Summer is the perfect time to gather friends and family together for a backyard barbecue. You may like to stick to the tried-and-true burger, but why not break out and smoke some pork? It’s a great addition to any summer barbecue. Here’s your how-to guide to smoking pork.
Pork Shoulder (also known as Pork Butt)
Advice from from barbecuebible.com
Seasoning is the key when it comes to pork shoulder. You can season a pork shoulder with rubs, brines, mops and even injecting seasonings. You can do a combination of these seasoning methods, depending on what you like.
Rubs usually include a blend of salt, pepper, paprika, brown sugar, and other seasonings you probably have on hand in your kitchen. You’ll apply a rub to the pork shoulder before smoking it.
Brines are used because they relax the muscles, making the pork shoulder more tender. You’ll want to brine the pork for at least 8 hours, up to 24 hours. Get brine recipes here.
Some serious barbecue enthusiasts inject seasonings, like apple juice, chicken stock, Worcestershire sauce, honey, finely-ground spices, and sometimes, a liquid fat, like vegetable oil or melted butter or bacon fat.
Like bastes, mop sauces keep food moist when it’s exposed to smoke or the dry heat of the grill. The name comes from the cotton mops pit masters once used to swab whole barbecued animals. Start mopping after the first hour or two of smoking or grilling, repeating hourly.
It’s recommended to cook pork shoulder low and slow – at a low to moderate heat for 3 to 6 hours (2-1/2 to 3 hours at 350 degrees; 5 to 6 hours at 250 degrees.)
Tools of the Trade:
These products will make smoking easier
Instant-read meat thermometer: A critical piece of equipment when gauging the doneness of a thick cut of pork as collagen and tough connective tissue don’t break down until they reach a critical internal temperature of 190 degrees or higher.
Insulated food gloves: These thick gauge rubber and fabric lined gloves protect your hands when you manually pull the still-hot pork shoulder (cold pork won’t pull) into meaty shreds for pulled pork sandwiches.
Meat claws and other pork pullers: While you can certainly use common table forks or your hands to shred pork, it’s even easier with a specialized tool called a pork puller.
Serving Pork
It’s recommended to serve pork shoulder well-done, that is, cooked to about 195 degrees F. Only at this internal temperature can the shoulder be “pulled” (torn) or chopped into the meaty shreds.
Like all roast meats, pork shoulder benefits from a rest after it’s removed from the grill or smoker. The rest improves the texture and allows the juices to redistribute themselves. Transfer the meat to a cutting board, loosely drape with foil (do not tightly wrap), and let it sit undisturbed for 20 minutes.
Pull or shred pork shoulder while it’s still uncomfortably hot to the touch, removing and discarding the bone, large lumps of fat, and any other bits that don’t look appetizing. (This is why the insulated food gloves referenced above are a help.) If you’re having trouble pulling the pork, switch to Plan B and either chop the meat with a heavy cleaver or slice it against the grain.
This article is brought to you by Moe’s Original Bar B Que. Find Moe’s at 901 Columbia Ave and 9050 Carothers Pkwy #9050, both in Franklin. Moe’s Original Bar B Que features award-winning Bama-style pulled pork, ribs, wings, turkey and chicken smoked over hardwood served with two unique sauces in addition to Catfish and a Shrimp Moe-Boy sandwich, and 8-10 traditional Southern sides to choose from.See their menu here.
