Making Pulled Pork

[daryljobe777]

Since last week I made boneless ribs on a stick (not really ribs, but shoulder cushion meat on a skewer) and they turned out fantastic, I now have the craving for some pulled pork.

I haven't made any since last year (I've always used boston butt), and then it was in an oven. This time around I want to try it on my grill with some hickory or mesquite chips. While I wish I had a smoker, all I have is a Weber kettle, so I am planning on indirect heat with about 12 coals per side, adding a few every 45 mins or so.

Is 4-5 hours sufficient for a ~4 lb roast? The web surfing I have done shows 8 hours for 7-8 lb picnics/larger butts reccomended, so I am not sure on time.

Any other hints or suggestions?

[smokingrobot]

i hope you get some replies because i am very interested on how to do this.

[djoyce003]

I'd use coals on one side, meat on the other.

I know a 5 or 6 lb brisket takes about 5 or 6 hours at around 200-250 degrees....so if your kettle is around that temp i'd think 4-6 hours. It might be a little hotter than 200 though. I'd do one with a bone in it and when the meat starts pulling away noticeably it's done. You also might want to wrap it in foil after 2-3 hours. Another trick if the kettle gets to hot is to smoke it on the pit for 2-3 hours, then wrap in foil, toss it in the oven at the extreme lowest setting for another hour or 2.

[Mars357]

DO NOT LET THE TEMP RISE ABOVE 250 (keep it at 225 if possible).

at that temp, smoke it for at least 1 hour per pound. Check the internal temp and pull it off when it reaches around 185 (make sure your probe isn't touching any bones)

The Weber Smokey Mountain bullet smoker runs about $199 and turns out some world class BBQ. I've done ribs, brisket, and butt on mine....works like a charm.

Mars

[BruinEric]

The old usenet barbecue FAQ is the place to go for these answers. Most of the information dates from the mid 1990s, but somehow I doubt the art of barbecuing has changed dramatically in the last decade.

http://www.eaglequest.com/~bbq/faq/toc.html

[slamdunkpro]

[ QUOTE ]
I haven't made any since last year (I've always used boston butt), and then it was in an oven. This time around I want to try it on my grill with some hickory or mesquite chips. While I wish I had a smoker, all I have is a Weber kettle, so I am planning on indirect heat with about 12 coals per side, adding a few every 45 mins or so.

Is 4-5 hours sufficient for a ~4 lb roast? The web surfing I have done shows 8 hours for 7-8 lb picnics/larger butts recommended, so I am not sure on time

Any other hints or suggestions? .

[/ QUOTE ]

Sorry, you can’t do good pulled pork on a grill, it will burn. You need a smoker, a good dial oven thermometer, and a good digital meat thermometer with probe (not an instant read one) (Taylor makes a great one - $15 at Target).. If you have a little space, go to K-Mart or Wal-Mart or some other discount store and look for a Webber or Brinkman water smoker. They aren’t very big and most places are clearing out their seasonal merchandise so you should be able to get one for under $50. (That’s how I got my first one)

Butts should be rubbed with spice (Bad Byron's Butt Rub is a good one) and for the absolute best, injected (see below) , then refrigerated overnight. Get some good lump charcoal and some hickory chunks – Don’t use mesquite it gets bitter over a long smoke. Soak the Hickory chunks in water overnight. Build a small hot fire and let the temperature in your smoker come to 220-230 degrees. Put some wood chunks on the coals and let them catch good. Take your butt and place it on the rack fat side up. Insert the meat thermometer into the butt and close the lid. Keep adding a little charcoal and wood to keep the fire steady. Once the temperature in your butt hits about 160 degrees you can stop putting wood chunks on the fire as the meat won’t take any more smoke. (This next step is optional) wrap your butt in aluminum foil, put it back on the rack and keep the fire going with charcoal. Keep it at 220-230 until the internal temperature hits 195 degrees. Pull the butt off the smoker and if not already wrap it in foil. Put it in a cooler and let it rest for an hour or so. Then pull with a couple of forks. The consistency of the butt should be almost like jello when you take it off the rack so it may fall apart in your hands – this is good.

You can cheat and do OK butt on your Webber and your oven. Get the Webber up to 220-230 (indirect coals on one side only. Take a small foil pan and fill it halfway with apple juice and put it next to the coals then put the butt as far away from the heat as possible. Put some hickory chunks on the coals and rotate the butt 90 degrees about every hour or every time you add fuel or wood chunks. When it hits 155 warm your oven up to 225 degrees. When the butt hits 160, pull it off the grill and place it in a roasting rack in a pan and put it in the oven until the internal hits 195.

All this takes time. When I do butts in my smoker they take between 16 and 22 hours to cook. You need this time for the connective tissue to break down.

Best of luck!

Injection:

3/4 cup apple juice, 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/8 cup salt, 2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce. Inject it about 5 cc’s per pound all through the butt.

[Diplomat]

[ QUOTE ]

Injection:

3/4 cup apple juice, 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/8 cup salt, 2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce. Inject it about 5 cc’s per pound all through the butt.

[/ QUOTE ]

No matter how good this advice is, this is all that OOT will remember.

-Diplomat

[asofel]

[ QUOTE ]

Injection:

[ QUOTE ]
Inject it about 5 cc’s per pound all through the butt.

[/ QUOTE ]

No matter how good this advice is, this is all that OOT will remember.

-Diplomat

[/ QUOTE ]

FYP

[vulturesrow]

slamdunk,

Great post. I do have to take some issue though. I am able to make a very good pulled pork using, here it comes, a gas grill! I basically use the method you posted and I have no problems with burning etc. So it can be done with a gas grill. You just have to make sure it puts out enough BTUs and that you have a full tank of propane [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[slamdunkpro]

I too, have, and have used a gas grill for butts. (gas grill =great steaks !). But the difference between a gas grill/gas grill & oven/ charcoal & oven butt and one done in a smoker is night and day. Like between the El Cortez vs the Bellagio.