Weekend Party Pulled Pork

IMG_20130804_135548_158Our friends (and former neighbors) who were transferred to Florida, were back in town for a visit so we had a cookout on Sunday to celebrate. We got the old neighborhood gang back together for some good food and plenty of drinks. I was tasked with making the meat and needed something for 16 adults and 4 kids so settled on pulled pork and brisket.

Good thing about these – both can be made ahead!! The party was at 3 o’clock so not enough time to cook the day of.

Friday was pulled pork day and here is how I did it:

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Get yourself some nice bone-on pork shoulders. Normally I would cook an 8-10 pounder, but Whole Foods only had two 4 1/2 chunks. Next you need a good rub.IMG_20130802_062902_582

  • 2 T brown sugar
  • 1 T chili powder
  • 1 T paprika
  • 1 T onion powder
  • 1 t salt
  • 1 t pepper
  • 1 t dry mustard
  • 1/4 t cayenne pepper

IMG_20130802_064026_792Rub mix on all sides of the pork shoulder. Time to get the grill going. You want to get to a temp of 225 degrees and smoke the pork for 3 hours, fat side up. Spray with apple juice every hour after the first hour.IMG_20130802_101124_454Transfer the pork to a disposable foil pan, add 2 cups of apple juice.IMG_20130802_101233_302Cover with foil and put back on the grill. Cook for another 5-6 hours, until the internal temp is 195 degrees in the thickest part of the shoulder, not touching bone. Pull off grill and let rest 30 minutes.IMG_20130802_152244_282Pull the pork – At this point the meat is very tender and comes apart easily. Once I pulled the pork I drained the liquid, added a little more rub, drained some of the liquid and covered tightly. Place in the frig (can be done 3-4 days ahead) and wait for the party.

On Sunday I fired up the grill to 225 degrees and reheated the pork for about an hour. Serve with BBQ sauce and all the fixings! I also made coffee rubbed brisket for the party and reheated it along side the pork. Making these ahead of time was a great way to enjoy the day of the party, without stressing about getting the food done on time. Enjoy!!

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