This father's day was special because my father-in-law wanted to get together to smoke some pork shoulders, ribs, and a ham for himself and he said he wanted to go through the process with me (prep, start the smoker, etc etc). I said no problem, I'll throw on some 'tester' briskets and let's plan it for father's day weekend.
My father-in-law is an excellent cook in the kitchen but wants to learn more about the smoker. I consider him a potential competition partner because he has the interest and desire to learn and help out.
I sent an E-mail to my family the Tuesday before Father's day inviting those to my house for a Father's Day Q. Not expecting many, surprisingly everyone (I have a large family so when I say everyone I mean about 30+ people, kids included) was excited to come.
We did 3 briskets, 2 pork shoulders, 4 slabs of ribs, 4lbs of beef short ribs and a 12lb fresh ham. Here are the pics;
Prep table in the garage. Briskets were injected, 2 with the same injection, 1 with a different injection, mistakingly, all 3 rubbed down with a Brisket Blend left over from last year that is OK but not my favorite.
12lb fresh ham. Lightly MUSTARD slathered
and lightly coated with Slap Ya Mama seasoning which is salt, black pepper, red pepper, and somethin like garlic powder and I think that's about it. It's good stuff
Fresh ham and briskets...plus gotta get the smoke from the stacks in there
Shoulders, ham and briskets went on about 1am. I have got the smoker down now where it only takes me 30 minutes to get her up to temp
I regulated the dampers and added more fuel before I was comfortable enough to go to bed for about 3 hours. Went to bed about 2am.
Checking the shoulder with my thermapen....great tool if you have the cash to throw down on one of these babies.
Ham and briskets
Beef short ribs......these were an experiment that my father-in-law wanted to try....let's just say they should have stayed at the butcher or cooked properly braised
and rib skirt meat for snackin.
Now I kept my temps stable between 225* and 235*. I kept my therm in that ham and from what I've read I should have let it reach 180*. It was a stubborn ham and I never foiled it. Once it hit 180* I pulled it, let it rest about 1 hour then sliced.
The ham was the most unedible piece of meat I have ever had. Drywall had more moisture
My father-in-law was disappointed but I had never done a ham like that.
Any suggestions on a FRESH ham would be appreciated. I've done ham's before but they were already cooked. Never done a fresh ham and would like to do another, maybe pull at 160*? Anyway.....
My sister took home a whole brisket and my brother took home a whole shoulder. There was plenty of leftovers, did some pit beans with the point of the briskets, turned out great. This being my 5th Fathers day I will say so far was my best. Hope all you father's had as good a day as I did, one I will remember for a long time.
SC
Was the probe reading right? But I'm sure you checked it with the Therma-Pen in the large end. I have laid cheese cloth on the face and sprayed with apple juice if one starts to dry out. I don't foil until I pull it to rest. 
Those I only cook to 160*
