Help dissecting the Costco Pulled Pork??

[cael]

Hi there.

Wondering if anyone has tried the Costco Pulled Pork.    

Its pretty darn good, but of course I'm just making my own now.     But my hubby says my PP is different, and he likes them both, but in different ways.  

To me this one had a slight 'ham' flavor.   So I thought it might be Picnic vs Shoulder.      If anyone else has tried this product I'd love to here what you thought.   What cut you think it might be?  If there is another reason it might have a ham flavor?    If you think anything else was added at the end to give it some oomph?    It does seem to have a little more fat than when I do a Shoulder.   Both are moist as heck, but mine is leaner.

Thanks for any thoughts!!

 

[bmaddox]

Do you have a picture of the ingredient list? 

 

[worktogthr]

Maybe some cure is added to it or some salt solution to add juiciness which could explain the hamminess. If you ever buy a butt or ribs that have been enhanced, you get the same taste.

 

[noboundaries]

I haven't bought Costco pulled pork in a long time but I remember it being pretty good.  The uncooked meat is most likely brined or injected with a curing salt solution to ensure the bad stuff is killed.  Curing salts will add the ham flavor.  Their smoked turkeys have the same hammy flavor, which I actually enjoy. 

Whenever I brine anything that isn't intended to be a cured product, I still always add a little bit of Prague #1 salt to the brine, about 1/4 to 1/3 the amount that would be used to cure the meat.  That hint of ham flavor goes nice with the smoke whether you are smoking poultry or pork.  

 

[cael]

Thanks everyone!

And no I don't have a pic of the ingredient list.    But about the brine/cure that does make a lot of sense.    Thanks for the tips, I would never have thought to brine or cure a shoulder for PP.  :)

 

[noboundaries]

I have a couple brines I'll use on occasion for pulled pork, but only when I'm in the mood.  Haven't brined one in a while though.  Both are modifications of brines I found online. 

Here's a simple one I believe I got off the Traeger website (yep, just looked).  I made very small changes. 

Pulled Pork Apple Juice Brine

This is enough to brine a 6-10 lb butt/shoulder.

Ingredients
8 cups apple juice, cold
4 cups ice water
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup salt
1/2 cup dark brown sugar or molasses
1/2 tsp Prague Powder #1

Directions

1. Put ingredients in a large bowl or pot and stir until the salt and sugar or molasses is dissolved.  Put the meat in a pot and inject with the brine.  Cover the meat with the brine and store in the refrigerator or an ice packed cooler for up to 24 hours.  Discard the brine after use.

 

[joe black]

Even the pic on the box looks hammy.

Your hubby's opinion of the 2 products is the same line that I used on my first wife, " I like you both, just in different ways".

 

[GaryHibbert]

Hey Cael

Yeah, it looks cured to me.

Gary

 

[chef jimmyj]

Pretty Pink color usually says some Cure. Found this with a search for Kirkland Pulled Pork Ingredients, contains Nitrite...JJ

http://www.fooducate.com/app#page=product&id=0FD3E34C-59D9-11E0-A55F-1231380C180E

 

[cael]

Thanks everyone!

That makes a lot of sense.     We might try curing our next one just to see.    :)