Pulled pork aka BBQ pork, is a perfect dish for parties or having company over.
Meat Selection: for pulled pork- the cuts all come from the shoulder. Depending on where you live and shop these cuts have a few different names: Boston Butt, Picnic Cut, or some times just label as “pork shoulder”. ANY of these will work just fine. You will see cuts offered as bone-in, or boneless. If you have a choice I highly recommend the bone-in cut. It may take a bit longer to finish, but the bone and marrow impart a rich meaty flavor into the meat around the bone. Great stuff.
Cook Time: Every piece of meat is a little different but a good rule of thumb is about 90 minutes per pound. You are aiming for an internal temperature of 203f before you remove it from the smoker.
Resting: when the meat hits 203f and you remove from smoker, its best to “rest” the meat for at least 30 minutes before you start the “pulling” process.
To do this, place the meat in a dish and lay a couple pieces of foil over the meat. Then cover the foiled meat with a clean bath towel and place the whole thing in a room temp oven or cooler. This allows the meat to settle and relax, pulling the juices back into the core. This slow drop in temp will also help make it easier to pull.
Smoking: I recommend 75% fruit wood (such as apple or pecan) and 25 percent Hickory. Gives you a deep penetrating flavorful smoke ring, without overpowering the natural rich meaty flavor of the pork itself.
Directions:
- Sprinkle dry rub all over your cut of pork. If you don’t have a personal favorite, search “dry rub” in google or here on this page.
- Allow to sit at least 60min at room temp, while the pork comes up in temp and the rub sets in, light your smoker and allow it to settle in to a temp somewhere between 220f and 235f. A constant steady cooking temp is ideal.
- After the smoker temp is stable and the pork has set out an hour, place the pork shoulder in the smoker (Note: the temp will drop for 10 min or so after the pork goes in). Once it’s in, try not to open the smoker except when absolutely necessary.
- When its getting close to finishing smoking- check the core temp, using a instant read thermometer.
- Once it hits that 203f milestone, pull it out and rest as described above.
6. Shred the pork using two forks, or better yet, SHREDDING CLAWS:
7. After the meat is shredded, sprinkle some of the rub spices over the pulled pork and serve as is or on potato buns with a side of your favorite bbq sauce…… AND EAT!!!!
