Pulled pork advice

[craig_emp]

I've got two pieces of pork shoulder for tomorrow currently marinating in dry rub. Guests are arriving at 2pm tommorow and it needs to be ready about 3pm. I'm not sure whether to get up at 6am to put it in the oven (120c) for 8 hours or if I should up it on tonight at around midnight to give it 12 hours and then keep warm.

Also should I cook it uncovererd, covered or wrapped? Do I need to mop?

Cheers.

[ibisti]

How large are they?

[craig_emp]

One is 3kg and the other 2kg.

[orbtar]

Put it in tonight (covered) and cook at 100 degrees C for twelve hours, the keep warm. It will be fantastic.

[Pferdestarke]

Cook it at 80 degrees centigrade overnight. It'll be safe, tender, moist and easy to pull. Over 90 and you'll dry it out.

[craig_emp]

Thanks fellas just gone in now at 80c uncovered to get some colour. I wrap in foil tomorrow morning of it looks like its drying out.

I've got a digital thermometer on a wire monitoring the internal temperature.

[smack]

How is the pork looking?

[craig_emp]

Sorry I was running around like a lunatic on Sunday. We had virtual non-stop rain and thunder storms but the food went down well! The pork was very good but I think I'll try smoking on the BBQ next time as although the rub tasted good it was missing that smokey flavour.

Interestingly the bigger piece (3kg) took nearly 14 hours @ 80c so my oven temperature may have been a little bit out. I took the small piece out of the oven at 12pm and let it rest for an hour; that pulled ok but still had a bit of give in it. The big beast I left in the oven (forgot) and took it out at 2pm. This one properly fell apart and was altogether much better!

I did forget to take picture in the chaos....sorry :-)

[Wild Rumpus]

I've used liquid smoke as part of my rub when I've done it in the oven and it works pretty well. (Still not quite as good as done on the barbeque, though).

[eastsider]

Chaps

I’m also planning my first attempt at pulled pork this weekend and could do with some pointers. Planning lunchtime BBQ meal on Sunday for 10 people:

1. What uncooked weight of pork shoulder should I start with, to get decent meal for 10 with some leftovers?

2. We are eating lunchtime Sunday – when should I start cooking? I’ll be up at 6am (young baby) but doubt that is long enough on my weber and nervous about leaving it overnight. Shall I oven cook low overnight then get it on the BBQ for 4-6 hours Sunday AM?

cheers

[pokethepope]

Oven method should work, or you could always cook it on Saturday:

amazingribs.com said:

How much do you need? There is significant shrinkage and waste in the form of bone and globs of fat you discard when pulling. Count on about 30% loss, and if there is less, then you'll have leftovers. How much per person? That depends on the gender, age, time of day, what else is being served, and amount of alcohol present. If you are serving chicken, hot dogs, brats, and burgers as well as pulled pork, you will need less. If you are only serving pulled pork you need more. I usually plan on 1/2 pound per person on average (remember there is shrinkage, up to 20%), and look forward to leftovers. I freeze leftovers in two person portions in zipper bags and they have rescued many a Tuesday night when we don't feel like cooking from scratch.

amazingribs.com said:

Serving it the next day and serving leftover pulled pork

I often get asked what's the best way to cook pulled pork or beef brisket on Saturday and serve it on Sunday. My answer is "don't do it". That's called serving leftovers.

These meats are best fresh off the smoker. If you have to serve it at noon on Sunday, then get up in the middle of the night and start cooking in the wee hours. If you need to take it to a game, then wrap the hot meat in foil and blankets and put it in a beer cooler and you can keep it warm that way for about two hours (read my article on faux Cambros).

If you don't want to cook overnight then consider serving something that doesn't take so long, like smoked turkey or baby back ribs.

If you cook it Saturday to serve Sunday, you must refrigerate the meat overnight. If you refrigerate it before pulling or slicing, it will take you hours to reheat it. That's a big hunk of meat. So you are best off pulling or slicing the meat on Saturday, and then refrigerating it.

Pulled pork the following day is best reheated in the microwave a small amount at a time. But it will be a bit drier and tougher than the first day, so bring back some life with a splash of water, apple juice, or barbecue sauce. The best method is in the microwave, second best is to heat it slowly in a pot with the lid on.

If you have leftovers that you will not scarf down in a few days, mix the leftovers with a bit of barbecue sauce, and freeze them in measured portions in zipper bags. The sauce prevents freezer burn. Pop one in the microwave and you've got a great emergency meal for two.

[evoivboy]

eastsider said:

Chaps

I’m also planning my first attempt at pulled pork this weekend and could do with some pointers. Planning lunchtime BBQ meal on Sunday for 10 people:

1. What uncooked weight of pork shoulder should I start with, to get decent meal for 10 with some leftovers?

2. We are eating lunchtime Sunday – when should I start cooking? I’ll be up at 6am (young baby) but doubt that is long enough on my weber and nervous about leaving it overnight. Shall I oven cook low overnight then get it on the BBQ for 4-6 hours Sunday AM?

cheers

3-4kg
rub with rock salt, chopped chilli (birds eye,)fennel seed, garlic, lime zest and juice, place in a tray, add 1 inch of chicken stock, cover loosely with baking parchment then foil, bake for 12 hours at 100c, rest for 30 mins, add more stock if needed, thicken slightly with cornflour

[smack]

You have to cook the pork shoulder until it has hit an internal temp of about 195F. Once it has got up to that temperature, it will have rendered all the fat and connective tissue, and allow you to shred it easy, and the meat will be lovely and tender. If you pull it off 10F too early, it will not pull apart (that is carving temperature).
Do a google search, on such as the Weber Bullet forum, which has how to's, and what temp you want within the BBQ to get the right results.

[Pferdestarke]

As Smack suggests, internal temp of between 195 and 205f for easy pulling. I did 4 half shoulders last weekend overnight for 14 hours and they fell apart.