Pulled Pork Advise

[zwiller]

+1 Al's Hot and Fast. No wrong way to do butt. They are quite forgiving and variations of technique do not create a large impact as many think. Although I inject, I prefer not to add much seasoning after pulling so that everyone can tweak at serving. JJ's finish sauce is killer for that and if you have not already done so get Jeff's rub and sauce recipe STAT. The sauce is totally world class.

WRT pulling resting etc, do what seems practical. I prefer to do most of the labor in advance so I can enjoy myself later but I can imagine a family having a ball pulling and serving. I'd pull that night and put in covered pans in an oven set at 170F for next day bit totally agree the resting in towels and a cooler is fine, I just won't get permission to use our towels for that. Does the smell wash out? :)

 

[johnmeyer]

I have done tons of pork shoulders before but I was just reading something that said not to put the temp prob in the meat till an hour or two into the cook because of contamination and not hitting the 140 marking in 4 hours. Is this true?

I have seen that, but I don't believe it.

 

[metsfan2152]

+1 Al's Hot and Fast. No wrong way to do butt. They are quite forgiving and variations of technique do not create a large impact as many think. Although I inject, I prefer not to add much seasoning after pulling so that everyone can tweak at serving. JJ's finish sauce is killer for that and if you have not already done so get Jeff's rub and sauce recipe STAT. The sauce is totally world class.

WRT pulling resting etc, do what seems practical. I prefer to do most of the labor in advance so I can enjoy myself later but I can imagine a family having a ball pulling and serving. I'd pull that night and put in covered pans in an oven set at 170F for next day bit totally agree the resting in towels and a cooler is fine, I just won't get permission to use our towels for that. Does the smell wash out? :)

Yes I got jeffs rub and sauce. I use it on everything. I think its great. I have not used jj finish sauce though. I think i might be pulling it the night before do you think I should use the finishing sauce when I pull it, or when I reheat it the next day?

 

[zwiller]

I don't think it matters much when to add it, but I prefer not to add it all and offer at service. I think you could overdo it for some people like Aunt Edna or Grandma especially if you use all the cyan, I halved it. I am doing 50lbs of PP for daughter's grad party so I might be conservative but I am a less is more kinda guy and think PP should shine on its own. Ever since I had the breakthrough and got really good bark no one seems to care about sauce anymore.

 

[metsfan2152]

Yea i may not use it because like you said the people may not like it. Or maybe just use very little.
I know people are going to dump tons of bbq sauce anyway haha. Ruin my masterpiece haha.

 

[zwiller]

Do what you want and have fun! I like your idea that if you do use some just use a little. 80% of good PP (or any cue for that matter) is comprised of consistent temps, TBS, and pulling at proper IT. No rub or sauce is gonna be magic and fix it if not done right. Best of luck!

 

[bigwayne]

What brown eyes said up at the top is exactly what I do. I would smoke them overnight Friday, wrap them at the stall, and then when they hit 205 pull them and put them in a cooler full of old towels. I have done tons of them like this and pulled them out of the cooler 8 hours later and they are still too hot to touch. Shred them on Saturday at the event and dump the juice from the foil over the top and you will be the bbq king to your guests.

Oh and make sure you knock back a couple cold ones in the process! Its only right...

+1 for this. Time your smoke to end just before you want to go to bed Friday night and wrap them in towels in a cooler. preferably a cooler that will be mostly filled by the shoulders and towels. If you have them at 200 degrees going into the cooler, they will probably still be >140 at Noon when you pull them.

 

[metsfan2152]

I forgot to post some pictures.
Here you go.

 

[kyjack]

I forgot to post some pictures.
Here you go.
View attachment 366125 View attachment 366126

Looks tasty did you foil at all while smoking and do you moisten while smoking? I have 2 on now smoking at 250 first time on this smoker . what internal temp did you finish at ? sorry for the crazy questions.

 

[metsfan2152]

Yes I did foil cause I was making it for a party. I usually don’t foil cause I like the bark. I foiled at 165. I actually followed smokin als post on snaking at a higher temp. Smoked at about 275-280 much quicker and it was my best pulled porks yet. I took it off at about 203.