a 9 pound shoulder on my offset last weekend and the bark looked weak after 6 hours. I moved it from the top rack directly over the firebox, where the heat is more direct. The difference was crazy, it formed a deep, dark crust in the next 2 hours without burning. The key was that radiant heat from the coals, not just smoke. Anyone else find a sweet spot on their smoker that fixed a bark problem?

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3 Comments

betty_white396mo ago

Had the same issue with my old Brinkmann. Putting a water pan under the meat to catch those drippings made all the difference, got that crust right where I wanted it.

1

the_elizabeth6mo ago

That water pan trick @betty_white39 mentioned saved my brisket last summer.

1

jesse_craig264mo ago

That water pan trick changed my mind too. I was skeptical at first like @the_elizabeth probably was, but it really does make a difference with the bark.

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