# Shredded pork barbecue (?) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 16, 2006, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shredded-pork-barbecue/368975 "2006-08-16T17:26:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2006, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shredded-pork-barbecue/368975/21 "2006-08-16T21:11:38Z")
[QUOTE=ZipperJJ] Unfotrunately I don’t have my pulled pork recipe on hand but I am going to give you a quick run-down of how I do it. The recipe & method came from my friend who’s from Athens, GA. The first time I made it, his parents happened to be in town and they said it was amazingly good, and just like the Q back home. I use a Weber grill with charcoal that’s started in a “chimney,” and some soaked hickory chips. The coals get pushed into a circle around the bottom of the grill. I fill a 10x10" foil pan with…this is not going to be accurate…1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup Bob’s Red Hot, a couple garlic cloves and…I think that’s it. Maybe a bit of molasses? The pan goes in the middle of/on top of the coals. This gives you indirect heat, and a drip pan. I buy a boston butt from wherever I can find it. I think 1/2 lb per person. I only rub the meat with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper. The meat goes above the drip pan, and I let 'er smoke. I’ve done it in 2 hours on a hot day…took 5 hours on a cold day. I keep a spray bottle of water to spritz the meat if it looks too dry. I use large tongs to turn it once. And a probe thermometer is key to getting the right temp. When it’s done, pull it apart with two forks. Viola!! The key to REALLY enjoying the meat is some good mustard-based sauce, like [Maurice’s](http://www.mauricesbbq.com/onlinestore/detail.cfm?ID=34202&storeid=1). You may also want to make sure your meat is on a bun with a pickle 🙂 [/QUOTE] _Two hours_? How much pork you smoking? I can’t do a butt in less than 10, no matter how hot the day. ---
**Author:** ![doverpro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/838e76/32.png) [@doverpro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doverpro)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2006, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shredded-pork-barbecue/368975/22 "2006-08-16T23:08:37Z")
I’m throwing in my hat with the rest of the WSM owners here. If you’re looking for a smoker, just pass up all the others and get the Weber. Sure, it costs more, but you’ll never be sorry. The last time I cooked pork butt I put two of them in the WSM and cooked them low and slow at 225 until they reached 200 degrees, which was about 12 hours or so. I only needed to fill the charcoal ring once and didn’t have to add more during the cook. It’s very easy to control the heat with a WSM. You’ll need a remote dual thermometer giving you readings of the meat and the smoker. This [web site](http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/) is the SDMB for WSM enthusiasts. ---
**Author:** ![neofishboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/neofishboy/32/444_2.png) [@neofishboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neofishboy)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2006, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shredded-pork-barbecue/368975/23 "2006-08-16T23:19:26Z")
[A previously posted recipe](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=117717) and just all-around good read. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shredded-pork-barbecue/368975/24 "2006-08-17T02:21:40Z")
[QUOTE=pulykamell] _Two hours_? How much pork you smoking? I can’t do a butt in less than 10, no matter how hot the day. [/QUOTE] Really?? I keep the coals good and hot. Maybe change them once or twice. And keep the air flow things on the grill closed on the top but not the bottom. I’m trying to think how big my first one was (that took 2 or 3 hours). Maybe 4 lbs? Not too huge. Alton Brown’s method - hotplate, chips in a pan, inside of 2 adobe pots - took about 10 hrs too. > [@The Swan](#): > > I am obligated to retract my above comments and call you a witch. Dude, why? I’m just a Clevelander - we eat sausages with spicy mustard here not pulled pork…school me 🙂 I must admit tho last time I made pork I made my own mustard sauce. Is it Maurice that offends you or the mustard? Or the pickle? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shredded-pork-barbecue/368975/25 "2006-08-17T02:25:24Z")
Mustard sauces are a staple of South Carolina BBQ. These people are not of The Holy Mother Church, and are to be cast out, forever denied the Food of The Gods. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shredded-pork-barbecue/368975/26 "2006-08-17T03:06:31Z")
My obligatory link to Dave Lineback’s NC Q pages. [http://www.ibiblio.org/lineback/lex.htm](http://www.ibiblio.org/lineback/lex.htm) This will give you more hours of reading than you have. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shredded-pork-barbecue/368975/27 "2006-08-17T04:01:57Z")
[QUOTE=ZipperJJ] Really?? I keep the coals good and hot. Maybe change them once or twice. And keep the air flow things on the grill closed on the top but not the bottom. I’m trying to think how big my first one was (that took 2 or 3 hours). Maybe 4 lbs? Not too huge. [/QUOTE] If you’re finishing a 4 lb butt in 2 or 3 hours, you’re definitely way above BBQ temps (225F - 275F) and well into grilling temps (325F+) Does the pork really pull when you do it this way? I can’t imagine the fat has enough time to render out and the collagen has enough time to melt into the meat. For a 4 lb butt, I would expect a _minimum_ of 6 hours of cooking time, more like 8 hours. This assumes a temp around 225-250F. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shredded-pork-barbecue/368975/28 "2006-08-17T04:03:48Z")
[QUOTE=pulykamell] and well into grilling temps (325F+) [/QUOTE] Actually, “grilling temps” might not be the best nomenclature here, but the point remains that your fire is outside the realm of “low and slow” over wood, which is BBQ. ---
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shredded-pork-barbecue/368975/29 "2006-08-17T04:11:09Z")
[QUOTE=neofishboy] [A previously posted recipe](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=117717) and just all-around good read. [/QUOTE] A classic, although not really vinegar-based, Carolina-style barbecue. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shredded-pork-barbecue/368975/30 "2006-08-17T06:54:39Z")
[QUOTE=doverpro] I’m throwing in my hat with the rest of the WSM owners here. If you’re looking for a smoker, just pass up all the others and get the Weber. Sure, it costs more, but you’ll never be sorry. The last time I cooked pork butt I put two of them in the WSM and cooked them low and slow at 225 until they reached 200 degrees, which was about 12 hours or so. I only needed to fill the charcoal ring once and didn’t have to add more during the cook. It’s very easy to control the heat with a WSM. You’ll need a remote dual thermometer giving you readings of the meat and the smoker. This [web site](http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/) is the SDMB for WSM enthusiasts. [/QUOTE] Screw that. If you really want good Q and the ability to grill, step up to the plate and get an [egg](http://www.biggreenegg.com/). Nothing finer anywhere. Low and slow at 200F? No problem. Grill at 1,000F ? Got you covered. ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shredded-pork-barbecue/368975/31 "2006-08-17T12:09:11Z")
[QUOTE=VunderBob] After moving to northeast North Carolina, VunderWife and I have recently become addicted to eastern Carolina vinegar barbecue, and we regularly hit the barbecue joints around us, which are thicker than McDonalds were in Hampton Roads… [/QUOTE] You’ve already had some good advice here, so I won’t muddle the water any further. I just wanted to welcome you to the path of the One True Barbecue. If you ever hear of a cook-off in your area, go. Go now, and taste the nectar of the gods. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shredded-pork-barbecue/368975/32 "2006-08-17T12:15:08Z")
[QUOTE=Rick] Screw that. If you really want good Q and the ability to grill, step up to the plate and get an [egg](http://www.biggreenegg.com/). Nothing finer anywhere. Low and slow at 200F? No problem. Grill at 1,000F ? Got you covered. [/QUOTE] That’s what my dad has at his house. He’s had it for more than ten years. One caveat, make sure you keep it cleaned and good airflow, plus clean around the temp gauge or you’ll get temps that are way out of whack and start overcooking stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shredded-pork-barbecue/368975/33 "2006-08-17T14:21:23Z")
[QUOTE=The Swan] The “probe” style thermometer is what you want. [/QUOTE] Yes, but _whatever you do_, don’t google “butt rub” and “probe” together. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Swan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@The\_Swan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Swan)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shredded-pork-barbecue/368975/34 "2006-08-17T18:55:28Z")
[QUOTE=Rick] Screw that. If you really want good Q and the ability to grill, step up to the plate and get an [egg](http://www.biggreenegg.com/). Nothing finer anywhere. Low and slow at 200F? No problem. Grill at 1,000F ? Got you covered. [/QUOTE] Yep. I’ve had one for 4 years now. I recommended the WSM b/c I can’t bring myself to advise anyone to buy an Egg unless I know they will get $600 worth of enjoyment out of it. (Though, I still think a Tec makes a better steak. I really think the egg shines at lower temps.) **Zipper** - I was mostly kidding. I think Maurice’s sauce is waaaaay too strong to put on smoked pork, especially in the quantities he uses. However, mustard can certainly be used to accent a sauce, and is often located in Tomato-based sauces without anyone really knowing. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Swan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@The\_Swan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Swan)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shredded-pork-barbecue/368975/35 "2006-08-17T18:56:59Z")
[QUOTE=spoke-] Yes, but _whatever you do_, don’t google “butt rub” and “probe” together. [/QUOTE] Wisenheimer. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shredded-pork-barbecue/368975/36 "2006-08-17T18:57:43Z")
[QUOTE=ShibbOleth] That’s what my dad has at his house. He’s had it for more than ten years. One caveat, make sure you keep it cleaned and good airflow, plus clean around the temp gauge or you’ll get temps that are way out of whack and start overcooking stuff. [/QUOTE] Temp gauage, _pfft_. Part of learning the craft of BBQ (IMHO, of course) is learning how to read the fire and the meat. I have yet to use a thermometer while smoking, and my results are consisently good. **Rick** , that Big Green Egg is great, I’m sure. Looks like the perfect little smoker, but for a beginner (who often thinks that $200 for a WSM is a lot of cash to shell out), it’s a bit pricey. Oh, and I grill on my WSM, too…I don’t see why you would think you couldn’t. So, let me say the WSM is the most affordable smoker that will give you consistently good results and teach you proper fire and vent control. There are, of course, better products out there, but I wouldn’t start a beginner out on anything less than this. But if you’ve got the cash to shell out for an egg (pun intended), go for ---
**Author:** ![brianjedi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@brianjedi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brianjedi)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shredded-pork-barbecue/368975/37 "2006-08-17T19:30:12Z")
[QUOTE=spoke-] Yes, but _whatever you do_, don’t google “butt rub” and “probe” together. [/QUOTE] Actually, believe it or not, it was page 4 of the results before the first sex toy link appeared. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Swan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@The\_Swan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Swan)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shredded-pork-barbecue/368975/38 "2006-08-17T19:33:30Z")
[QUOTE=pulykamell] Temp gauage, _pfft_. Part of learning the craft of BBQ (IMHO, of course) is learning how to read the fire and the meat. I have yet to use a thermometer while smoking, and my results are consisently good. [/QUOTE] Yep. And I still use the wooly-worm to predict rainfall. Other than limited access to one, I can’t think of any good reason NOT to use a grill thermometer. Not one. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shredded-pork-barbecue/368975/39 "2006-08-17T19:45:40Z")
[QUOTE=The Swan] Yep. And I still use the wooly-worm to predict rainfall. Other than limited access to one, I can’t think of any good reason NOT to use a grill thermometer. Not one. [/QUOTE] You don’t need one. That’s good enough for me. I’d rather learn to cook by intuition, if I have to. You have more flexibility that way. And it’s less stress than obsessively monitoring the temps. I just trust the meat to cook. And it does. At any rate, I subscribe very much to the ways outlined in the 5-step method I’ve linked to above, and that’s how the barbecue pitmasters do it. As long as the cue turns out good, who cares how it’s done. > [@](#): > > At the 1-1/2 hour mark check the chicken; the easiest way is to puncture it and see if the juices are running clear, or if they’re still pinkish. **I actually don’t recommend using an instant read thermometer for the first couple of cooks; focusing on temperature, either the WSM’s or the internal temp of the chicken, simply leads to mistakes when you let the numbers overrule your instincts.** However, if you must do it by the numbers, the breast is done when it reads 155 degrees F and the thigh when it reads 165. From the site I cited above. That worked for me, so I’m sticking with it. Sometimes I know my fire runs a little hot; sometimes I know a little cool, but I don’t stress about it and fiddle with the vents or anything as long as the meat is cooking right. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Swan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@The\_Swan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Swan)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shredded-pork-barbecue/368975/40 "2006-08-17T19:50:55Z")
[QUOTE=pulykamell] You don’t need one. That’s good enough for me. I’d rather learn to cook by intuition, if I have to. You have more flexibility that way. And it’s less stress than obsessively monitoring the temps. I just trust the meat to cook. And it does. At any rate, I subscribe very much to the ways outlined in the 5-step method I’ve linked to above, and that’s how the barbecue pitmasters do it. As long as the cue turns out good, who cares how it’s done. From the site I cited above. That worked for me, so I’m sticking with it. Sometimes I know my fire runs a little hot; sometimes I know a little cool, but I don’t stress about it and fiddle with the vents or anything as long as the meat is cooking right. [/QUOTE] I know more than a dozen pit masters who use thermometers. I also know that, with certain cookers, it is extremely foolish to continue opening the lid or door to check the fire or meat. It would be impossible on mine. Personally, I don’t “obsessively monitor temps”. I check them every now and again, and have a certain range that I’m happy with. Personally, I think it is very foolish for someone who doesn’t know what a finished product or perfect fire looks like to avoid thermometers. I’ve spent a great deal of time in professional kitchens, and I think thermometers ensure a fantastic finished product 99 times out of 100. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shredded-pork-barbecue/368975.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shredded-pork-barbecue/368975.md?page=3)