Pulled Pork

[canuck]

I've been wanting to do pulled pork for some time now, but for one reason or another I haven't gotten around to it. But I'm finally planning on going to my organic butcher tomorrow and pick up a pork shoulder. From what I understand, I should smoke it around 215F-230F or so. I plan on smoking it on applewood, unless anyone suggests something different. For those of you that have done pulled pork, any tips, rubs, sauces, etc that you would recommend? This will be my first time doing pulled pork, so any tips and info would be helpful.

[BrooklandBrewer]

Smoking it sounds delicious. I did it in the slow cooker the other day. Broth, onions and put a cup of my brown ale in with it as well. Used a Kansas City style BBQ sauce on it when it was done. Let me know how it turns out!

[Keggermeister]

I've been wanting to do pulled pork for some time now, but for one reason or another I haven't gotten around to it. But I'm finally planning on going to my organic butcher tomorrow and pick up a pork shoulder. From what I understand, I should smoke it around 215F-230F or so. I plan on smoking it on applewood, unless anyone suggests something different. For those of you that have done pulled pork, any tips, rubs, sauces, etc that you would recommend? This will be my first time doing pulled pork, so any tips and info would be helpful.

Sounds great! I usually do mine around 225, so you r temp is great. It will take a while, no peeking if you don't have to!
Smoking it wholly on applewood may end up a bit bitter, maybe do the first half with mesquite and finish with apple.

As for sauce, that depends on the style of bbq you like. Do a bit of research and you will come up with a lot of options. There are also great off the shelf sauces that are great or can be doctored with some cider vinegar and spices to make them great!

[mr x]

The Chris Lilly standard rub is an easy one, although I can't imagine any rub that will be wrong. This sauce is about as authentic as you can get, although there are lots of versions out there.

http://bbq.about.com/od/barbecuesaucere ... 40424b.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Henry1]

I make pulled pork nearly every week, although usually in the oven. Rub with salt and sugar the night before, roast for 5 hours or so at 250F, basting at the top of the second, third and fourth hours. The outside will turn deep red and super tasty from the maillard reactions that happen around 240-250F.

[canuck]

Thanks gents. I plan on pick up an 8-9 lb shoulder tomorrow and hope to get smoke it on Saturday. X, I'll make that rub that you posted. I was thinking about using Sweet Baby Rays for the sauce, but think I might make that sauce in that link as well. I've got applewood, cherry wood, hickory, mesquite, and jack daniels on hand so I' won't use all applewood like you suggested, Nick.

[mr x]

Here's a link with Lilly's injection too. I knock a lot of the salt out of these rubs, not needed AFAIAC. Still not sure about injections either. I keep doing them, but not sure if they are worth the hassle.

http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/pork4.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[NASH]

Inject that fucker the day before.... biggest improvement to pulled pork one can make imo, I usually HAMMER the ground pepper and sometimes hot sauce or cayenne into it...

http://www.ns4sale.com/gourmet-kitchen/ ... -pork.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

As for the rub.... about anything will do including just salt, pepper and garlic powder. I'm a Cajun dust fan so usually use that for a little heat. I don't use the rub in the link because I mainly detest sugar rubs.

Pork can handle quite a lot of smoke of many types so hammer with whatever you have or like. Personally I find mesquite bitter as fuck, and I love hops. Most all fruit woods are known to be quite sweet and gentle. More often than not I use 1/2 apple and 1/2 maple, or all of one or the other. Oak is wicked good too.

What kind of woods are good for smoking?

The following woods can be used for smoking:
Acacia - flavor similar to mesquite but not quite as heavy.
Alder - Good with fish, pork, poultry, and light-meat game birds.
Almond - A sweet smoke flavor. Good with all meats.
Apple - Mild. Good with poultry (turns skin dark brown) and pork. Cheese too.
Apricot - Good on white or pink meats, including chicken, turkey, pork and fish. Milder and sweeter than hickory.
Ash - Good with fish and red meats. Flavor similar to maple.
Beech - Flavor similar to Maple.
Birch - Flavor similar to maple (remove the resinous bark). Good with pork and poultry.
Cherry - Mild and fruity. Good with poultry, pork and beef. Cheese too.
Cottonwood - Subtle flavor. Mix with chunks of other woods (hickory, oak, pecan) for more flavor.
Crabapple - Similar to apple.
Grapefruit - Mild. Good with beef, pork, fish and poultry.
Grapevines - Tart, rich and fruity. Good with poultry, red meats, game and lamb.
Hickory - Commonly used wood for smoking. Sweet to strong, heavy flavor. Good with pork, ham and beef.
Lemon - Mild. Good with beef, pork, fish and poultry.
Lilac - Good with seafood and lamb.
Maple - Good with pork, poultry, cheese, and small game birds.
Mesquite - Strong flavor. Good with beef, fish, chicken, and game.
Mulberry - Like apple.
Nectarine - Good on white or pink meats, including chicken, turkey, pork and fish. Milder and sweeter than hickory.
Oak - Heavy smoke flavor. Good with red meat, pork, fish and game.
Orange - Mild. Good with beef, pork, fish and poultry.
Peach - Good on white or pink meats, including chicken, turkey, pork and fish. Milder and sweeter than hickory.
Pear - Like apple. Excellent with chicken and pork.
Pecan - Similar to hickory. Good with poultry, beef, pork and cheese.
Plum - Good on white or pink meats, including chicken, turkey, pork and fish. Milder and sweeter than hickory.
Walnut - ENGLISH and BLACK - Very heavy smoke flavor can be bitter if used alone. Good with red meats and game.

Other wooods - Bay, Carrotwood, Kiawe, Madrone, Manzanita, Guava, Olive, Ornamental Pear, Ornamental Cherry, Butternut, Fig, Gum, Chestnut, hackberry, Pimiento, Persimmon, and Willow.

The following woods are not suitable for smoking: Softwoods or evergreen woods (Pine, Fir, Spruce, Redwood, Cedar, Cypress, etc.), Elm, Eucalyptus, Sassafras, Sycamore, Liquid Amber (Sweetgum), Chokecherry, green Cottonwood., Railroad ties, and power poles. (Nobody has ever commented on the last 2 so far.)

As for temperature; 200 - 225 F is classic old school low'n slow temperature and works wicked good but more and more even old school competition cooks are raising their temps upwards of 275 F. Why? because the results are epic good and WAY faster. The lower temps will give you a thicker, firmer, heavier bark. better? No. Slightly different? Yes. I use both temp ranges depending on how long I want the cook to go, if you want a 20 hour cook try 210 F. If you want a 10 hour cook try 250 F.

Sauce; that link Xman posted is fine but I don't really want to add water to much of anything. I use BEER or chicken stock or Dr Pepper or BEER or Coca Cola or BBQ sauce or BEER. Just sayin'.

Whatever you do, post pics or it didn't happen!

Good luck brother!

[mr x]

I've served my injected and non-injected PP to the in-laws, who spent years in South Carolina living on the stuff. They never notice the difference. I've done a bunch of different stuff with the injections, and AFAIAC, what makes the biggest difference in the final product is the sauce.

[LeafMan66_67]

Like "X", I've done pulled pork with and without injections, and haven't really noticed a difference.

For the rub, I use the one found here, http://wp.me/p1TIqh-dm. I use that rub for everything. I go for low and slow, usually 12-14 hours at 220 to 230 degrees. I use mostly maple (i just trim the trees in the yard and season it for a few months) and mix in some hickory or apple or cherry depending on what I have on hand.

After pulling, I'll also add a bit of rub, cider vinegar, apple juice and chili flakes directly into the meat. As a serving sauce, I use the "No. 5 Sauce", http://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?13616-No-5-Sauce and doctor it up with rum, whisky or tequila, depending on what's on hand.

Good luck!

[NASH]

I've served my injected and non-injected PP to the in-laws, who spent years in South Carolina living on the stuff. They never notice the difference. I've done a bunch of different stuff with the injections, and AFAIAC, what makes the biggest difference in the final product is the sauce.

They haven't tried MY injection, and likely wouldn't want to! When I do an injection, it makes its presence know. I'm not trying to make South Carolina-style pp

[NASH]

Like "X", I've done pulled pork with and without injections, and haven't really noticed a difference.

For the rub, I use the one found here, http://wp.me/p1TIqh-dm. I use that rub for everything. I go for low and slow, usually 12-14 hours at 220 to 230 degrees. I use mostly maple (i just trim the trees in the yard and season it for a few months) and mix in some hickory or apple or cherry depending on what I have on hand.

After pulling, I'll also add a bit of rub, cider vinegar, apple juice and chili flakes directly into the meat. As a serving sauce, I use the "No. 5 Sauce", http://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?13616-No-5-Sauce and doctor it up with rum, whisky or tequila, depending on what's on hand.

Good luck!

booze. YES!!!

[canuck]

Lots of awesome info gents, thanks a bunch!

[canuck]

The pork shoulders have been in the smoker for almost 7 hours now. I couldn't help it and snuck a peak at them. They are looking really good so far!

[jacinthebox]

here's my dry rub (or dust)

Ingredients
3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup paprika
1/4 cup sea salt
1/4 cup garlic powder
2 tablespoons ground black pepper
2 tablespoons ground ginger powder
2 tablespoons mustard powder
2 tablespoons onion powder
2 teaspoons rosemary (crushed dry)


I rub 24 hours before smoking

I use maple, apple if I can find it

i smoke for 12 hours (pork shoulder blade roast), about the 5-6 hour mark I spray (or mop) with a mix of apple juice and apple cider vinegar, and do it every hour

[TimG]

Did an overnight cook with an 8-9 lb shoulder (bone-in) and it is sitting at 170F meat temp right now at noon. So I'm through the stall and I'm now wondering how long it 'should' take to hit 195-200?

I had cranked it up to 275F this morning as I was scared of not being done early enough.. do you think it is safe (and a good idea?) to drop it down a bit now that I'm through the stall?

[mr x]

For me, I don't mind going to 350 to finish once I hit 180. That's with no foil and a heat diffuser. Hasn't burned me yet.

Sent from Tapatalk 2, a prick of a company.

[TimG]

I've left it at 280ish.. meat temp is now at 178F

So, am I likely in good shape for a 5-6ish meal time? (another 4-5 hrs)

[mr x]

I'd say so. As you get closer to munch time, feel free to ramp up the heat if you are looking behind schedule.

Sent from Tapatalk 2, a prick of a company.

[TimG]

Things are looking good, 195 at 2:45pm. Just tried to pull the bone and it was a little stiff still so going to take it to 200 I think.

Pics to follow.

[mr x]

Sounds perfect.

Sent from Tapatalk 2, a prick of a company.

[TimG]

Big hit with a few friends over for supper. It is really amazing what a bit of effort and lots of time can result in with a hunk of fatty pork!