mdq
Assistant Cook
Look up Chinese pork shoulder recipes (yummy!), you can make mexican carnitas with pork shoulder! Like many comments, long, slow cooking is key.
And in the end the meat tastes of nothing on earth but the cooking liquid will be delicious. I often see "pulled pork" on American cookery programmes and I find it significant that the resulting meat has to be served with strongly flavoured sauces and other items.Pulled pork is a process that takes a long time. It is fairly easy. You can do it in a pot with some flavored braising liquid. Make sure there is enough to almost cover the meat. It can be done in your oven on low, 220 to 250, for at leas 8 or more hours. You can add many different flavorings to the liquid. Garlic, onions, ketchup, cola, beer, Worcestershire sauce, or many other things depending on what you have or what you like. It is ready when it falls apart easily when pulled apart with a fork. Drain the liquid, and pull the meat apart when it is still hot. Add a bit of bbq sauce to your liking and Bob's your uncle.
And in the end the meat tastes of nothing on earth but the cooking liquid will be delicious. I often see "pulled pork" on American cookery programmes and I find it significant that the resulting meat has to be served with strongly flavoured sauces and other items.
Look up James Martin's recipe for roasted shoulder of pork with Parisienne potatoes, glazed carrots and Oxford sauce which is on the BBC website - delish!!
And in the end the meat tastes of nothing on earth but the cooking liquid will be delicious. I often see "pulled pork" on American cookery programmes and I find it significant that the resulting meat has to be served with strongly flavoured sauces and other items.
Look up James Martin's recipe for roasted shoulder of pork with Parisienne potatoes, glazed carrots and Oxford sauce which is on the BBC website - delish!!
And in the end the meat tastes of nothing on earth but the cooking liquid will be delicious. I often see "pulled pork" on American cookery programmes and I find it significant that the resulting meat has to be served with strongly flavoured sauces and other items.
Look up James Martin's recipe for roasted shoulder of pork with Parisienne potatoes, glazed carrots and Oxford sauce which is on the BBC website - delish!!
Done traditionally, pulled pork adds no other flavors but smoke from the fire, and maybe salt and pepper. The pork flavor is strong, and complimented by the light seasonings. I catch drippings from the bbq in a drip pan, and use it to make soup, sauce, or gravy for other meals. The sauces are served seperately in bowls, and also compliment the pork flavor.
A proper pulled pork is not braised, though after it's cooked, it can be combined with the drippings in a slow cooker to keep warm, to to take to a pot luck. In fact, the subject of pulled pork is very near to me right now, as I made it for today's pot luck after church services.
I agree that saucing the pork while it's cooking, or braising in flavored liquids can take the pork flavor right out of the meat. I've had it at restaurants, where all you could taste was the sauce.
Pulled pork done properly, produces and intense pork flavor.
Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North
I have to strongly disagree. A Boston Butt (top of the shoulder) is a roast that's well marbled. After slow roasting for 12 hours or so it's a most delicious and succulent meat. The unadorned meat is fantastic.
It's the tradition of barbecue that calls for the addition of sauces. Not to provide missing flavor but as an added enhancement.
just to pick some nits, chief, while i agree about letting folks choose to sauce or not, you did say braising in flavored liquids can take the pork flavor right out of the meat. i think my spicy vinegar braising liquid enhances it. that's all.
but like you said, there's more than one way.
I started one in my smoker about30 min ago.
If I don't feel like smoking it, I season the butt and put in a Le Creset on some sliced onions [ kind of a meat trivit in the bottom] and put in the oven at 200 degrees for twelve hours. I pull it out and fork pull it or sometimes, chop. Oh yes, I will put a cup or so of stock or even just water in as well. this is done with the lid on the Dutch Oven...
Of course this shoulder would be perfect for grinding sausage too.
James Martins recipe isn't for pulled pork though so that's a different kettle of fish , err, pork ......
I used Got Garlics recipe for my first pulled pork it's absolutely wonderful .