Recipe for Pulled Pork

[mjkcooking]

Hi - I need a recipe for Pulled Pork - my daughter wants to have this for
little Lukes birthday -

Any tried any tried and true recipes appreciated.

Thanks

and a good bbq sauce too.

Marye

[cjs]

Wow! He's a year old already??????????????????????
Marye, here's a 'tutorial,' if you will of pulled pork I save years ago from about.combarbecuing. It taught me a lot when I started doing pulled pork. As far as sauces go, their are 3 sauce recipes in one of the C@H mag. that I think I have saved in M.C. and I'll look for them. All three we love.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Pulled Pork Step by Step

While you can certainly go whole hog for most people and most occasions you just don't need that much meat. The best cut to use for pulled pork is the whole pork shoulder. Weighing in at around 16 pounds, the shoulder is still a lot of meat. Fortunately you can get this one cut in one of two cuts, the Boston Butt and the Picnic. The most commonly used piece used in barbecue competitions is the Boston Butt. This pork roast has a good fat content and tends to be a good uniform shape (basically a square block).

Prepare your pork roast by trimming off any loose pieces of meat or fat, but basically leave it the way it is. Pulled pork tends to be pretty forgiving and since the meat will be shredded at the end any bone, fat or gristle will be removed then.

Give the meat a rinse in cold water and then pat dry (as dry as you can).

There are lots of rub recipes that work perfectly for pulled pork. From spice to sweet the choice of rub if yours. However, when it comes to application and timing there are a few things to remember. First of all, it might be tempting to apply the spice rub to the pork well in advance. The problem is that the rub tends to not only add flavor to the meat but to also change the texture of the surface meat. This can give your pulled pork a "ham" like consistency that, well, just isn't right for pulled pork. Apply a good, thick coating (because some will flake off during the process) about an hour before you start smoking. This will let the moisture of the meat combine with the rub to create a crusty surface that will give the pork roast the surface texture you want.

Barbecue is all about the smoke. While you could put your pork roast in the oven to cook low and slow, without the smoke you will not get the right flavor and texture to make real barbecue.

Maintain a good smoking temperature around 225 degrees F. with a good, smoky fire. Refer to your smokers operating manual for information about your specific smoker. It will take about 1 to 1 1/4 hours per pound of meat to smoke your pork roast. Make sure you have plenty of time because under cooking will give you tough meat that just isn't barbecue.

During the smoking you may choose to apply a mop. A mop will help add moisture to the surface of the meat while it cooks and help add additional flavor.

When smoking a pork roast you want to keep a close eye on the temperature. Ideally your pork is done cooking at a temperature around 185 degrees F. in the very center of the meat. One problem is that the meat can really dry out the longer it cooks. Since the outside of the roast is going to be hotter than the middle you can use this heat to finish off the meat outside the smoker. When the center of the meat is around 175 degrees F. take it out of your smoker and wrap it tightly in several layers of foil. Now you will want to keep it warm. There are several ways to do this. One of the simplest ways to do this is to place the meat in a small cooler. The cooler will hold in the heat, allowing it to reach the right temperature without cooking it any more. This is also a great way to hold the meat until you are ready for it.

Wrapped tightly the meat will steam a little making it easier to shred.

Pulled pork is, well, pulled. Sliced, dices or simply cut up the meat will tend to dry out faster. By pulling the meat apart by hand you leave the texture of the meat intact. This leaves it in a more natural condition. As you pull the meat into small pieces (strips) you can find all the remaining fat, bone and gristle to remove. This will leave you will tender delicious meat. There are a lot of things you can do with pulled pork, but it is best made into a sandwich.

RUB:

This rub is perfect for all kinds of pork whether it's ribs or Carolina-style pulled pork. One tip: If you apply your spice rub too early before you start cooking it will cause the pork to develop a ham like flavor, and not in a good way. So apply this rub right before the pork hits the smoker.
Prep Time: 10 minutes

2 cups paprika
3/4 cup lemon pepper
1/4 cup coarse ground black pepper
1/4 cup white pepper
1/4 cup onion salt
1/4 cup granulated garlic
1/4 cup chili powder
3/4 cup brown sugar

Mix all ingredients and store in an air tight container. Apply to pork with a shaker right before it goes into the smoker.

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Smoke is a necessity of barbecue. Anyone who tells you otherwise probably puts steak sauce on a $20 filet mignon. What wood you use for smoke is up to you. What works best however, are the Southern traditional woods, hickory and oak, particularly white oak. Also, pecan, walnut, cherry, apple and peach are good choices. You should stay away from alder and mesquite because they then to add too strong a flavor. Despite how long the meat is cooked, it should be exposed to smoke for at least the first six hours.

Wood: Purists will say that your fire should be made entirely from hardwood logs that have been burned down to coals and then added to the smoker. Of course, this isn't practical for everyone. Whether limited by equipment or temperament many people find it difficult to burn hardwood logs for the kinds of coals used by diehard traditionalists. If you do go with charcoal, you will benefit most from hardwood charcoal, but you can, if need be, use regular charcoal. I always recommend staying away from charcoal with additives like lighter fluids. If you are using charcoal add hardwood chunks that have been soaked in water to the coals once you have a hot fire. Drain off all the water you can. The wood should be moist, not wet. During a long smoking period you will probably have to add additional burning coals to the fire to maintain the temperature.

Temperature: Once the smoker is ready add the meat. The ideal smoking temperature is around 215 degrees F with the acceptable ranges being between 200 degrees F and 235 degrees F. Under normal conditions you should plan on smoking for about 1-1/2 hours per pound. Of course the temperature modifies the cooking time. If you smoke on the higher end of the temperature range subtract about 10 minutes per pound. This means a ten-pound pork shoulder can take 15 hours to finish. Many people find it difficult to maintain a good temperature for this long and choose to wrap the pork in foil and place it in the oven. Like I said you should keep the meat in the smoker for at least 6 hours. Though there is still debate on the subject, conventional wisdom suggests that the amount of smoke flavor absorbed by meat declines as it cooks. Therefore the amount of smoke flavor you would be adding in the last two hours is relatively insignificant. My opinion is that is it best to keep meat in the smoker as long as possible. If it becomes difficult to maintain the temperature or other circumstances get in the way move it to the oven. If you do transfer the meat to the oven, set the temperature in the ideal temperature range. Make sure you wrap the pork tightly in foil to hold in the moisture. Many people, even competition cooks, will smoke their pork roasts unwrapped for half the overall cooking time and then wrap.

Once the meat reaches an internal temperature should reach around 180 degrees F to 190 degrees F it is ready to be pulled. You can serve the meat once it reaches 165 degrees F, but it will be hard to pull apart. Typically you can pull the meat easily once the internal temperature reaches 190 degrees F, but you don't want to go above this and the higher the temperature goes the greater the chance it will dry out. Always keep an eye on smoking meat.

Once the pork is cooked remove it from the smoker (or oven as the case may be) and let it sit for about an hour. This will cool it down enough for pulling. As you pull the meat apart, place it in a pot on a low temperature to keep it warm. You will need to separate the meat from remaining fat, bone or other non-palatable parts. From here you can serve. However many people prefer a finishing sauce so it's best to have one ready to serve.

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the Sandwich:

There are several ways to serve pork barbecue. In many places you will find it served up without sauce on a plate, but more commonly you will find it served as a sandwich. The sandwich tradition goes back to old tent revivals and political rallies where pulled pork sandwiches were served up by the hundreds or even thousands to guarantee a good turn out. You can still get these sandwiches served at restaurants from the big to the small across the south. In fact they are starting to turn up in national chain restaurants around the world.

Shredded Pork: To make a pulled pork sandwich you need to start off with the pork. It should be shredded fine, with no large pieces. You want it to be loose in the bun and easy to eat. Now if the pork is smoked right it won't be chewy in the least. From here you need a bun. Cheap white bread buns are the bread of choice. Fancy and expensive buns simply won't do. You don't need high quality of flavorful bread for this sandwich. All the bread does is give you something to hold onto.

Cole Slaw: Next comes the issue of slaw. For most people, cole slaw is a portable salad stuff that gets served in little polystyrene containers with chicken. In some regions of the pulled pork globe, the slaw can be on the side or it can be in the sandwich. Either way is fine as long as the cole slaw isn't too strong in flavor. The type of cole slaw used is generally nothing fancy. In fact I've seen pulled pork sandwiches topped with just chopped cabbage. However the standard cole slaw is cabbage, mayonnaise, vinegar, and pepper.

As for serving these sandwiches, I find it best to let the diners assemble their own. This way they get exactly what they want. Try serving up yours with two sauces, one hot and one sweet, a simple cole slaw and plenty of buns. Everything can be optional. The last time I served them up I don't think two peo

S(Internet Address):
"http://bbq.about.com/od/pulledpor1/ss/aa062408a_6.htm"

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I found them - only there are 2 not 3 - here's the whole recipe so you can compare the dry rub and maybe use it for the pork?


* Exported from MasterCook *

Coke-brined Grilled Chicken*****

FOR THE CHICKEN AND BRINE--
1 whole chicken (4-6 lb.)
1 liter coca-cola
1/2 cup kosher salt
FOR THE RUB
Combine -- rub over chicken and grill:
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon dry mustard
2 teaspoons paprika
1 SERVE WITH:
Bourbon BBQ or Sweet Carolina Dipping Sauce

Butter fly the chicken. Poke about 6 holes in the underside of each chicken half--this helps the brine to soak deeply into the meat. Combine the Coke and salt in a large resealable plastic bag, stirring to dissolve the salt. Place the chicken halves in the brine, seal the bag, and refrigerate for 2 hours. Preheat the grill to high.

Combine the rub ingredients in a bowl. Remove the chicken from the brine and pat dry with paper towels (discard the brine). Rub the paste over the chicken, then let it stand for 15 minutes.

Turn 1 side of the grill to low (maintain high heat on the other side). Arrange both chicken halves on the low-heat section, skin side down. Top the halves with a cast iron skillet and a brick. Cover and grill for 10 minutes, then rotate the chicken 45°. Reposition the skillet and brick on the chicken; grill for 10 more minutes, or until skin is crispy and brown.

Flip the chicken over and grill, without weight, for 20-30 minutes, or until it's 180° in the thigh.

Serve chicken with dipping sauces.

Bourbon BBQ

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup each: ketchup, apple cider vinegar & bourbon
1 T. worcestershire sauce

Simmer the ingred. together for 5 minutes.
Off heat, season with: salt and red pepper flakes to taste.

Sweet Carolina

1/4 cup each: honey, apple cider vinegar & prepared yellow mustard
1/2 tsp. salt

Simmer the ingredients together for 5 minutes.
Off heat, season with: red pepper flakes to tasste.

These are really tasty sauces.

Description:
"CuisineAtHome, June 2007, pg 7" - wonderful! the Sweet Carolina sauce is wonderful!!!!"
S(Internet Address):
"http://www.forums.cuisineathome.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Number=34669&page=0"
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That's all I have for you.

[esgunn]

Marye, Here is our recipe we used for years before we got a smoker. I have also just used boneless pork loin. I would do it for parties and would easily double or triple in a large 7 qt crock pot (what would fit). I think I changed the recipe for the pork loin, but it notes is the original 4 to 5 pound pork shoulder.

The sauce is a mustard based South Carolina style sauce. Not everyone likes a yellow mustard sauce, but we love it and it is C@H.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Mustard BBQ Sauce

Recipe By :Erin
Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Sauces and dressings

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 cup yellow mustard - yes -- plain yellow mustard
1/2 cup white balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup brown sugar -- packed
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 T. lemon juice
1 Tbsp molasses -- mild
1 tsp cayenne pepper

Combine all ingredints and cook over medium-low heat for 30 minutes.

Makes 2 cups.

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NOTES : This sauce also freezes just fine! We use it on ribs and on pulled pork sandwiches.



* Exported from MasterCook *

Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 8 Preparation Time :0:30
Categories : Crock Pot Main Dish Pork

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
3 pounds pork loin
3/4 cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Brown the pork roast in a lttle oil with salt and pepper.

Place in the crock pot. Mix the vinegar, brown sugar and red pepper flakes and pour over the roast.

Cook on low 10 to 12 hours or High 5 to 6 hours.

Remove the roast and pull into shreds with two forks. Pour cooking juice over to moisten. Serve on rolls with favorite Barbecue sauce.

Start to Finish Time:
"6:30"
T(High Setting):
"6:00"
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Serving Ideas : Serve with Mustard BBQ sauce.

NOTES : Can use 4 to 5 lb pork shoulder or boston roast.

[cjs]

I'm sure glad you sarted this one, Marye - I'm thinking it's time for me to do some of this - haven't since the 'after the 4th party' - remember that time in your life???

[Old Bay]

I made this sauce to go with pulled pork sandwiches at my reunion this saturday, in honor of my wifes roots---
South Carolina Pork BBQ Sauce
1 & 1/2 C apple cider vinegar
1/2 C ketchup
1 T (packed) brown sugar
1 t salt
1 t cayenne
2T yellow mustard
Mix well--can be multiplied 2X, 3X---------ooX (no infinity sign on the keyboard)
Delicious!!!!

[DFen911]

This is a recipe that Labs shared years ago and I have never looked back

Ingredients:
1- 8 pound Bone-In Fresh Ham Or Boneless Pork Roast
12 large Cloves Garlic, mashed
1 Tbsp Kosher Salt
1 Bay Leaf
2 tsp Dried Oregano
2 sprigs Fresh Thyme Or 1 Tsp Dried
1 tsp Ground Cumin
2 tsp Fresh Ground Black Pepper
⅓ cup Olive Oil
½ cup Tortuga (Dark Rum)
1 ½ cups Sour Orange Juice, or 1-¼ cups orange juice and ¼ cup Cayman lime juice
2 medium Yellow Onion, sliced thin
1 tsp Ground Black Pepper
1 tsp Garlic Salt

Directions:
Trim off excess fat from pork and make shallow cuts all over meat. Combine garlic, salt, bay leaf, oregano, thyme,cumin and pepper in food processor and grind into paste. Place the pork on a plate to catch any seasoning drips. Rub seasoning mix into the pork, making sure it goes into the cuts in the surface. Put the roast in a large bowl or jumbo resealable zip-top bag.Combine onions, olive oil, and rum and bitter orange juice and blend well and pour over roast, turning so roast is covered with marinade. Cover bowl with plastic wrap or seal bag tightly and refrigerate 24 hours, turning roast occasionally so marinate thoroughly saturates all surfaces.

Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Remove roast from marinade (save marinade) and place fat side up in roasting pan lightly oiled with olive oil. Sprinkle with remaining pepper and salt. From here, the cooking methods vary according to cook. There are two suggestions from Cuban friends about how to cook lechon asado in the oven.

The first one: roast pork for an hour at 350F, turning the meat during cooking so all sides are browned. After an hour, remove roast from oven, pour reserved marinade and onions over roast and tent with aluminum foil. Return to oven and reduce heat to 300. Roast for 2-½ hours longer, basting often with pan juices and marinade, or until roast is well done.

This is the method I use if I don't use my smoker.

The other method is to heat the oven to very low heat, 225 and cook the roast slowly, about 7- 8-hours-basting frequently with marinade. Our Latin neighbors like their pork very well done,falling apart tender. Either way, the internal temperature should read at 180 degrees on a meat thermometer. Let stand 20 minutes, covered, before serving. This might serve 6-8 people.

Serve with fried sweet plantains, white or yellow rice and black beans. You'll also want to have a bottle of Tortuga Hell-Fire Hot Pepper Sauce or other favorite Scotch bonnet sauce handy, since this traditional recipe does not use hot pepper.


Slaw -

½ cup distilled white vinegar
6 tablespoons sugar
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 ½ teaspoons dry mustard
1 teaspoon celery seeds

1 medium cabbage (about 1 ¼ pounds), thinly sliced
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 large green bell pepper, thinly sliced

Combine vinegar, sugar, oil, mustard and celery seeds in non aluminum medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves and dressing comes to boil. Remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper. Cool completely.
Combine cabbage, onion and green pepper in large bowl. Add dressing; toss to coat. Cover; refrigerate until cold, tossing occasionally, at least 2 hours. (Can be made
1 day ahead. Cover; keep refrigerated.)

I enjoy doing mine in our smoker to impart the smoke flavor. When I do I add some of the soaking liquid the water basin.

[mjkcooking]

Thank you - they all look so good - I have copied them all and we will

decide on which ones to try .

I really appreciate the recipes. yum yum

marye

[cjs]

Me, too - how did I miss Labs???? Denise, did you check out your thread about smoking the lamb?? there are some interesting additions to it - you haven't been on here for a while.

[BarbaraS]

I'll be doing a Slow Cooker Pulled Pork next Saturday while Hubby takes his mind off of things and has a fishing day at Cape May with "The Boys".

Recipe:

2 TBS Olive Oil
3-4 lb boneless pork butt or shoulder roast, trimmed of visible fat, tied, and pierced all over with a knife
1 large onion, sliced thin (I add another onion later, because I use sweet onions that kind of disintegrate into the sauce -- Tasty!!)
2 cloves garlic, or to taste, minced (I use more, obviously)
2 Cups of your favorite BBQ sauce
1/2 cups water
Hot pepper sauce (optional) (Not for me - it's required!)

1) Lightly spray the 4-6 slow cooker with vegetable oil cooking spray
2) Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the pork and brown evenly on all sides. Place the meat in the slow cooker.
3) Add the onion and garlic to the skillet and cook for 7-10 minutes, until soft. Add the BBQ sauce, water, and hot pepper sauce, if desired. Bring to a simmer. Pour over the meat in the crock pot.
4) Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours, or until fork-tender.
5) Remove the pork and shred with a fork. Return the meat to the slow cooker and stir to combine with the sauce. Spoon meat onto sandwich buns.

Per serving: Calories 476 (from fat 180), Fat 20g (saturated 5.5g)Cholesterol 161mg; Sodium 863 mg; Carbs 13g (Dietary fiber 1g); Protein 58g.

I made 5 lbs of this recipe for the Christmas office party one year, and it was gone in 30 minutes!

Barbara

Edit to add: This is from "Slow Cookers For Dummies" book. I also do their Pot Roast, and it's awesome!

[cjs]

Yum, these sure sound good.