So this is only my second time making pulled pork. Started out with a 10.45 lb shoulder picnic. I got it last fall, planned to make it for Eagles tailgating but didn't have time and put it in the freezer. There's a midwinter party at our church tomorrow night so I thought to make it and contribute to that. Anyway, here's the story:
For the first time, I used the meat injector that my kids gave me for Christmas. Apple juice, water, sugar, salt, worcestire sauce. I have no idea if it made any difference, but what the heck. I did it right through the packing.
Made up a rub from a book I got, included Ancho chile powder along with the usual ingredients like paprika, brown sugar, sea salt, onion and garlic powder, and bit of mint, thyme, and basil. Wrapped that up in the fridge for a day. Oh I scored the fat cap too (read about that on here or somewhere).
I figured it was going to take around 16 hours. I decided to cheat a bit and smoke it for about 5-6 hours in the early evening, then put in my oven overnight at 225 so I wouldn't have to worry about the smoker maintaining a consistent temp overnight, but I thought to post on here anyway. I use a GOSM, used mostly hickory with a bit of cherry too. Put on the smoker around 5:15 pm. I had a tough time maintaining a consistent temp, outside it was very windy with the temp in the mid to high 30's.
Here it is coming off the smoker around 10:30 pm. I sprayed it with apple juice combined with some worcestire sauce a few times. Put it in the oven inside at 225 with the temp probe to my remote Maverick receiver. The house smelled great when I got up!
Around 9 a.m. it was hitting around 200 in most spots (used a instant read digital thermometer too, it varied a few degrees here and there). Took it off, double foil wrapped, then in towels, then into my cooler until my lunch break from work (I work from home) so I could pull it. Here's before the rest (the beer is just for size perspective!):
Around noon, I unwrapped it and started pulling. It seemed to pull apart very easily. I scraped off the big fat pieces first (saved them for my dog for the next few days). The meat smelled and tasted great. I couldn't resist sampling it as I pulled it, the park was crispy.
Just falling apart. The stuff on the upper right is the fat layer mostly:
My dog Winnie waiting patiently for the next scrap I threw in her bowl.
All pulled and in a bowl. I added about a cup of the finishing sauce I found on here, along with a bit more of the rub, and mixed it all up. It'll stay covered in the fridge overnight, then reheated tomorrow afternoon and served at church in a crockpot. I hope people like it. I'll bring a couple bottles of Sweet Baby Ray's for people to add if they need it.
For the first time, I used the meat injector that my kids gave me for Christmas. Apple juice, water, sugar, salt, worcestire sauce. I have no idea if it made any difference, but what the heck. I did it right through the packing.
Made up a rub from a book I got, included Ancho chile powder along with the usual ingredients like paprika, brown sugar, sea salt, onion and garlic powder, and bit of mint, thyme, and basil. Wrapped that up in the fridge for a day. Oh I scored the fat cap too (read about that on here or somewhere).
I figured it was going to take around 16 hours. I decided to cheat a bit and smoke it for about 5-6 hours in the early evening, then put in my oven overnight at 225 so I wouldn't have to worry about the smoker maintaining a consistent temp overnight, but I thought to post on here anyway. I use a GOSM, used mostly hickory with a bit of cherry too. Put on the smoker around 5:15 pm. I had a tough time maintaining a consistent temp, outside it was very windy with the temp in the mid to high 30's.
Here it is coming off the smoker around 10:30 pm. I sprayed it with apple juice combined with some worcestire sauce a few times. Put it in the oven inside at 225 with the temp probe to my remote Maverick receiver. The house smelled great when I got up!
Around 9 a.m. it was hitting around 200 in most spots (used a instant read digital thermometer too, it varied a few degrees here and there). Took it off, double foil wrapped, then in towels, then into my cooler until my lunch break from work (I work from home) so I could pull it. Here's before the rest (the beer is just for size perspective!):
Around noon, I unwrapped it and started pulling. It seemed to pull apart very easily. I scraped off the big fat pieces first (saved them for my dog for the next few days). The meat smelled and tasted great. I couldn't resist sampling it as I pulled it, the park was crispy.
Just falling apart. The stuff on the upper right is the fat layer mostly:
My dog Winnie waiting patiently for the next scrap I threw in her bowl.
All pulled and in a bowl. I added about a cup of the finishing sauce I found on here, along with a bit more of the rub, and mixed it all up. It'll stay covered in the fridge overnight, then reheated tomorrow afternoon and served at church in a crockpot. I hope people like it. I'll bring a couple bottles of Sweet Baby Ray's for people to add if they need it.
