Pulled Pork Question

[flash]

I have done quite a few, so no real newbie there, but have a question about the fat drippings that accumulate in the foil after it has been wrapped.

For one, wrapping seems to soften the bark on the butt. Is this a good or bad thing. The other is the one I am more interested in getting views on.
I know alot of people save the fat drippings to pour over the pulled pork, some add it to beans and such. To me, it seems it may make the meat greasy as it sits in it as it smokes.

Would it be best to drain off some of the fat grease or maybe all of it? Would it be better to do as you do with 3-2-1 ribs and actually remove the butt for the final hour or so??

Looking forward to the answers.

 

[pigcicles]

Flash I can't answer for you and your personal preferences. Personally I don't cook pork to be health conscious. There is a lot of flavor in the juice and drippings that gather while foiled.

Personally I like to use a pan and cover it in foil. I use the juices to add the flavor back to the meat after it is pulled which also keeps the pork from drying out.

For the bark, once the meat is pulled there isn't really a need for a stiff bark. So I don't worry about the bark softening up.. you can open the foil and smoke open at the end to stiffen it back up if you like.

Again that is my opinion, others may disagree.. so be it.

Keep Smokin

 

[triple b]

Flash I can't answer for you and your personal preferences. Personally I don't cook pork to be health conscious. There is a lot of flavor in the juice and drippings that gather while foiled.

Personally I like to use a pan and cover it in foil. I use the juices to add the flavor back to the meat after it is pulled which also keeps the pork from drying out.

Also I think if you pull the pork and stick it back in the smoker with more smoke it will make it that much more yummier!

 

[bbq bubba]

My only comment is that usually by the time you unfoil, the butt is falling apart so bad you couldn't possibly put it back on the pit, if your into a nice bark, dont foil at all.......... crunchy outside, tender and moist inside

 

[flash]

Got that right, you would need a pizza flipper to lift it. What I did different today was go Fat Cap down. I was always a Fat Cap up person, because that was the way I was first taught. With the Fat Cap down it developed more of a bark and even after placing in the foil, the cap still had a crunch to it. Got to give it to the old El Cheapo Brinkman over my Great Outdoor Smokey Mountain. It reaches a higher temp and even though I used both to finish the butt off, it took two hours less time and came out great.

And we did add some of the juice to the finishing sauce.

 

[deejaydebi]

Hey flash .. if you throw it in the fridge for a little while the fat solidifies and you can get rid of some of it and just use the juice. I don't like alot of fat in my food so that's how I handle it.

 

[midwestcop]

Well I like me some fat.... I usually add the juice to the pulled pork once its all pulled, while still hot, and stir it all up........ but thats just me, I think it helps keep the meat moist and adds some flavor... especially when microwaving it the next day.... the only downfall is when cold from the fridge, the meat sticks together

 

[ron50]

I find letting it sit in the foil for 2 hours in the cooler that a lot of the liquid is reabsorbed into the meat.

 

[desert smokin]

I don't foil until I remove it from the smoker. I usually let the meat set 4 hours or more and most of the juice reabsorbs. Haven't had enough in the foil to worry about and don't need the extra fat for general health reasons. My meat has been moist coming out of the microwave every time when it's been reheated.

 

[smokemack]

Debi does exactly what I do; throw the juice in the fridge/freezer for a bit. Let the fat harden up, then scrape it off and add the juice.

 

[bigal]

I don't foil till I take it off the smoker and let it rest in the foil, some juice but I don't save it. I believe the biggest difference is how you reheat.

After I pull it I put it into an alum foil pan and cover w/foil and into fridge for the next day. Then I get the smoker to 225 and put the foil pan uncovered in the smoker and spritz w/a 1-4 of cider vinegar to AJ. While spritz'n I also add more rub and taste test every 1/2hr or so. Takes about 3-4hrs to get it hot, and it is the best pulled pork I've ever eaten. Family agrees.

But that is off subject, but I hope someone else tries this. I know you'll be happy w/the results. If yes/no I want to know.

The bark is not bad to have. I like to take what falls off and throw it into the pulled pork for extra seasoning. But to each their own.