The Ideal BBQ Treat

When I first started to BBQ it consisted mainly of a grilled protein (chicken, pork chops etc) that was seasoned and maybe had some BBQ sauce slopped on at the end. Well that was a while ago and I am now learning more about adding a little smoke in the mix. I have done pulled pork a few times but never really thought it was as good as it should be. I think the first mistake most people do is use the wrong cut of meat.  I won't lie, I have taken a pork tenderloin, thrown it on the grill for 40 minutes or so, then shredded it and slopped some BBQ sauce all over it. This was usually done for pulled pork Quesadillas where the pork isn't the main star. But if you are going to make a proper pulled pork sandwich the meat should always be a pork butt often referred to as a boston butt. This cut of meat ironically comes from the shoulder of the pig and has lots of fat and connective tissue running though out the meat. So when it is cooked nice and slowly this fat can melt into the meat making it nice and juicy. Another important step is cooking it at the right temperature which should be around 250 degrees. Also most people may think that the pork is ready to come off at 165 degrees (which is when pork is safe to be eaten). In this case when using a pork shoulder, the internal temperature should be 190. This is because the shoulder has a lot of connective tissue running through it that needs to be broken down in order to make it for tender, the connective tissue and fat at this temperature will then turn into gelatin at this temperature making the pork nice and tender.
      The first step is always applying a dry rub to the shoulder the night before it is going to be cooked. This is the initial step in bringing flavour to the meat. I often add oil to the dry rub to allow the rub to adhere to the meat better. A normal 6 pound roast will typically take around 8 hours or so to cook so planning is needed. After smoking the roast should have developed a nice thick dark coating (that almost looks burnt) called the bark. This bark is inviting you to flavour country.

You know you have done a good job when the meat is fork tender and shreds with little effort.

Classically it is served on a nice soft bun with some bbq sauce and some coleslaw. I had some nice fresh tomatoes from the market so I just put a slice on top instead. This is a meal you will see a lot on this blog.