RJ's 3-Rivers BBQ Pulled Pork Recipe
If you need to feed a big group, this is the way to go that won’t cost you a fortune. Buns, or Sliders, this is a tailgaters dream. I always use a bone-in pork butt, as boneless tends to fall apart. Also, it’s nice to pull that bone out which lets you know your pork butt is done.
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Wood:
I like Hickory, but apple works well also.
Temp:
250° for the entire cook
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Binder:
Olive Oil
Rub:
RJ's 3-Rivers BBQ Sweet Heat BBQ Pork Rub
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Injection:
I’ve used injections and I’ve cooked without them. Personally, I don’t like how the meat comes out if you overcook. It tends to get mushy, so I don’t inject.
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Trimming:
You need to trim your pork but. I remove all the loose fat, as well as any thick fat on it. I want my seasoning to cover and penetrate the entire pork butt.
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Cook:
Put in smoker and close the lid. In about 3-hours or until it reaches about 160°. You can spritz with a mixture of 2/3 apple juice and 1/3 apple cider vinegar every 20-minutes or so.
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Wrap:At this point I put the Pork Butt in a large aluminum pad and add a little of the spritz mixture to the bottom of the pan. Place the probe in the meat but keep it away from the bone or you’ll get a false reading. Cover with foil and seal tightly. Cook until you reach between 203° and 205°.
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Glaze:
My favorite glaze for Pulled Pork is 1 cup of any good Vinegar based BBQ sauce (Blues Hog’s Tennessee Red is a good one). Add ½ jar of apple jelly and ½ to 1 tsp. of red chili flakes. Heat on stovetop or in your smoker until all ingredients are blended. Baste the pork butt let sit in the smoker for 10-minutes. Baste one more time and turn off smoker, close the lid, and let rest about 10-minutes. Take off and let rest. I drain the liquid in the bottom of the aluminum pan into a fat separator and I add this as I pull the pork to keep it really moist.
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