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View Full Version : What's your tips for putting pulled pork over the top?


ThePerfectBeard
05-18-2019, 08:25 PM
I'm just curious if anyone has come by any techniques that have truly separated their pulled pork from the rest of the pack?

Personally, I don't like to wrap. I've played with tons of rubs, but I've never injected. I want to pull off a banging butt for memorial day, but I need some ideas.

Thanks all!

sudsandswine
05-18-2019, 08:29 PM
I wrap and inject....if youre cooking commodity pork at least half the butt is bland boring white meat and it needs help IMO. I wrap to reserve the juices to reintroduce after pulling if necessary, and to preserve a certain color...and also because they take way too long to cook compared to other meat and I want to speed up the process.

ThePerfectBeard
05-18-2019, 08:30 PM
I wrap and inject....if youre cooking commodity pork at least half the butt is bland boring white meat and it needs help IMO. I wrap to reserve the juices to reintroduce after pulling, and to preserve a certain color.

What do you inject with? I love the idea of adding the reserve juices, but anytime I wrap, the bark kind of sucks.

CrabbyAppleton
05-18-2019, 08:35 PM
Smoke it however you want. Just make sure to squirt this on the sammich. Shack Attack :mrgreen::clap2: My mouth is watering just thinking about it....

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showpost.php?p=2097242&postcount=1

BillN
05-18-2019, 08:36 PM
IMO when I started smoking free range Duroc and Berkshire pork that made all the difference in the world. Just simple SPOG or Salt is the only seasoning needed to make incredibly tasting pork.

sudsandswine
05-18-2019, 08:36 PM
Usually something along the lines of the "Chris Lilly" injection. I like those sort of injections because they seem more natural to me and complement the meat well.

AWilliams
05-18-2019, 08:37 PM
I've done a ton of PP and no matter the rub or wrap vs. no wrap....it tastes about the same everytime.

sudsandswine
05-18-2019, 08:39 PM
I've done a ton of PP and no matter the rub or wrap vs. no wrap....it tastes about the same everytime.

Agree....the biggest difference I see between rubs is some give me a color I like better than others. My palette is not refined enough I guess.

ThePerfectBeard
05-18-2019, 08:53 PM
IMO when I started smoking free range Duroc and Berkshire pork that made all the difference in the world. Just simple SPOG or Salt is the only seasoning needed to make incredibly tasting pork.

There's a place down the road that sells Berkshire, I think I might spend the extra for it.

WilliamKY
05-18-2019, 08:58 PM
I used to experiment but after John's tutorial I don't do butts or picnic roasts any other way. It's perfection and the real deal. The finishing sauce is the game changer, in my opinion.
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=151525

InThePitBBQ
05-18-2019, 09:12 PM
IMO when I started smoking free range Duroc and Berkshire pork that made all the difference in the world. Just simple SPOG or Salt is the only seasoning needed to make incredibly tasting pork.

Agreed, I went back to Kosher salt and 16/20 mesh pepper on pork as much of it as I can get to stick. ~Hard to beat the flavor.

jham0077
05-18-2019, 09:14 PM
Usually something along the lines of the "Chris Lilly" injection. I like those sort of injections because they seem more natural to me and complement the meat well.

This ^. I can't do his rub though, I burp the cumin for hours after eating it. I change it around a little. I set mine in foil for the last 2-3 hours to catch some juice and grease to pour back over it after I pull it.

food4thot
05-18-2019, 09:18 PM
Slit it multiple times and insert garlic slivers. Never fails no matter the chunk of meat.

PnkPanther
05-18-2019, 09:20 PM
Mix in pork belly

mcyork28
05-18-2019, 09:33 PM
I make an injection with apple juice, salt and a rub of some sort. Hit with whatever rub I have on hand. I pretty much always wrap.

In my opinion, pulled pork needs an awesome vinegar sauce to put it over the top. There is a recipe in Tuffy Stone's book I really like.

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

Sean "Puffy" Coals
05-18-2019, 09:51 PM
I just pile on as much of my Dynamite(tm) pork rub as I can and smoke for 6 hrs, then put in a pan and cover for the rest of the cook.



Yea, some of the bark gets a little mushy, but once you mix all the meat together it won't matter much. The caked on rub turns into a paste that gets mixed up with the meat and some reserved drippings.

Taylormade
05-18-2019, 09:55 PM
Finishing sauce is the single biggest difference I've found. Mine's pretty much the same as linked above but without the ketchup and subbing Tony's for white pepper.

1 Cup Cider Vinegar
2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
1 Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
1 Teaspoon Tony Chachere's Cajun Seasoning
1 Teaspoon Coarse Black Pepper

ShadowDriver
05-18-2019, 09:59 PM
I keep it simple up front by just hitting the shoulder / butts with a healthy coating of SPOG + some extra salt to work on the base of flavor. Some times, I do this a la John (Sir Porkalot)'s NC BBQ tutorial that's about as close to Lexington BBQ as I can come (Oh, how I miss Honeymonk's)!.

I cook the butts until about 150/160F, then I pan them separately and wrap them. This catch the juices and fats for future use.

Once the bone (in each) wiggles, I pull the butt / shoulder and rest it in the oven for about... an hour or two (or as time allows).

When ready to chop, I pull the bone(s), and chop the 'cue in a box / on a big-arsed cutting board... adding rub, apple cider vinegar, and a touch of hot sauce (as needed), tasting as I go until I'm happy with the results. Need more moisture? I add the de-fatted juices from the butts/shoulder(s) back to the meat here. Save what you don't use!

It's a little labor-intensive, especially towards the end, but Lord, it sure produces good results.

All above just for your consideration and discussion.

Hope that gives you some thoughts and ideas.

Kind regards and thin blue.

Westx
05-18-2019, 10:15 PM
I do wrap but don’t inject. When I wrap I use White Grape juice. I know of several teams that also inject with the grape juice.

Hoss
05-18-2019, 10:20 PM
Cook a whole shoulder.It will take 24 hours or so at 250 f.If you cannot find that,cook a butt and a picnic and add them together,same thing.Just keep it simple,salt,pepper,garlic,,whatever rub you like.They are very forgiving.Good Luck.

Dweverett
05-19-2019, 09:06 PM
I've injected sometimes, mostly these days I don't. I do think wrapping is important though -- I definitely want to collect those juices. I separate the fat and add the rest back. Depending on volume, I'll save it for later as well. A couple tablespoons of the "jello" does wonders when reheating.

TonyT
05-19-2019, 09:20 PM
Usually something along the lines of the "Chris Lilly" injection. I like those sort of injections because they seem more natural to me and complement the meat well.

Chris Lilly was a PP game changer for me. Makes everything slightly sweet, a little acidic and tiny kick from the cayenne that even people that don't like spicy foods can enjoy. It's very well rounded.

jermoQ
05-19-2019, 09:29 PM
I like all of the ideas with using a finishing sauce. However, for me, it is very simple. I pour in 1/4 cup to 3/4 of vinegar after I pull it, and the liquid from the foil after it has been resting. That is it. Any good finishing sauce is a great idea.

Leftwngr
05-20-2019, 02:31 AM
I find that injecting with a concoction that I learned from Harry Soo makes a huge difference. Basically a mix of apple juice, vinegar, sugar, liquid smoke, and hot sauce. It tastes a bit nasty, but when it cooks up, it really brings out the flavors.

SmokinAussie
05-20-2019, 03:54 AM
Drown the buggers in VEGEMITE!!!! :becky:

Rusty Kettle
05-20-2019, 04:03 AM
Recently, I have started after cooking and pulling adding additional rub to mix in with the pork. It adds a heck of alot of flavor. It adds a nice touch. No idea if anyone else does this but it kicks it up a notch imo.

ebijack
05-20-2019, 04:16 AM
I agree with Rusty, add your/more rub when pulling. Adds much more flavor to that thick hunk of meat.
I also have been slicing around each muscle so I can rub in/around/on my home made apple sauce/chipotle (sweet heat) around each muscle and add my rub before cooking.
I catch the drippings and add some when pulling.

wire-it-up
05-20-2019, 05:09 AM
Back when I had Facebook, my sister-in-law posted a pulled pork recipe on my page. It calls for the butt to be cooked in the oven, which I would NEVER do. However, I was interested in the recipe because it instructs the cook to brine the butt before cooking. I read through the brine ingredients and thought "I should try this. What's the harm in trying something new?" The guarantee was that the pork would be more tender and flavorful after brining than it is without brining.

I gave it a shot, and I wasn't disappointed. I have tried it a few times now, and I really think it took my pulled pork up a few notches. I also inject with Chris Lilly's injection recipe. As for the brine, I substituted store bought rub once or twice, and I think making rub from scratch is far better when it comes to flavor.

In case anyone is interested, here's the brine recipe...

https://www.kevinandamanda.com/pulled-pork-recipe/

Lake Dogs
05-20-2019, 09:21 AM
Most competitors rub, inject, and foil. The reasons are to enhance the flavor of the meat without overpowering it, limit/govern the amount of smoke on the meat, and to help keep the meat as moist and tender as possible. So, even on personal smokes, I rub, inject, and foil. The rubs I like to keep simple and not too much salt or sugar (the salt can overpower and the sugar can possibly burn). Nearly everyone who has experimented with injections ends up back close to Chris Lily's, at least the apple juice, woosy sauce, and rub in it. It helps get those flavors down in the meat. Me, I dont water down the apple juice but I dont add in extra sugar either, but that's a personal flavor preference (more fruity and a little less sugary). Foiling time really depends on your, your smoker, how much wood/smoke flavor you prefer, etc. On my extremely clean burning Lang 84 using seasoned hickory splits I'd foil at 4.5 hours. I did this (4.5 hours) yesterday using my new Bubba Grills smoker and the smoke flavor was a tad more than I prefer. So, experiment, you'll find what you prefer.

The result is well seasoned pork that is moist and tender, and the bark isn't so crunchy...


Another tip isn't so much with the cooking but with the final preparation. I know; when we pull it, it can be hot as he**. Please, pull the pork by hand, and try to keep the pieces about the size of your thumb. The thicker the piece is pulled, the better it retains moisture and frankly the better it tastes. Also, most people really hate biting in to a piece of fat. Some (particularly some here) love it, but most don't. I suggest that by pulling the pork by hand it gives you the opportunity to really make sure no fat makes it into the plate of bbq love.

SonnyE
05-20-2019, 09:41 AM
What do you inject with? I love the idea of adding the reserve juices, but anytime I wrap, the bark kind of sucks.

Stages....
The wrap is to drive steam heat deep into the meat to cook to the bone.
After your wrap time, firm up the bark with an hour (or as long as you prefer) until the bark is to your liking.
Moist inside, tight on the outside. :eyebrows:

orangeblood
05-20-2019, 10:09 AM
use a simple rub with the sugar content that creates the bark you like

spend most of your time and energy on making sure you have a good fire that burns clean and maintains constant low temps throughout the cook

the rest is hocus pocus (secret rubs, slathers, bbq sauces, exotic wood, etc)

over the top bbq speaks for itself

just my $0.02 ....Good Luck!!

MetalAged
05-20-2019, 10:46 AM
I plan on trying an experiment with a whole bone in shoulder this weekend for my Memorial Day Belmeat. The plan is to smoke the day before until 150 degrees, wrap overnight in a cooler and then steam with apple juice and water to temperature, similar to how you would do for a pastrami. Let you know how it goes

Peter B
05-20-2019, 11:09 AM
I brine the butt for a couple of days, dry rub, smoke and wrap with butter, toasted garlic and Rosemary. When the butt is ready I let it rest and I shred it. I let it sit in the refrigerator over night. The next day I heat it up on the stove. I start with diced onions in butter, then garlic and some white wine. Add the pork and let it soak up all of that flavor.

You could then make a vegetable rice with onion, more garlic and red pepper and add the shredded pork for ridiculous flavor.

highergr0und
05-20-2019, 11:23 AM
Most folks are just used to pork being boring so they go straight to covering it in sauce...

I used to be a big proponent of cooking straight thru to get that bark super dark, pulling it, then adding a bit of rub in for a flavor boost, but lately I've been experimenting with wrapping with a sauce made of ACV, apple juice, worstershire and a few misc spices, then saving the sauce, separating fat, and adding it back to the meat with a bit of rub. My goal is to enhance the meat and add flavor without folks thinking it's already sauced.

NC Native
05-20-2019, 02:25 PM
Chop it up, splash of vinegar sauce. There's beauty in simplicity.

OferL
05-21-2019, 12:06 AM
Wow so many good tips. Thanks all!

keodark
05-21-2019, 01:18 AM
To all the folk who wrap: Can you achieve the same results with better bark if you just place a pan with a calculated amount of water underneath, such that the evaporation of the water doesn't *quite* dry out before the drippings after the stall replenish them? And then use that instead of foil juices? For me, the joy of pulled pork (versus braised shoulder) is the pieces of crispy bark mixed in...

Also, I'm a big proponent of using some (at least) of the rendered fat from the pork when mixing back into the meat. Nobody eats BBQ for health, why throw away all that flavor? Sure, remove the chunks of fat that haven't rendered, but the liquid fat is gold, especially for reheating.

BrandonBBQ
05-21-2019, 05:26 AM
I've done about 30 individual pork shoulder cooks in the past year trying to hone in something and I pretty much have settled on

1) Rub outside with salt, honey mustard, and Oakridge (either comp or secret wep)

2) Inject with Peach Apple Juicy Juice, Oakridge Game Changer, and a shot or 2 of Franks Red Hot

3) Cook @ 225 on grates until 165 IT, then foil pan and wrap with a little Peach Apple Juicy Juice

4) Cooler @ 202-204 IT for as long as I need then pull with a little more Secret Weapon rub and the drippings from the foiled pan.

My wife ends up eating more of it than I do, and she's a pretty damn picky eater.

I figure if the best Qers in the world rub, injection, and foil its a good place to start.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

ThePerfectBeard
05-22-2019, 02:54 PM
Cook a whole shoulder.It will take 24 hours or so at 250 f.If you cannot find that,cook a butt and a picnic and add them together,same thing.Just keep it simple,salt,pepper,garlic,,whatever rub you like.They are very forgiving.Good Luck.

I never thought about doing a whole shoulder... so even if I buy them separate like you did, it'll take like 24 hours? Not the normal 10-12 like a lone butt would?

Michigan BBQ Fan
05-22-2019, 03:10 PM
The best PP I've ever pulled off used Chris Lilly's rub and injection. Be sure to let it warm up a bit so it can take the injection. I double wrap or put it in a pan to catch the juices. Once pulled I pour the juice over the pork and dust it with a finer ground version of the rub. Enjoy.

jasonjax
05-22-2019, 03:24 PM
There's a theme here. Re-introducing some form of flavored liquid is the "secret".

sudsandswine
05-22-2019, 03:29 PM
Shhhh....dont tell :icon_bugeyed:icon_smile_tongue:

chingador
05-22-2019, 04:36 PM
Well timed thread. I am actually in North Carolina this week on business. First time to travel this fine state. Stopped by Lexington BBQ yesterday for lunch. Sorry no pics. It was good. I got the large tray with coarse and regular chopped. It was good. A tad bland though, but very moist. People there are super nice. Today some clients took me to Parkers's in Wilson, NC, which also does fried chicken and catfish. It is Easyern so they do whole hog. I liked it a little better. The sauce had a little more pop to it.

I really enjoy the NC Q so this weekend I want to do some quasi Carolina Q. Will do a small butt just because I don't want a ton of leftovers. Will use an eastern type sauce though. Seasoning on the butt will be simple salt and pepper, no injection and no wrap for stout bark

Hoss
05-22-2019, 08:06 PM
Interesting replies.:blabla:Thank you for asking the question.Thin BLUE smoke,my friend.THIN BLUE smoke is your friend.:wink:

Big George's BBQ
05-23-2019, 08:10 AM
I currently inject with Butchers- 1/3 cup and 1/4 cup packed brown sugar Add 2 cups apple juice the fill the quart container with bottled water I put the whole quart in the butt When it his 165 I wrap in foil and add Stubbs pork marinade and take off grill when done No ever complains about it

davidparker
05-23-2019, 09:41 PM
I just get my guests really drunk and tell them all sorts of lies about my special ingredients. Seems to work... :wink:

IamMadMan
05-24-2019, 06:29 AM
I'd have to agree with the majority here, an injection really helps to create a tender, moist, and flavorful pulled pork.

The type of injection used doesn't matter as long as you like the end result.

I used to use the Chris Lilly Injection with great success, but I find I prefer Oakridge Game Changer Brine mixed half strength with fruit juice and sometimes with a fruit juice/ginger ale mixture.

Oakridge Game Changer also makes it simple for small cooks, simply dissolve 1 Tbs Game Changer into one cup of juice, and inject 1 ounce of liquid for every pound of pork.


Many will tell you that pork has enough internal fat to keep the meat plenty moist when cooked. I do not disagree with this, but sometimes we brine/inject for flavors, not for moisture or tenderness. I also feel that injecting the meat also helps to improve texture, allowing it to pull in very long strands. In my experience, the long strands are more pleasing to the eye of the patron/guest as the meat looks more substantial. Lastly, yes added tenderness and moisture will be present, that is not why I inject my pork, but it is truly an added benefit.


https://uniim1.shutterfly.com/ng/services/mediarender/THISLIFE/010041863239/media/84035101980/medium/1535727415/enhance




When cooking injected pork butts I find the bone begins to wiggle at about 185-187°, I pull and rest the pork in a cambro/cooler for 3 to 4 hours, and pull the pork just before serving. I find the OakRidge Game Changer Brine keeps the pork exceptionally tender, moist, flavorful, and it pulls in very long strands which is great for sandwiches.


https://uniim1.shutterfly.com/ng/services/mediarender/THISLIFE/010041863239/media/83575233335/medium/1524922685/enhance

Remove the drippings pan and refrigerate. Once chilled, the fat will solidify, and the fat can be scraped off.
When the meat is removed from the rest, the juices can be added back into the hot pulled pork, with a little extra rub if desired.


.

khs282
05-24-2019, 09:30 AM
K.I.S.S. Lately, I've only been seasoning with sea salt and cracked black pepper. Then wrap at the stall, then wrapped in towels in a cooler for couple hours once its probe tender.

foam2
05-24-2019, 10:52 AM
I almost never inject but I do wrap. When I wrap I will but some more rub, juice or apple cider vinegar. When I pull the meat out I will reserve the juices after they have been through a fat separator and put it back into the meat once pulled.

khs282
05-24-2019, 11:22 AM
.....When I pull the meat out I will reserve the juices after they have been through a fat separator and put it back into the meat once pulled.

Fantastic idea! Haven't done that before, but I will give it a go next time!:clap:

khs282
05-24-2019, 11:23 AM
I just get my guests really drunk and tell them all sorts of lies about my special ingredients. Seems to work... :wink:

And keeps them guessing so they can't copy you!

electron_si
05-24-2019, 01:27 PM
I just tried a totally new game plan on a 10lb butt today. Injected as usual with apple juice with some R butts r smokin Ozark heat. Yellow mustard slather with John Henry’s pecan base layer and BPS sweet money on the outside. Foiled at 155 with Heath Riles butter bath and put it back on

Waiting for 190 to start probing for tenderness, then at least a 2 hour cooler rest

lawndog19
05-24-2019, 06:27 PM
I inject it with Arizona fruit punch and then a rub with honey garlic turns out pretty good guys at work always want me to bring that to cookouts

SirPorkaLot
05-25-2019, 01:20 AM
Coarse salt and smoke.
Chop don’t pull

Whitney
05-27-2019, 08:36 AM
https://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=171663&stc=1&d=1558964256

You are correct SirPorkaLot!!! This is a half-butt and small picnic - smoked to 190 with just the salt - pulled - sauced - chopped. Tastes great!! Querry's Slaw is in the fridge awaiting lunch - thanks!!

wire-it-up
05-27-2019, 08:54 AM
Just threw a couple of butts on the WSM. Soaked for 12 hours in a brine, and injected with Chris Lilly's injection recipe. Nice coating of Lambert's rub. First time trying the Lambert's, but it looks good. I have found that making my own rubs from scratch isn't noticeably better than store bought rubs, so I buy what I like, for convenience. However, this is substantially more expensive than making your own rub, I think.