Getting Flavor into pulled pork without saucing or adding rub.

Bamabuzzard · Jan 20, 2011

First off I just "love" those that call themselves bbq "purist". They are much like Sister Better than you down at the local Southern Baptist Church. You know that one. They set the standards for everything considered "right" and "righteous".

When I do pulled pork I do as follows:

1. Rub the butt with my homemade rub.
2. Put in smoker and smoke 'til done.
3. Take butt off smoker and "pull".
4. Add my homemade sauce to the pulled pork
5. Put pan of pulled pork with added sauce back in smoker for about 30 minutes.
6. Then serve.

But according to some the "right way" for pulled pork is to add the rub pre cooked to the outside of the butt, smoke, pull, then serve. Well, that's all fine and dandy if some like to do it that way. But I like to do it "my way" because by putting back in the smoker after pulling it I allow ALL THE MEAT to be exposed to "the smoke" and the addition of the sauce mixes with the flavor of the pork and its a marriage made in heaven. Additionally I've found that by adding the sauce when putting back in the smoker turns out MUCH different than simply adding sauce when you go to fix the sammich. The sauce heats up and turns out with a much richer taste than when adding the sauce right before eating.

Every pulled pork sammich I've ever eaten where it was cooked by the "right way" all tasted the same. The only way to give it a "different taste" was adding rub or sauce to the "pulled" part of the butt. You know, the meat that wasn't exposed to the smoke like the outer portion of the butt.

How do you get "flavor" to the meat that wasn't exposed directly to the smoke (like the outside of the butt) without adding rub or sauce to it after its pulled? I love the taste of pork don't get me wrong. But I also like putting a personal touch on it as well that brings a unique flavor.

Okay, venting over! :tape:

wheelterrapin · Jan 20, 2011

I am glad you vented as I like your idea and have never tried it so now I will. I have sprinkled rub on the pulled meat after I pulled it but never put it back in the smoker. How long do you leave it in the smoker after being pulled? Does this have a tendency to dry out the meat? I will definitely try your method the next time I smoke a Butt and I appreciate your input. Man, I love this forum!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bamabuzzard · Jan 20, 2011

I do not have an issue with the meat drying because of the sauce that is mixed in with it. I do a vinegar based sauce so it's real thin and I assume it serves as "moisture" to keep the meat from drying. I've never added rub then put back in the smoker.

I normally leave it in there about 20-30 minutes when I put it back in.

wheelterrapin said:
I am glad you vented as I like your idea and have never tried it so now I will. I have sprinkled rub on the pulled meat after I pulled it but never put it back in the smoker. How long do you leave it in the smoker after being pulled? Does this have a tendency to dry out the meat? I will definitely try your method the next time I smoke a Butt and I appreciate your input. Man, I love this forum!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ChicagoSizzlin · Jan 20, 2011

30 mins actually give you more smokey flavor? Interesting will see how this pans out. Im not doing a butt for a awhile yet but interesting to see the flavor profile between the two.

wheelterrapin · Jan 20, 2011

Thanks, I really appreciate you sharing your method with us and I can guarantee you I will be trying it out.

Bamabuzzard · Jan 20, 2011

There is a taste difference when putting the pulled pork back in the smoker for an additional 20-30 minutes. I've done enough both ways to know it does make a difference. I've actually done a "poor mans" experiment by taking half the butt and putting it back in the smoker and the other half not. Putting the two in separate pans and serving. The pan with the pork that was put back in the smoker was G-A-W-N at the end of the night where as the pork that was done the "traditional" way still had about a quarter of a pan left. I was told by people there the pan with the pork that was put back in the smoker had a "better flavor".

ChicagoSizzlin said:
30 mins actually give you more smokey flavor? Interesting will see how this pans out. Im not doing a butt for a awhile yet but interesting to see the flavor profile between the two.

moda253 · Jan 20, 2011

INteresting. I will probably give this a try too. However, smoke has an amazing abilityto penetrate especially where moisture is present. Now I'm not a scientist and I havent' stayed in a holiday inn for a while but it seems to me that the moisture in the pork is moving all flowing out and flowing in from top to bottom and all of that. So given that I think that the moisture of the meat is what delivers the smoke flavor to the interior of the meat and it doesn't jsut sit on the bark of the meat.

But your idea is interesting because like you said you are adding moisture to the pulled pork by way of your sauce which should work really well for people that like a solid (not necessarily heavy) smokiness to their meat.

I think on my next cook I will do one butt like I normally do and another as you describe here and check it out.

BamaRambler · Jan 20, 2011

I usually rub it, smoke it till done, pull it apart, put it in a pan and put the sauce on the side so the guest can sauce it themselves to their liking.
I like your your method also and i will have to try it. Thanks.

Arlin_MacRae · Jan 20, 2011

That's a great thing to bring up, Bama. Makes me think. I think I'll pull it, put it back in for a while, then sauce it. I bet the meat will absorb more flavor that way. Don't know!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

Bamabuzzard · Jan 20, 2011

Try it and let me know if you can tell a difference. When I first started doing it i thought it was "just me" and it was more of a mental thing. But when I started getting responses from others such as "This pan seemed to have more flavor than that pan" or when I'd simply do a butt the "traditioanl way" I'd get "This didn't have quite the flavor as the last one you did but it's still good though". When I started getting these type responses I starting thinking "There really might be a difference." So I ran with it.

But do it and get back with me on how it turns out.

moda253 said:
INteresting. I will probably give this a try too. However, smoke has an amazing abilityto penetrate especially where moisture is present. Now I'm not a scientist and I havent' stayed in a holiday inn for a while but it seems to me that the moisture in the pork is moving all flowing out and flowing in from top to bottom and all of that. So given that I think that the moisture of the meat is what delivers the smoke flavor to the interior of the meat and it doesn't jsut sit on the bark of the meat.

But your idea is interesting because like you said you are adding moisture to the pulled pork by way of your sauce which should work really well for people that like a solid (not necessarily heavy) smokiness to their meat.

I think on my next cook I will do one butt like I normally do and another as you describe here and check it out.

ChicagoSizzlin · Jan 20, 2011

Bamabuzzard said:
There is a taste difference when putting the pulled pork back in the smoker for an additional 20-30 minutes. I've done enough both ways to know it does make a difference. I've actually done a "poor mans" experiment by taking half the butt and putting it back in the smoker and the other half not. Putting the two in separate pans and serving. The pan with the pork that was put back in the smoker was G-A-W-N at the end of the night where as the pork that was done the "traditional" way still had about a quarter of a pan left. I was told by people there the pan with the pork that was put back in the smoker had a "better flavor".

Bam thanks for sharing as well. I will def give this a go my next cook. If anyone decides to do this please post with results.

Bamabuzzard · Jan 20, 2011

I think you've described it better than I did. I may have used the wrong phrase in "more smoke". But rather it adds a richer smoke flavor.

moda253 said:
But your idea is interesting because like you said you are adding moisture to the pulled pork by way of your sauce which should work really well for people that like a solid (not necessarily heavy) smokiness to their meat.

I think on my next cook I will do one butt like I normally do and another as you describe here and check it out.

landarc · Jan 20, 2011

I sauce afterwards, and add rub sometimes as well. Never put it back into the smoker though. You got me thinking about it.

chambersuac · Jan 20, 2011

Bamabuzzard said:
First off I just "love" those that call themselves bbq "purist". They are much like Sister Better than you down at the local Southern Baptist Church. You know that one. They set the standards for everything considered "right" and "righteous".

When I do pulled pork I do as follows:

1. Rub the butt with my homemade rub.
2. Put in smoker and smoke for 'til done.
3. Take butt off smoker and "pull".
4. Add my homemade sauce to the pulled pork
5. Put pan of pulled pork with added sauce back in smoker for about 30 minutes.
6. Then serve.

But according to some the "right way" for pulled pork is to add the rub pre cooked to the outside of the butt, smoke, pull, then serve. Well, that's all fine and dandy if some like to do it that way. But I like to do it "my way" because by putting back in the smoker after pulling it I allow ALL THE MEAT to be exposed to "the smoke" and the addition of the sauce mixes with the flavor of the pork and its a marriage made in heaven. Additionally I've found that by adding the sauce when putting back in the smoker turns out MUCH different than simply adding sauce when you go to fix the sammich. The sauce heats up and turns out with a much richer taste than when adding the sauce right before eating.

Every pulled pork sammich I've ever eaten where it was cooked by the "right way" all tasted the same. The only way to give it a "different taste" was adding rub or sauce to the "pulled" part of the butt. You know, the meat that wasn't exposed to the smoke like the outer portion of the butt.

How do you get "flavor" to the meat that wasn't exposed directly to the smoke (like the outside of the butt) without adding rub or sauce to it after its pulled? I love the taste of pork don't get me wrong. But I also like putting a personal touch on it as well that brings a unique flavor.

Okay, venting over! :tape:

Well, you're doing it all wrong! :heh: Just kidding. Sounds like a good way to do it. My family loves pulled pork, so I'll be trying it soon - although, my daughter does not like sauce, so I'll have to save her some, "plain".

Thanks, Bama.

bigabyte · Jan 20, 2011

Try injecting.

Bamabuzzard · Jan 20, 2011

I've actually thought about doing that with brisket and turkeys. Will gladly try it on the butts. What kind of injector would you recommend?

bigabyte said:
Try injecting.

bigabyte · Jan 20, 2011

The deluxe model here is actually pretty darn good for casual use.
http://www.cajuninjector.com/cajun-injector-flavor-injectors.html

1FUNVET · Jan 20, 2011

I will definitely give this method a try in the very near future. Thanks for the info. :thumb:

Gore · Jan 20, 2011

The question I have about this is sitting it. When I pull my butts, I generally let them sit, wrapped for at least an hour or more before I pull them. This greatly improves them. It sounds to me you're pulling them immediately. Are you letting them sit at all?

42BBQ · Jan 20, 2011

Bama,

Thanks for the great post. I love he idea of pulling it, saucing it, THEN smoking for a little while more. My MO with pulled pork is injection, dry rub, smoke (with foil and spritz after 165*) pull, then finally sauce and hold in a crock pot. I am definitely a believer in saucing after pulling because it keeps it moist and definitely adds flavor to the part of the pork that didn't get rub or much smoke. I will definitely add the additional smoke to my method. Ditto everybody else, LOVE THIS PLACE. And as far as "purists" are concerned....opinions are like a$$h&^%$....everybody has one. If you cook Que that YOU and all of YOURS love, screw everybody else.

Getting Flavor into pulled pork without saucing or adding rub.

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