First Pulled Pork

seandje

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Original poster

Jul 10, 2009

49

10

The Triad of NC

• Aug 18, 2009

• #1

On Saturday, I loaded the smoker with what would be my first pulled pork. It was only 4 1/2 pounds.

Here are some photos. They are from my phone, so not the best quality.

My secret sauce to use before rubbing and for basting


Rubbed meat


Into the smoker


Look at it go!


Out of the smoker


The finished product


When I took it out of the smoker, the wife saw how dark it was and asked if we were really going to eat it.

I let it rest under a tent of foil for about 1 hour and then started pulling. It cooled too much during that time. Any suggestions? Maybe reduce the amount of cooling time once I remove it from the smoker?

 

richoso1

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Jun 21, 2007

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• Aug 18, 2009

• #2

Congrats on your first PP smoke, nice bark. You mentioned that you let it rest under a tent of foil, some folks will add some type of liquid like apple jiuce or whatever, then wrap it up more tightly then jusy a tent. Tighter wrap would hold in the heat and moisture better. It's all good my friend.

 

mballi3011

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Mar 12, 2009

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• Aug 18, 2009

• #3

I always wrap my pork butt with 2 layers of good heavy duty foil with some of it's own juice or in some apple juice and then let it rest for aleast an hour and if you have the time let it rest in a cooler with old clean towels for aleast 2 if not longer. I have left them in for up to 6 hours and they still come out hot. Then pull your pork and enjoy

 

fire it up

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Feb 24, 2009

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South Jersey

• Aug 18, 2009

• #4

Looked great, congrats on your first.
I hope you chopped it up since you couldn't pull it.
The foil tent let too much heat out and once the pork drops below a certain point it gets harder and harder to pull, you also have to keep in mind that the meat can quickly fall into the danger zone as well (40-140)
Whenever I do pp I will either wrap it with foil once it hits 160 and bring to 205 or if not foiling during the smoke I still wrap it in foil at the end, add a bit of liquid, make sure it is wrapped nice and secure with foil so none of the liquid leaks out and wrap in a towel then into a clean empty cooler or a turned off oven for at least an hour.
The towel will help keep the meat insulated and piping hot the entire time and always shred with no problem.
As mballi said you can leave it in towels and in a cooler/oven for even up to 6 hours and it will still be well above the danger zone.

 

seandje

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Original poster

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Jul 10, 2009

49

10

The Triad of NC

• Aug 18, 2009

• #5

Does the wrapping and putting in cooler or oven make the bark softer? I'm not sure I want that.

If I want the crispy bark, would it be best to pull or shop as soon as it comes from the smoker?

 

bmudd14474

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Jun 1, 2008

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Florida

• Aug 18, 2009

• #6

I would still put it in the cooler as it will help keep the heat. As for foiling I do not know how much softer it will make the bark. Mine is usually soft but I foil at 165 and pull at 205. Even thought its soft its full of flavor.

Nice job by the way.

 

fire it up

Smoking Guru

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Feb 24, 2009

5,167

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South Jersey

• Aug 18, 2009

• #7

I tried not foiling one I did recently, well not foiling until it went down for a rest after I brought it up to 205 on the smoker. It did seem to have a much more stable/harder/crusty bark on it compared to wrapping at 160. The biggest downside to that was that after the rest period I had less juice in the foil, even with adding some of the spritz liquid so there wasn't as much goodness to add back into the meat after shredding.
I love doing both ways and am not set just yet on which one I prefer.
Hell, why not do two, foil one at 160 and the other only for the rest at 205?

 

fmcowboy

Meat Mopper

Jul 2, 2009

174

11

Trinity, Florida

• Aug 18, 2009

• #8

I love a nice chewy bark, that's goodness right there. Your first pulled pork looked great to me.

 

beer-b-q

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May 1, 2007

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• Aug 18, 2009

• #9

Great looking PP... Nice Qview...