EntropySink

Nothing & Everything => Open Discussion => Food and Naked Yodeling => Topic started by: Rob on March 14, 2012, 09:54:26 AM

Title: Pulled Pork
Post by: Rob on March 14, 2012, 09:54:26 AM
One of the things I've really enjoyed when I've been in the States is pulled pork, especially in BBQ sauce like I had in Memphis. Anyone care to share a good recipe, both for the pork and for the sauce? I've tried once, but with shop-bought sauce, and it was nowhere near as good.

Also, while we're on the subject of sauces, anyone got a good recipe for Rib sauce? What's the best way to cook ribs?
Title: Re: Pulled Pork
Post by: Jake on March 14, 2012, 11:06:47 AM
I can't help you on the sauce, as I have a favorite brand I buy and it tastes great - Sweet Baby Rays.

Here is the way I do my pulled pork and ribs: both are fairly similar.

- 3-5 pound pork shoulder or butt. This can be the cheapest cut as it will cook for a really long time and inadvenrtently turn really tender
- I dry rub it with a large quantity of spices: mesquite, cajun, paprika, sea salt, sage, pepper. Let sit in fridge for around 12 hours.
- Put it in a crock pot with one large onion and apple juice. I also put in some canned chipotle peppers. Lots of apple juice. Let is cook until it is litterally falling off and separates by itself.
- drain all the liquid; you can keep some for dipping if you want. Seperate the meat into little pieces, getting rid of the fat.
- throw it back into the crack pot and add a bit of your favorite BBQ sauce.
- nice bun and some good slaw and baked beans and you have an awesome meal.

I make pulled pork once a month.

Ribs are very similar. I used to buy different cuts of ribs, but nothing beats a baby back. I also experimented with many different methods of making ribs, but below is by far my favorite. And I can tell you that once folks tried my ribs they can't get enough.

- start by dry rubbing the ribs. I do the same spices as on the pulled pork but additionally I add brown sugar and garlic.
- let sit covered in fridge for at least 12 hours. I try to do 24 hours if possible.
- I grill my ribs, so I cut the slabs into half and put them into tin disposable pans. Each pan holds a slab.
- cover completely with apple juice
- cover the pans with tin foil
- cook at about 350 degrees
- cooking time is about 3 hours. You need to check every 30 minutes because the juice will evaporate. add more.
- at about hour three, don't add more juice, lower the temp to 275-300 and baste with your favorite BBQ sauce. Not too much.
- let it carmalize and add some more.
- you don't want to add more juice now so that the little outsice leyer of the meat becomes a bit crispy.
- and you're done!

I usually cook three slabs. Always do one on charcoal and it is much better. I assume it would taste even better on some fruity wood.

Enjoy. I will post some pictures when I get home if I can find them.
Title: Re: Pulled Pork
Post by: Jake on March 14, 2012, 11:49:19 AM
picture of the dry rubbed ribs

Title: Re: Pulled Pork
Post by: Jake on March 14, 2012, 11:53:18 AM
aahhh baby backs

I think I have to make some this weekend :)

Title: Re: Pulled Pork
Post by: webwhy on March 14, 2012, 12:01:02 PM
Rob,

Proper smoking is the key to good bbq for both pork ribs and pork shoulder.  Can you buy a smoker over there, and are you able to cook outdoors?  It's a lifelong pursuit of perfection. 

http://www.consumersearch.com/smokers/how-to-buy-a-smoker seems to have the basics covered...

Then we can talk about sauces...;P
Title: Re: Pulled Pork
Post by: Govtcheez on March 14, 2012, 12:02:18 PM
> Proper smoking is the key to good bbq for both pork ribs and pork shoulder.

This guy knows what's up
Title: Re: Pulled Pork
Post by: Jake on March 14, 2012, 12:07:04 PM
> Proper smoking is the key to good bbq for both pork ribs and pork shoulder.

This guy knows what's up

one day I'll have a nice smoker and a lot of time on my hands :) but they are right, both ribs and pulled pork taste oh-so-much-better when properly smoked on some hickory and apple wood :)
Title: Re: Pulled Pork
Post by: Rob on March 14, 2012, 01:03:25 PM
 :bowdown: :bowdown:

Thank you guys.

@Jake. You're a star. Thanks so much for taking the time to post that awesome description.

Rob,

Proper smoking is the key to good bbq for both pork ribs and pork shoulder.  Can you buy a smoker over there, and are you able to cook outdoors?  It's a lifelong pursuit of perfection. 

http://www.consumersearch.com/smokers/how-to-buy-a-smoker seems to have the basics covered...

Then we can talk about sauces...;P

Not to sound dumb or anything, but smoking before or after cooking :dunno:. Been thinking about a smoker for a while. Cooking outdoors is a bit hit and miss, but I do as much as the weather permits.

Mmmmmmm. Pulled pork. [/homer]

edit>> OK, Ima dumbass. Smoking IS cooking. lol.
Title: Re: Pulled Pork
Post by: Govtcheez on March 14, 2012, 01:08:13 PM
Yep.  If you went to a legit BBQ place when you were stateside, that is exactly how they cooked your food, possibly with finishing on a grill or something to get a char on the outside.
Title: Re: Pulled Pork
Post by: webwhy on March 14, 2012, 01:14:16 PM
Quote
Not to sound dumb or anything, but smoking before or after cooking

Actually during the cooking.  you're cooking the shoulder or butt in a firebox  filled with smoke from hardwoods at a relatively low temperature (225 - 240F) via indirect heat for a longer period of time (6 - 8 hours for ~ 5lb shoulder) until the meat reaches 190 F in the muscle.  There's a wide variance here in my experience.  I have shoulders take over 10 hours, which can make the wife mad. 

Temperature control in the firebox is the art, and the length of time gives you an excuse to sit outdoors and drink a few beers...
Title: Re: Pulled Pork
Post by: webwhy on March 14, 2012, 01:15:03 PM
Quote
to get a char on the outside

"The bark".  The quality of the bark is one of the indicators of a good smoke...
Title: Re: Pulled Pork
Post by: Govtcheez on March 14, 2012, 01:19:12 PM
Do you own a smoker webwhy?  I've been thinking about one but was wondering if you had any recommendations
Title: Re: Pulled Pork
Post by: webwhy on March 14, 2012, 01:36:08 PM
i invested in a decent smoker last year.   I bought a "Chubby" from backwoods smokers.  It was expensive and I still feel guilty about it, but I've had really good results with it.   It's my second smoker though.  I had a cheap "bullet" smoker first.

 I would avoid anything with the firebox on the side (or offset).  I've never had much luck with them.  They're impossible to regulate temperature wise.  The "Green Egg" is popular around here as well as the Weber smokers.  They seem to work well.

Title: Re: Pulled Pork
Post by: Govtcheez on March 14, 2012, 01:41:48 PM
I've got a Weber Performer than can supposedly be used as a smoker but I am too dumb to use it properly
Title: Re: Pulled Pork
Post by: Jake on March 14, 2012, 03:20:15 PM
>>Temperature control in the firebox is the art

precisely. Temp control in cheap smokers is almost impossible. My buddy has one of those cheap smokers and the last time we atempted to do something on it our results really sucked.
Title: Re: Pulled Pork
Post by: Steve on March 14, 2012, 10:59:04 PM
I bought a smoker from Walmart for $40 (it's a charcoal grill also) for a cheap grill and never expected jack from the smoker. But I have used it a few times, and the smoking quality is actually quite good.

Will it compare to a real smoker absolutely not, but for what Rob is doing it will absolutely get it done.
Title: Re: Pulled Pork
Post by: Jake on March 22, 2012, 04:27:16 PM
my buddy sent this to me today. http://www.amazingribs.com/tips_and_technique/gas_grill_setup.html

look about a quarter down the page; the author describes smoking techniques with a conventional propane grill. I'll have to give it a shot.
Title: Re: Pulled Pork
Post by: Jake on March 22, 2012, 04:39:54 PM
texas brisket
http://www.amazingribs.com/recipes/beef/texas_brisket.html
def need to make one this summer, yum!
Title: Re: Pulled Pork
Post by: Steve on March 22, 2012, 04:58:46 PM
my buddy sent this to me today. http://www.amazingribs.com/tips_and_technique/gas_grill_setup.html

look about a quarter down the page; the author describes smoking techniques with a conventional propane grill. I'll have to give it a shot.

I wouldn't expect great results
Title: Re: Pulled Pork
Post by: Jake on March 22, 2012, 05:02:45 PM
>>I wouldn't expect great results

looks like it is definately worth a try at the very least. Seems like this guy knows what he is doing.
Title: Re: Pulled Pork
Post by: Steve on March 22, 2012, 05:14:24 PM
I'm questioning the flavor. A smoked piece of meat gets its flavor from, well the smoke and also from the wood used. In a smoker the smoke carries the flavor of the burn, being charcoal. You typically don't use just the wood but rather water soaked wood placed on the hot coals. To use propane you are relying very heavily on the wood to flavor the meat.

Now to the average person, it will probably pass. But to any fan of smoked meats they will (and possibly even you yourself) expect a certain thing from smoked meat that will be lacking under a gas grill setup.

By all means try it, wood and foil pans are dirt cheap. I'm curious, just unsure.
Title: Re: Pulled Pork
Post by: webwhy on March 22, 2012, 11:25:46 PM
texas brisket
http://www.amazingribs.com/recipes/beef/texas_brisket.html
def need to make one this summer, yum!

oh baby...i just got back from a trip to Austin, and i really want to learn how do to this right.  i've only tried a couple of times, and they both dried out.  It's a lot harder than a pork shoulder.
Title: Re: Pulled Pork
Post by: Steve on March 23, 2012, 06:04:43 AM
texas brisket
http://www.amazingribs.com/recipes/beef/texas_brisket.html
def need to make one this summer, yum!

oh baby...i just got back from a trip to Austin, and i really want to learn how do to this right.  i've only tried a couple of times, and they both dried out.  It's a lot harder than a pork shoulder.

Any chance you were there for South by South West?
Title: Re: Pulled Pork
Post by: Govtcheez on March 23, 2012, 06:45:01 AM
I love the taste of brisket but every time I get it at a restaurant it ends up cold so fast :(
Title: Re: Pulled Pork
Post by: Jake on March 23, 2012, 08:08:21 AM
i don't know if I ever had brisket done quite like the article describes it. I went to a BBQ joint a few weeks ago and it was nothing like it!

I checked at costco yesterday and they have some USDA choice brisket for $3.89/lb - but the smallest one I found was just shy of 10 pounds :D it will be a big party.
Title: Re: Pulled Pork
Post by: Jake on March 25, 2012, 07:12:54 PM
yes, we grilled today. three slabs. they were awesome

(http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/477283_10100333605099829_32804606_44576106_509318833_o.jpg)

(http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/475292_3191243334618_1071927630_32979475_366702353_o.jpg)
Title: Re: Pulled Pork
Post by: Steve on March 26, 2012, 07:58:09 AM
They look pretty damn good jake
Title: Re: Pulled Pork
Post by: Jake on March 26, 2012, 08:18:40 AM
They were good. Bones were falling off as I was pulling the slabs from the grill.
Title: Re: Pulled Pork
Post by: webwhy on March 26, 2012, 10:49:52 AM
Quote
Any chance you were there for South by South West?

Yep

Looks great, Jake!