Was in Vons yesterday and they had pork should blade roast in the cryovac for 88 cents a pound. So, I'm going to smoke a couple on the 18" WSM this weekend. I've smoke these types of roast before and they came out great. I used the basic renowned Mr Brown method.

Got a couple of questions. When trimming the fat; these roast have two major muscle groups with a crease covered in fat running between them. I ended up with a whole roast that had 2 major sections - would there be any problem cutting the roast in two along this natural seperation/division? more surface area, more bark, etc.

I also want to try smoking a briskett on the lower shelf. Just use the basic method described in the cooking topics? or does it need to be modified? This would be similar to the BOB but with blade roasts instead of butts.

thanks

If you have 'blade roast' and not 'pork loin roast, blade end' (or something similarly worded) then what you have is the lower part of a Boston butt.

Personally, I never trim. You certainly can if you wish - and you can separate, though I wouldn't. Yes, less bark going with it whole, but less potential for moisture loss, and whole means a longer cook, beneficial here if doing BoB.

As for the brisket, modifications, if any, would depend on whether you're cooking a brisket, a brisket flat, or a piece of a brisket flat, and, especially if either of the latter two, what the trim level is.

good idea on keeping the roast whole.

The briskett is in a plastic package/bag and just says brisket. There is a fat cap on one side; and a bit of fat at one end. I seem to remember people mentioning using the fat trim to keep the meat level.

I'll let y'all know how things turn out.

as a follow up; the smoke was around 15 hours. The pulled pork was excellent; but the bark had a bit more bite than last time, even though the spice mix was the same. The big hit with everyone was the brisket. Good bark, good smoke ring, moist and very tender (could cut with a butter knife). In fact, instead of smoked turkey for Thanksgiving, everyone wants smoked brisket!