Cooking Pulled Pork
There are hundreds of methods to cooking pulled pork, though this Southern tradition is best served as close to the original recipe as possible.
Cooking pulled pork requires a bit of patience, since the process is a slow one, but it will be worth every moment of your time once you taste that authentic flavor. The first part of this recipe is to choose the perfect cut of meat. Unlike other recipes, you want all the fat that you can get for this dish. This means that the shoulder is probably your best bet. Butchers will cut a shoulder into two parts: the Boston Butt and the Picnic Roast – either type will work just fine. Whatever you do, choose a cut with the bone still in it in order to gain a lot of extra flavor.
Next, trim off any loose fat or skin, and apply a pre-made rub to the meat (you can buy great rubs already made in most stores). Massage the rub into the meat and let it marinate for one hour. If you are fortunate enough to have an outdoor fire pit, you can place the meat over a 200-225 degree fire for approximate one hour per pound using hickory wood smoke. If you do not have an outdoor fire, place your meat inside of a thick roasting pan, and then inside of a slow oven (200 degrees) for about three to four hours. The idea is to cook the meat until it literally falls apart. All you have to do to finish the meat is to pull it apart with your hands, add a mixture of vinegar, cayenne, and paprika (mix it in), and serve it on a bun.
Now that you know the secrets to cooking pulled pork, you can make it at any time. This recipe is sure to be a crowd please every time you serve it. If you are planning to cook for a large group of people, smoke the meat ahead of time, pile it high upon a platter, place some buns on the table, and let people make their own sandwiches – this is a great summertime barbeque idea.
Who said that feeding a crowd had to be complicated? With this recipe under your culinary apron, you will be the talk of the town in a flash. Serve this meat with some fresh corn (or cornbread), and watch as that platter quickly disappears.
There may be many different ways of cooking pulled pork, but the best way to prepare this meal is the recipe mentioned above.