Barbecued Pulled Pork on a Gas Grill
By America's Test KitchenPublished on July 29, 2013
Time
6 hours, plus 3 hours chilling, 1 hour standing, 30 minutes soaking, and 1 hour resting
Yield
Serves 8
Ingredients
Spicy Chili Rub
1 tablespoon ground black pepper 1 - 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper 2 tablespoons chili powder 2 tablespoons ground cumin 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar 1 tablespoon dried oregano 4 tablespoons paprika 2 tablespoons table salt 1 tablespoon granulated sugar 1 tablespoon ground white pepperPork
1 bone-in pork roast, 6 to 8 pounds (preferably shoulder or Boston butt roast)Before You Begin
Pulled pork can be made with a fresh ham or picnic roast, although our preference is for Boston butt. Preparing pulled pork requires little effort, but lots of time. Plan on 10 hours from start to finish: 3 hours with the spice rub, 1 hour to come to room temperature, 3 hours on the grill, 2 hours in the oven, and 1 hour to rest. Wood chips help flavor the meat; hickory is the traditional choice with pork. Serve the pulled pork on plain white bread or warmed buns with the classic accompaniments of dill pickle chips and coleslaw. You will need a disposable aluminum roasting pan that measures about 10 inches by 8 inches as well as heavy-duty aluminum foil and a brown paper grocery bag.
Instructions
- Mix all spicy chili rub ingredients in small bowl, set aside.
- If using a fresh ham or picnic roast, remove skin (see illustration below). Massage dry rub into meat. Wrap tightly in double layer of plastic wrap; refrigerate for at least 3 hours. (For strong flavor, the roast can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.)
- At least 1 hour prior to cooking, remove roast from refrigerator, unwrap, and let it come to room temperature. Soak 4 cups wood chips in cold water to cover for 30 minutes and drain. Place the wood chips in a small disposable aluminum pan.
- Place the wood-chip pan on the primary burner (the burner that will remain on during cooking, see illustration below). Ignite the grill, turn all the burners to high, cover, and heat until very hot and the chips are smoking heavily, about 20 minutes. (If the chips ignite, use a water-filled squirt bottle to extinguish them.) Turn the primary burner down to medium and turn off the other burner(s). Set the unwrapped roast in the disposable pan, position the pan over the cooler part of the grill, and close the lid. Barbecue for 3 hours. (The temperature inside the grill should be a constant 275 degrees; adjust the lit burner as necessary.)
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place roast in pan and wrap with heavy-duty foil to cover completely. Place pan in oven and cook until meat is fork-tender, about 2 hours.
- Slide the foil-wrapped pan with the roast into a brown paper bag. Crimp top shut; rest roast 1 hour. Transfer roast to cutting board and unwrap. When cool enough to handle, "pull" pork by separating roast into muscle sections (see illustration, below), removing fat, if desired, and tearing meat into thin shreds with fingers. Place shredded meat in large bowl ; toss with 1 cup barbecue sauce, adding more to taste. Serve with remaining sauce passed separately.
Time
6 hours, plus 3 hours chilling, 1 hour standing, 30 minutes soaking, and 1 hour restingYield
Serves 8Ingredients
Spicy Chili Rub
Pork
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Spicy Chili Rub
Pork
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Spicy Chili Rub
Pork
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
Pulled pork is classic summertime party food: slow-cooked pork roast, shredded and seasoned, served on the most basic of hamburger buns (or sliced white bread), with just enough of your favorite barbecue sauce, a couple of dill pickle chips, and a topping of coleslaw. However, many barbecue procedures demand the regular attention of the cook for eight hours or more. We wanted to find a way to make moist, fork-tender pulled pork without the marathon cooking time and constant attention to the grill.
After testing shoulder roasts (also called Boston butt), fresh ham, and picnic roasts, we determined that the shoulder roast, which has the most fat, also retains the most moisture and flavor during a long, slow cook. We massaged a spicy chili rub into the meat, then wrapped the roast in plastic and refrigerated it for at least three hours to “marinate.” The roast is first cooked on the grill to absorb smoky flavor (from wood chips—no smoker required), then finished in the oven (largely unattended). Finally, we let the pork rest in a paper bag so the meat would steam and any remaining collagen would break down, allowing the flavorful juices to be reabsorbed. We also engineered a pair of sauce recipes to please barbecue fans with different tastes.
Before You Begin
Pulled pork can be made with a fresh ham or picnic roast, although our preference is for Boston butt. Preparing pulled pork requires little effort, but lots of time. Plan on 10 hours from start to finish: 3 hours with the spice rub, 1 hour to come to room temperature, 3 hours on the grill, 2 hours in the oven, and 1 hour to rest. Wood chips help flavor the meat; hickory is the traditional choice with pork. Serve the pulled pork on plain white bread or warmed buns with the classic accompaniments of dill pickle chips and coleslaw. You will need a disposable aluminum roasting pan that measures about 10 inches by 8 inches as well as heavy-duty aluminum foil and a brown paper grocery bag.
Instructions
- Mix all spicy chili rub ingredients in small bowl, set aside.
- If using a fresh ham or picnic roast, remove skin (see illustration below). Massage dry rub into meat. Wrap tightly in double layer of plastic wrap; refrigerate for at least 3 hours. (For strong flavor, the roast can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.)
- At least 1 hour prior to cooking, remove roast from refrigerator, unwrap, and let it come to room temperature. Soak 4 cups wood chips in cold water to cover for 30 minutes and drain. Place the wood chips in a small disposable aluminum pan.
- Place the wood-chip pan on the primary burner (the burner that will remain on during cooking, see illustration below). Ignite the grill, turn all the burners to high, cover, and heat until very hot and the chips are smoking heavily, about 20 minutes. (If the chips ignite, use a water-filled squirt bottle to extinguish them.) Turn the primary burner down to medium and turn off the other burner(s). Set the unwrapped roast in the disposable pan, position the pan over the cooler part of the grill, and close the lid. Barbecue for 3 hours. (The temperature inside the grill should be a constant 275 degrees; adjust the lit burner as necessary.)
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place roast in pan and wrap with heavy-duty foil to cover completely. Place pan in oven and cook until meat is fork-tender, about 2 hours.
- Slide the foil-wrapped pan with the roast into a brown paper bag. Crimp top shut; rest roast 1 hour. Transfer roast to cutting board and unwrap. When cool enough to handle, "pull" pork by separating roast into muscle sections (see illustration, below), removing fat, if desired, and tearing meat into thin shreds with fingers. Place shredded meat in large bowl ; toss with 1 cup barbecue sauce, adding more to taste. Serve with remaining sauce passed separately.
Gift This Recipe
Enjoyed this dish? Let others know by sharing it as a gift recipe.
Appears In
Key Equipment
More Like This
Keep Exploring
0 Comments