For some reason I’ve never made pulled pork, so thought I’d give it a try. Pork shoulder with a nice dry rub, roasted at 300 for about four hours, then pulled apart and mixed with a tasty barbecue sauce, then eaten on warmed rolls with a tangy coleslaw on top. How did I manage to miss this delight for all these years?
What?! You’ve never made pulled pork before? Awesome. Did it pull apart easily after four hours? Next step is to smoke it! Or you can also look into cochinita pibil, which is kind of a Yucatecan pulled pork: recipe here. Stuff is awesome, but I feel you do need to make the pickled red onions and habanero salsa (if you can handle it) to go with it. At least those onions.
It is one of the sublime life experiences denied to vegetarians. I like using my slow cooker.
I can’t imagine life without it.
I’ve had pulled pork sandwiches in restaurants before, but they’ve always been a letdown. This was outstanding. It was probably more like 4-1/2 hours cooking time, and didn’t exactly fall apart, but I was afraid that if it cooked any longer it would be dried out and tough. I don’t have a smoker, I’m afraid, and only a small gas barbecue (Weber Q100) since I sold my large one. I’ll check out your link.
The rub was a combo of coriander, pepper, cumin seed, brown sugar and salt.
My girlfriend did a pork butt in her crock pot and I was extremely dubious…until I tried it. It was really, really good. Damn, now I want to pork my girlfriend in the butt.
You’ll go blind.
Pork shoulder is kind of funny, and you have to do it a few times to get the hang of it and be able to “read” it right. (I’m assuming you’re using shoulder/Boston butt here.) Typically, what happens is it cooks through, becomes a bit hard, and then softens again. I don’t believe in going by the thermometer when it comes to pork, but what normally happens is that the shoulder will get to 170-ish, hover for awhile, and then slowly rise in temperature again as most of the collagen is rendered out and the pork has gotten tender. So, for pork, “pullable” temps are typically in the 190-200 range. But not always. I’ve had pork “pull” as low as 185. You kind of just have to get a sense for it, and trust it.
When it’s pullable, the following things happen: the meat looks like it’s slumped in on itself, like it can’t take its own weight. The bone pulls out with little-to-no effort. A fork stuck into it goes in without resistance and you can twist it with no resistance, either.
Now, this is not to say that “pullable” is necessarily ideal. I prefer my pork shoulder not quite at that stage: I like chopped pork, which generally finishes around 185-190. The stages go from sliced pork: where it’s got a hammy texture and can be cut with a knife to chopped pork, where it’s soft and juicy but not quite pullable, and then pulled, where the meat completely shreds with little effort.
Dang it y’all! Now I’m hungry.
It was at 180 when I took it out, so may have been a bit premature, but I let it sit until just warm before shredding it, so it would have continued to cook a bit. It pulled fairly easily, but I thought it might have been a skosh better.
Correction to my last post: the rub had those ingredients, but also had dry mustard and some chili powder mix. Ah hell, here’s the recipe.
Pulled pork in the crock pot is amazing, and pretty fool proof. I’ll be trying that Spicy Jalapeno Slaw too!
Hey, we are talking about cooking here.
We are? I see “pork” being tossed around as a verb.
OK, I am the only one doing that, I admit. For shame, FGIE!
:o
The slaw dressing is very nice; the vinegar and oil give it a nice zing. I removed the jalapeno seeds, but it’s optional.
It does sound very good. There’s way too much boring mayo based slaw out there that does nothing for me except go “crunch crunch”…much like flavorless iceberg lettuce.
According to the Barbecue Pit Boys, 190F is where connective tissues start breaking down and allow the pull to start.
As someone who Likes Pie, what would be the ideal flavor to finish off such a savory repast? I’m thinking something on the light side, like coconut custard, or down-home, like rhubarb.
In North Carolina you would either get Banana Pudding or a Fruit Cobbler.
I do a lazy hybrid for my pulled pork. Rub is applied first, then :
Step 1 ) Throw it on the charcoal grill with plenty of hickory chips. Lid on, let it smoke for 10-15 minutes per pound, turning a few times. Make sure to get plenty of char
Step 2 ) Crock pot with a vinegar / mustard powder based sauce for up to 8 hours on low.
Best damn one I’ve had short of a BBQ place that can just leave it in a smoker overnight.
I just set my thermometer to go off at 200, and it’s perfect every time. It allows me to forget about it until I need to take it off the smoker.