SpicesInc.com - All About Pulled Pork

All About Pulled Pork

All About Pulled Pork

The main definition of pulled pork is a Boston butt roast cooked over a low fire to the point where it can be pulled apart by hand. The butt is not the rump on the pig but instead it is the upper shoulder, located toward the backbone. The shoulder muscles become tough from heavy use and this cut of meat benefits from braising.

Because the butt is made up of a few different muscles, there's a lot of connective tissue that melts during the slow cooking and results in giving the meat richness. What you do want is a fatty piece of pork. The fat will keep the pork moist while you cook it. You should also pick a cut with the bone still in as the bone adds flavor and sweetens the meat. Pulled pork is a form of barbecue.

Because raw pork comes with a risk of food borne illness, it is important to make sure that the meat reaches at least a temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Most cooks rest the meat for half an hour to an hour after cooking because during this resting period the internal temperature of the meat can rise quite a bit making it absolutely safe to serve.

Traditionally you will want to serve your pulled pork with a table or finishing sauce. This can be almost any of your favorite barbecue sauces but often it is served with a thin vinegar sauce. Because the meat will be sweet from the slow cooking the sour of the cider vinegar will be neutralized .You can serve pulled pork on a plate or on a bun and what brings the variety are sauces, toppings, rubs, woods and serving style. Some cooks even inject the meat with marinade. Typically they will mix about 4 tablespoons of their rub with 1 cup of warm apple juice and pump it deep into the meat.

Generally you should allow 1.5-2 hours per pound but it might take more.
For inexperienced cooks, pulled pork is a fantastic meal for a beginner as it a forgiving piece of meat. When you are ready to start pulling the meat use a glove to protect your fingers and wiggle the bone until it can be turned and it will come out easily.

And the leftovers after you have served the main meal are numerous: Tacos, burritos, enchiladas, with eggs and even another sandwich for lunch.

We have come up with a number of pulled pork recipes: Baked Rubbed Pulled Pork; Baked Sweet and Sour Pulled Pork; Barbecued Pork Burrito; Mexican Shredded Pork in Slow Cooker; Pulled Pork on a Smoker; Pulled Pork with Slow Cooker; Shredded Pork Mexican Tacos and Southern Style Oven Baked Pulled Pork.