Beef shoulder is a cut of beef that is taken from the shoulder area of the cow. Because it contains connective tissues and muscle, it can be tough and gristly in texture. Beef shoulder requires a slow and low cooking process, such as smoking. Smoking cooks meat indirectly over a fire using a commercial smoker or your own backyard grill. Smoking will help impart moisture and a smoky flavor into the beef shoulder, turning an ornery piece of meat into a tender and juicy one.
Step 1
Place your beef shoulder in a resealable baggie or large bowl. Liberally sprinkle seasoning salt and garlic all over the meat. Add beer and Italian dressing to the baggie and coat the meat well. Marinate in the refrigerator overnight.
Step 2
Remove the beef shoulder from the marinade and allow it to come to room temperature while you prepare the charcoal in your grill or smoker. Soak about 15 cups of wood chips in a bowl of water.
Step 3
Mix together salt, peppercorns and cayenne pepper in a small bowl and sprinkle and pat the mixture all over the beef shoulder.
Step 4
Dry off the wood chunks and then add them to the charcoal when the briquettes are glowing red. Separate the charcoal and wood into two piles and place a drip pan in between them.
Step 5
Position the beef shoulder fat side up in the middle of the grill, directly over the drip pan. Cook until a thermometer registers about 190 degrees F when inserted into the middle. This can take up to 8 hours.
Tips and Warnings
- Keep the temperature in the grill steady by adding charcoal and wood chips as needed. To add additional moisture and keep the beef shoulder from drying out, Cooks.com recommends pouring the leftover marinade into the drip pan.
- To prevent foodborne illness, the United States Department of Agriculture warns that you must consume or refrigerate beef shoulder within approximately two hours of taking it out of the smoker. Store any leftovers by cutting the beef into smaller portions and placing them in shallow containers.
Things You'll Need
- Resealable baggie or large bowl
- Seasoning salt
- Garlic salt
- 1 cup of beer
- 1 cup Italian dressing
- Charcoal
- 15 cups of wood chips
- Bowl of water
- 3/4 cup salt
- 1/4 cup cracked black peppercorns
- 2 tbsp. cayenne pepper
- Paper towel
- Tongs
- Drip pan
- Meat thermometer
