More Bark Please

[Master-Hack]

Costco 3 lb. pork roast.  Started with a 24 hour equilibrium brine with kosher salt crystal brown sugar.  Dried & coated with mustard and a fair amount of Memphis Dust.  Used 2 oz. of hickory & 1/2 oz. sugar maple with apple juice in the pan for 45 minutes at 160 then upped to 245 to an internal temp of 145. Total time was 3 hours.  Wrapped & rested for an hour.  Turned out juicy & tender.  The situation is, my wife likes a bit more of a solid bark.  I always seem to end up with a soft coat which I like but a thicker, firmer bark would be nice at times.  Any suggestions?  I was thinking of taking it off around 120 internal and finishing on the Weber charcoal grill indirectly to the same internal finished temp.  As always, the experienced input is greatly appreciated.

 

[SconnieQ]

If you are only taking the internal temp to 145, then I assume you are slicing your roast? What cut of pork are you using for your roast? 145 would be a good temp for a loin, but it doesn't look like a loin. 145 IT and only 3 pounds probably does not allow enough time to form the kind of bark you are looking for, such as what you would get on a pork butt smoked to 190-195 IT. You could try removing your roast from the smoker 5-10 degrees below your desired temperature and either put into a very hot oven (450-500) for several minutes to crisp up, or put it on the grill, or use a searzall. Which would really give you more of a crust than a bark, but pretty close to the texture you are looking for.

 

[DivotMaker]

Lee, what the heck kind of pork roast is that?  Honestly, I've never seen a round 3 lb pork roast, so I don't know where to start.  But, I will say that any 3 lb roast is hard to smoke & predict. 

If you want a "pork roast" with great bark, you need to find you a 7-10 lb bone-in Boston butt, and give it the same treatment (except smoke at 225-235) until it hits 190+.  This is for pulled pork.  If you take a butt to sliced temp, 175 works well. 

What you've discovered is that small, weird, cuts don't do so well.  Nothing on your part, just the nature of the beast.  Find some of the pork recipes on here, and try to duplicate them.  We don't have a problem with really stellar bark, because we start with the right meat/prep/technique.  Stick with us, and we'll get you there! 8)

 

[SuperDave]

That is called a pork tip roast or ball tip roast.  Tony, don't think butt.  This cut is closer to a loin roast.  Slicing for sandwiches is my choice for this cut. 

 

[SconnieQ]

When he said he was cooking to 145, I thought it sounded more like a loin, since that's the perfect temperature to cook a loin for slicing. In my opinion, bark on a roast cooked to 145 is not going to happen. You can probably form a "crust" as I suggested in my previous post by reverse sear. If you want bark, you need to do something like a butt low and slow, which cooks to a higher internal temperature for longer, allowing bark to form.

 

[DivotMaker]

That is called a pork tip roast or ball tip roast.  Tony, don't think butt.  This cut is closer to a loin roast.  Slicing for sandwiches is my choice for this cut.

Whew!  Thought I was seeing some new-fangled pork butt!   I've never seen that cut in my area, but what you say makes perfect sense.  Kari's right - 145, like a loin, will never make great bark.  That's where the reverse-sear is the only ticket!

 

[Master-Hack]

Thanks for all the input.  I kinda figured I wouldn't get that much bark on a small roast like that.  The cut was a sirloin tip pork roast.  We get 4 packs at Costco here and they are great in a crock pot.  Smoked it to 145 & sliced it fairly thin.  Outstanding for sandwiches.  Kari, I think you are right with pulling it early & throwing in the oven around 500 like Tony does with the prime rib roasts.  As it was, it was very juicy so I think it would have held up to the oven just fine.  Next time, I'll try that.  In the mean time, I've got some great sliced pork to snack on.  Done lots of pork butts over the years and I didn't expect a bark like that but hoped for a bit more than I got.