- May 18, 2020
- Keto & Low Carb
Big Green Egg Pulled Pork Recipe
Master the art of Big Green Egg pulled pork with our easy, flavorful recipe. Perfectly smoked pork for BBQ lovers. Ideal for family gatherings, parties, meal prep, and more!
Smoking a pork shoulder or pork butt on the Big Green Egg is an art form, cherished by BBQ enthusiasts everywhere. Today, I’ll guide you through a comprehensive method to make succulent pulled pork that’s bursting with flavor.
This recipe is centered around the beloved Boston butt or pork shoulder, a cut of meat perfect for smoking due to its rich fat cap and connective tissue. Let’s embark on this delicious journey!
Why This Recipe Works
- Perfect Cut of Meat: The Boston butt or pork shoulder is ideal for smoking. Its fat cap and connective tissue melt over time, creating incredibly tender and flavorful meat.
- Balanced Flavor Profile: The combination of a well-crafted dry rub, smoke from apple and hickory wood, and the subtle acidity of apple cider vinegar creates a complex and delicious taste.
- Optimized Cooking Process: The use of the Big Green Egg for indirect cooking at a low temperature, along with regular misting and proper wrapping, ensures even cooking and perfect texture.
Choosing the Right Cut: Boston Butt vs Pork Shoulder
When it comes to smoking pork for pulled pork, selecting the right cut is crucial. Although often used interchangeably, the terms ‘Boston butt’ and ‘pork shoulder’ refer to slightly different cuts. The Boston butt, also known as a pork butt, is the upper part of the shoulder from the front leg and may include the shoulder blade. It’s well-marbled with fat, which renders down during the cooking process to create moist, flavorful meat. This cut is ideal for smoking due to its consistent shape and thickness, which allows for even cooking.
On the other hand, the pork shoulder, sometimes labeled as ‘picnic shoulder’ or ‘picnic roast,’ is the lower part of the shoulder and extends down to the shank. It has less fat compared to the Boston butt and is more irregular in shape. While it can also be used for pulled pork, the varied thickness can lead to uneven cooking, and it might not be as inherently tender as the Boston butt.
For this recipe, the Boston butt is preferred. Its higher fat content and uniform shape make it more forgiving during the long cooking process, ensuring a succulent and tender result. Look for a cut with a thick layer of fat on one side – the fat cap. This fat cap is key to keeping the meat moist and tender as it slowly smokes. When purchasing, aim for a cut that’s around 6-8 pounds, which is a manageable size for most smokers and serves quite a few people. Remember, the quality of the meat is paramount, so opt for the best quality you can find – it will make a significant difference in the final taste and texture of your pulled pork.
Supplies Needed:
Foil Pan
Aluminum Foil
Trimming Knife
Spray Bottle
Preparation and Seasoning:
Dry Rub:
Seasoning is not just about flavor, but also about creating the perfect bark, which is the delicious, crusty exterior of the smoked pork.
Start with a base of brown sugar, which adds a touch of sweetness and helps form the bark. Add black pepper for heat, garlic powder for savoriness, and a generous amount of your favorite spice blend to create a unique profile.
You can include ingredients like paprika for color a hint of smokiness, and kosher salt to enhance all the flavors. For a classic BBQ taste, incorporate a touch of onion powder and a pinch of cayenne for extra heat. Feel free to use your favorite pork rub or BBQ rub for this as well.
Before applying the rub, it’s essential to prepare the pork properly. Begin by patting the meat dry with paper towels. This helps the rub adhere better to the meat. If there is a thick layer of hard fat on the cap, trim excess fat to about 1/4-inch thick. This thickness is ideal as it provides enough fat to keep the meat moist during cooking without being excessive.
Now, apply the rub generously over the entire surface of the meat, including the sides. Don’t be shy with the seasoning; this is a large piece of meat, and you want the flavors to penetrate deeply. Some people like to apply a binder, like yellow mustard, to the meat before the rub. This can help the rub adhere better and add a little tang, but it’s optional. After applying the rub, let the meat sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
Setting Up the Big Green Egg
The Big Green Egg is perfect for indirect cooking at a low temperature. Set it up with a plate setter for indirect heat and place a drip pan filled with water underneath the cooking grate. This setup not only catches drippings but also adds a little extra layer of flavor and moisture to the cook. Preheat your Egg between 225- 250 degrees F.
Once the fire is lit and the temperature is dialed in, add your wood chunks. A common combination is a 4:1 ratio of hickory wood to apple wood for a balanced flavor. I also love using pecan wood with cherry for color. Experiment and decide what you enjoy!
Smoking Instructions:
- Cooking: Place the pork, and fat cap up, on the grill grate. Insert a thermometer probe into the thickest part of the meat.
- Misting: After about an hour, begin misting the outside of the pork to build the bark and allow the smoke to adhere to the meat. Use a combination of apple juice or apple cider vinegar diluted with water. Continue to do this every hour or so until the bark forms and the pork reaches an internal temperature of around 165-170 internal. This often takes on average about 6 hours or so for a larger bone-in Boston butt.
- Wrapping: When the pork butt hits the stall (the period in the cook where the temperature slightly decreases or stays at the same temperature for long periods of time) you can choose to wrap the meat to speed up the cooking process. I recommend removing the pork, placing it in a foil pan, and then tightly wrapping it in tin foil to create a warmer environment to help it through this process.
- The Final Stretch: It is important to let the pork continue to cook so the collagen can break down. You know the pork butt is ready when it reaches an internal temperature between 195-205 F. Ultimately, use a meat thermometer to probe the meat in various areas to ensure it is tender. Temperature is a guide, but feeling for tenderness (the thermometer should easily be inserted into the meat and it should feel like softened butter) is the best way to know the pork butt is ready.
- Resting: One of the biggest mistakes new grillers and pitmasters make is not ensuring a long enough rest. Resting the meat is imperative to a good pulled pork! Wrap the meat in old towels and place it into a cooler for at least an hour (I generally love an even longer period of at least 2-3 hours if possible). This helps any additional connective tissue to break down and allows the juices to redistribute so the meat isn’t dry.
- Pulling and Serving: Hand pulling is the easiest way to remove any large bone pieces and excess tissue or fat that doesn’t break down during the cook. I also think it creates a better pull than shredding with forks or the special “claws” that are often sold. Use layered heatproof gloves for this! Once shredded, add any juices back into the pulled pork and serve with my homemade Carolina Gold BBQ sauce recipe.
Tips and Tricks
- Room Temperature Start: Begin with the pork at room temperature to ensure even cooking.
- Monitor Temperature: Keep a close eye on the cooking temperature and the internal temp of the pork. After the wrap, you can choose to increase the grill temperature to 300 F. if desired to speed up the smoking process.
- Spray Bottle: A spray bottle filled with apple cider vinegar and apple juice is your friend for keeping the pork moist.
- Resting Time: Don’t skip the resting time; it’s essential for juicy pulled pork.
- Experiment with Sauces: From traditional barbecue sauce to hot sauce, experiment to find your favorite pairing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Aim for a steady cooking temperature of 225°F to 250°F. This range is ideal for slow-cooking the pork and achieving tender, flavorful results.
Generally, expect about 1 to 1.5 hours per pound of pork at 225°F to 250°F. However, factors like the size of the cut, outside temperature, and specific cooking conditions can affect the total cooking time. Because this is a slow cook, plan accordingly!
Wrapping the pork in aluminum foil, a practice known as the “Texas crutch,” can help overcome the stall (where the meat’s internal temperature plateaus) and can also keep the meat moist. This is typically done when the internal temperature reaches around 150°F to 160°F.
The ideal internal temperature for pulled pork is between 195°F and 205°F. At this range, the connective tissue has broken down enough to allow the meat to be easily shredded.
Using a water pan or drip pan filled with apple juice or water can help maintain a humid environment within the Egg, which can be beneficial for keeping the meat moist. It’s not mandatory but can be a helpful technique.
While not necessary, some cooks like to baste or mop the pork every hour with a mixture of apple cider vinegar and apple juice to add flavor and moisture.
Yes, it’s a common practice for larger cuts. Just ensure your Egg is stable at the desired temperature and has enough fuel to last through the night.
More Recipes To Try
How To Smoke Ham on the Big Green Egg
Big Green Egg Pulled Pork Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 10-15 lb Boston Butt or Pork Shoulder
- 1/4 cup Yellow Mustard for the binder
- 1/3 cup Pork BBQ Rub of choice
- 1 cup Diluted Apple Cider Vinegar or Apple Juice for spritzing
Instructions
- Set up the Big Green Egg by preheat it to 225-250 F. Set it for indirect heat.
- While the smoker is preheating, prepare the Boston butt. Remove it from the packaging and pat it dry with paper towels. Trim an silver skin and only trim the fat cap if it is over 1/4 inch thick.
- Coat the entire pork butt in a mustard binder (or other binder of choice). Then evenly season with desired pork dry rub until fully coated. Let the pork butt sit at room temperature for 30 minutes if possible.
- Place the pork butt onto the grill grates, fat cap side up. Close the lid and smoke for 1 hour. It's optional to add a foil pan with water under the pork butt to catch drippings and add additional moisture during the smoking process.
- After an hour, begin lightly spraying the outside of the Boston butt with diluted apple cider vinegar or diluted apple juice to build the bark. Continue to spray every hour for 5-6 hours or until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 165-170 F.
- Once the pork butt reaches the stall, remove it from the smoker and place it into a foil pan. Spray the outside lightly and then wrap tightly in foil. Place it back onto the smoker.
- Continue to smoke until the pork butt reaches an internal temperature between 195-205 F. and is tender when inserted with a thermometer probe. Once tender, remove from the smoker.
Resting & Serving
- Plan to rest the pork butt for at least 1-2 hours for best results. Lightly wrap the pork in old towels and place it in a cooler to stay warm.
- Pull and shred the meat to serve, discard the large bones and any additional fat or connective tissue that doesn't break down. Serve for sandwiches and pair with Carolina gold BBQ sauce.
Notes
- Room Temperature Start: Begin with the pork at room temperature to ensure even cooking.
- Monitor Temperature: Keep a close eye on the cooking temperature and the internal temp of the pork.
- Spray Bottle: A spray bottle filled with apple cider vinegar and apple juice is your friend for keeping the pork moist.
- Resting Time: Don’t skip the resting time; it’s essential for juicy pulled pork.
- Experiment with Sauces: From traditional barbecue sauce to hot sauce, experiment to find your favorite pairing.
Going to give this ago, this coming weekend. Wish me luck Chuck, Saint Marys Ga.
Awesome, I hope it works well for you!