Successful pulled pork

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atomicsmoke

Master of the Pit
Original poster
OTBS Member
Apr 3, 2014
4,313
1,235
Toronto, Canada
I've smoked pork butts before, but I played by ear most of the time. Flavours were nice, sometimes on the dry side but always hard to pull.

Finally I decided to do a textbook butt.


The butcher made it easy for me and removed the bone. Why? The engineer in me said I should cut the butt in two to make sure it's ready for a Sat night get-together.

So I ended up with two halves: 4.5lbs and 5 lbs.

Mustard and rub the night before

In the smoker at 8:40am. I tried to stay between 225-250. There were occasional spikes and dips.

Sprayed with granadine+apple cider vinegar+apple juice every hour.

After 7 hours

Wrapped in foil after 7 hours...temp was 163F. Added the leftover spray.

In the oven at 325F (had to free up the smoker for some Ras-el-hanut boneless leg of lamb). I went hotter because I was running out of time.

I saw no stall at all- one was finished in two hours, the other one in three.

Pulled them out at 205F and wrapped in blankets inside a cooler.

I pulled the first one after two hours rest.
Could have gotten more bark.

What impressed me was how easy was to pull it. Actually there was no pulling: just tore the meat apart in large chunks along the lines of fat then pressed with the fork on each chunk. They were falling apart. Just couldn't believe it.


I had a slow cooker warmed up on stand by where I put the meat as I pulled it, mixed it with juices from the foil pan). Presented at the table in the slow cooker stoneware. Keeps warm and looks rustic.

Served with creamy white cabbage coleslaw and red cabbage coleslaw (pic not available).

Got wows from everywhere.

The second one got pulled after guests left ...after 5 hours rest. Just as easy to pull

You guys take at least half of the credit for good advice. Thank you!
 
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Great job on those butts!

How were you doing them previously that you were having bad results?

Anything from not wrapping to pulling out too early/late, to rest time too short...I knew what I was doing wrong just didn't think it would have a major effect on the outcome.
 
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