Carolina pulled pork with smoked Boston butt

Ingredients

• 4.5 kg boneless pork butt (Boston butt)
• 60 g mild American yellow mustard
• 3 tbsp sweet smoked paprika
• 3 tbsp brown cane sugar
• 2 tbsp fine sea salt
• 2 tbsp ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 450 ml Carolina vinegar barbecue sauce

Method

1. Place the boneless pork butt on a large cutting board. Using a sharp knife, trim excess surface fat down to an even layer about a quarter-inch thick (half a centimeter), then slice away any loose flaps of meat that might dry out during smoking.
2. In a bowl, mix together the sweet smoked paprika, brown cane sugar, fine sea salt, ground black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper. Rub the yellow mustard evenly over the entire surface of the pork to create a sticky base, then generously coat with the spice rub on all sides, pressing gently with your palms to adhere.
3. Fire up your smoker or barbecue set up for indirect cooking and stabilize the temperature between 110 °C and 120 °C (225 °F to 250 °F) to produce a thin, translucent blue smoke.
4. Set the pork directly on the cooking grate over indirect heat, fat side up. Close the lid and smoke undisturbed for 3 hours. Once the surface looks dry, lightly spritz or mop the meat with a little Carolina vinegar barbecue sauce every 60 minutes, until the bark turns deep mahogany and the internal temperature reaches 70 °C to 74 °C (158 °F to 165 °F).
5. Transfer the pork onto two large overlapping sheets of heavy-duty butcher paper. Drizzle with a splash of Carolina vinegar barbecue sauce, then wrap the meat tightly to trap the steam without tearing the paper.
6. Return the wrapped pork to the smoker grates, maintaining the temperature between 110 °C and 120 °C (225 °F to 250 °F). Continue cooking until the internal temperature in the thickest part reaches 93 °C to 96 °C (200 °F to 205 °F) and a probe slides in effortlessly, like soft butter.
7. Remove the wrapped meat from the smoker. Place it directly into a clean, dry insulated cooler with the lid closed, or into a turned-off oven, and let it rest for 60 minutes. This allows the muscle fibers to relax and the rendered collagen to redistribute throughout the meat.
8. Carefully unwrap the paper over a large warm platter to catch all the flavorful cooking juices. Using two forks or meat claws, shred the pork into long, tender strands, discarding any unrendered fat pockets. Pour the reserved pan juices and remaining Carolina vinegar barbecue sauce over the warm meat, then toss gently to coat every strand in a glossy, savory, and tangy glaze.

Nutrition

Per serving

Energy

620.2 kcal

Protein

54.54 g

Carbohydrate

4.64 g

Fat

42.28 g

Fibre

1 g

Calcium

14.13 mg

Iron

0.71 mg

Magnesium

7.72 mg