BBQ pulled pork

b A shortcut recipe for the home:
Take a pork butt, rub it with coarse pepper and cook it pork overnight (8 hours) at 225º–250º uncovered on a rack. Leave all fat on and fat side up. It gets crusty as well as fall apart done. Pull out the bone and "pull" it by shredding by pulling between 2 forks. Add sauce when served. Sauce is either a tomato sauce or a vinegar-based pepper sauce. Or in SC it is mustard based! Don't forget the cole slaw and baked beans. When you "pull" it, leave the fat in!!

The 8 hour time frame is approximate and will vary by the exact weight of the butt. Whether there is a bone in or not should not have much effect in the grand scheme of things. The real answer is: cook it until it falls apart, about 8 hours.

The bone doesn't really seem to make much difference in my experience. Have cooked them both ways and about the same time. I have often cooked them overnight setting my oven timer to turn the oven off. It is not all an exact critical time.

Edited to say:

I found it in T&T and realize it is the very first recipe I posted a LONG time ago. Since then I have found an alternative way to cook it if you have a smoker. I have also added a rub recipe and my BBQ sauce recipe.  SO I am going to post this one. If no one objects, I'd like to post this one in T&T also--unless it already is there somewhere.
Also, the internal temp you want is in the vicinity of 190* if you have any doubts that it is done enough. Some people have reported (on Gail's) that the 8 hours wasn't enough for a really big piece of meat--like 8-10#.  I have often cooked 7# and it has been enough.

Here you go.

Carolina Pulled pork
I posted it a long time ago. It is truly easy and delicious.
1 pork shoulder or butt, bone in or out--any size--the cooking time is the same for a 3#or 8# piece.
BBQ rub of your choice (I will post mine if you want) or just rub the meat with a mixture of coarse ground black pepper and brown sugar. Let marinate 8 hours or overnight.
Method 1--IF you have a smoker that can control the temp (I have a sidebox smoker and can keep the temp at 200*-250*) smoke the meat for 4 hours, keeping the temp low. Then place the meat in a 250* oven for 4 hours to finish. It will be meltingly tender and have a wonderful smoky flavor.
Method 2 (and this is the one I have really used for 30 years). Place the meat in a 225-250* oven for 8 hours uncovered . I have often done them overnight. It will still have the melting tenderness. You will have to slap your hands to have any left over as you take it out of the oven.
When ready to serve pull chunks of meat off and then "pull" the meat into shreds by pulling between 2 forks. Do not discard the fat--mix it in. This is not a low fat dish and to really enjoy, use it!!!  The pork can also be chopped.

For a traditional Carolina serving method very lightly moisten the pulled meat with sweetened vinegar (1 qt. vinegar + 1/4C sugar and 2TBS coarse black pepper). It should be so little that you don't even know it has been added.

To warm before serving put the vinegared meat in a pan (black iron frying pan is good or Le Creuset) and cover tightly. Heat at 250* until heated.

To serve, offer bbq sauces, cole slaw (in the Carolinas, it goes ON the sandwich), baked beans, rolls, and banana pudding. For fall bbq's Brunswick Stew is also offered.

For BBQ sauce here is my tomato based (western NC style):
1 bottle ketchup (28 or 32 oz.)
1 ketchup bottle of cider vinegar
6 oz. yellow mustard
6 oz. worcestershire sauce
1/2C brown sugar
3 oz. liquid smoke
2-3 TBS coarse black pepper
Tabasco to your taste
Simmer for 45 minutes.
If you use commercial bbq sauce I suggest diluting them 1/2 with vinegar for this use.
Eastern NC uses vinegar sauces--sweetened vinegar with 1/4C (at least!!) cayenne pepper OR black pepper. It is too hot for me!
South Carolina uses a mustard based sauce but don't know the recipe.  The one in T&T from Big Daddy is a good approximation of Maurice's of Columbia, SC.

Note that for traditional pulled pork BBQ, it is served without sauce.  Sauce is added at the table, if any is wanted.

 

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NOTES : Edited to say:

I found it in T&T and realize it is the very first recipe I posted a LONG time ago. Since then I have found an alternative way to cook it if you have a smoker. I have also added a rub recipe and my BBQ sauce recipe.  SO I am going to post this one. If no one objects, I'd like to post this one in T&T also--unless it already is there somewhere.
Also, the internal temp you want is in the vicinity of 190* if you have any doubts that it is done enough. Some people have reported (on Gail's) that the 8 hours wasn't enough for a really big piece of meat--like 8-10#.  I have often cooked 7# and it has been enough.

Here you go.

Carolina Pulled pork
I posted it a long time ago. It is truly easy and delicious.
1 pork shoulder or butt, bone in or out--any size--the cooking time is the same for a 3#or 8# piece.
BBQ rub of your choice (I will post mine if you want) or just rub the meat with a mixture of coarse ground black pepper and brown sugar. Let marinate 8 hours or overnight.
Method 1--IF you have a smoker that can control the temp (I have a sidebox smoker and can keep the temp at 200*-250*) smoke the meat for 4 hours, keeping the temp low. Then place the meat in a 250* oven for 4 hours to finish. It will be meltingly tender and have a wonderful smoky flavor.
Method 2 (and this is the one I have really used for 30 years). Place the meat in a 225-250* oven for 8 hours uncovered . I have often done them overnight. It will still have the melting tenderness. You will have to slap your hands to have any left over as you take it out of the oven.
When ready to serve pull chunks of meat off and then "pull" the meat into shreds by pulling between 2 forks. Do not discard the fat--mix it in. This is not a low fat dish and to really enjoy, use it!!!  The pork can also be chopped.

For a traditional Carolina serving method very lightly moisten the pulled meat with sweetened vinegar (1 qt. vinegar + 1/4C sugar and 2TBS coarse black pepper). It should be so little that you don't even know it has been added.

To warm before serving put the vinegared meat in a pan (black iron frying pan is good or Le Creuset) and cover tightly. Heat at 250* until heated.

To serve, offer bbq sauces, cole slaw (in the Carolinas, it goes ON the sandwich), baked beans, rolls, and banana pudding. For fall bbq's Brunswick Stew is also offered.

For BBQ sauce here is my tomato based (western NC style):
1 bottle ketchup (28 or 32 oz.)
1 ketchup bottle of cider vinegar
6 oz. yellow mustard
6 oz. worcestershire sauce
1/2C brown sugar
3 oz. liquid smoke
2-3 TBS coarse black pepper
Tabasco to your taste
Simmer for 45 minutes.
If you use commercial bbq sauce I suggest diluting them 1/2 with vinegar for this use.
Eastern NC uses vinegar sauces--sweetened vinegar with 1/4C (at least!!) cayenne pepper OR black pepper. It is too hot for me!
South Carolina uses a mustard based sauce but don't know the recipe.  The one in T&T from Big Daddy is a good approximation of Maurice's of Columbia, SC.

Note that for traditional pulled pork BBQ, it is served without sauce.  Sauce is added at the table, if any is wanted.

 

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