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barbecue tray

Pulled Pork

Saddle up, outdoorsmen! Live Fire Republic's Field Guide to Perfect Pork Shoulder BBQ is a wild ride to smokey perfection. Let's go HOG wild!
Prep Time: 12 hours
Cook Time: 8 hours
Rest Time: 1 hour
Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: American, BBQ, Midwestern, Southern, Tailgate
Keyword: brining, field guide, how to, pork belly, pulled pork
Servings: 0
Calories: 425kcal

Ingredients

Brine

  • 12 cups water
  • 4 beers
  • 1 cup salt
  • 1 cup sugar

Dry Rub

  • 2 tbsp chipotle chili powder
  • 2 tbsp smoked paprika
  • 2 tbsp granulated garlic
  • 1 tbsp onion powder
  • 1 tbsp mustard powder
  • 4 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp granulated honey
  • 3 tbsp kosher salt
  • 2 tbsp black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

Injectable Liquid Seasoning

  • 1/2 cup dry rub
  • 3/4 cup 1:1 olive oil and melted butter combo

Binder

  • 1 cup Duke's mayo
  • 4 tbsp sriracha

Instructions

  • Combine water, beer, salt and sugar to create brining solution. Place pork butt in solution for 8-12 hours, or overnight.
  • Remove from brine, rinse clean, and discard brine. Rest and return to near room temperature, for 3-4 hours prior to smoking.
  • Light a full chimney of Kingsford charcoal briquettes and once just ashed over pour onto one side of the grill floor, then add 2 chunks of hickory wood to slowly smolder and smoke.
  • On the other side of the grill floor place a disposable tin foil pan filled with hot water. Adjust the top and bottom vents until grill temps read 225 F.
  • Trim and score the pork butt fat cap in cross hatch fashion.
  • Craft dry rub and set aside. Blitz a 1/2 cup of the combined seasoning in a coffee grinder until in a powder state. Then whisk in with 1:1 olive oil and melted butter combo. Inject the butt with as much of the liquid seasoning as it'll hold
  • Combine Duke's mayo with sriracha by whisking together. Rub across the pork butt as your binder, then season boldly with remainder of the rub.
  • Rest the roast fat cap-up, untouched for 2 hours, then begin intermittently spritzing with a 1:1:1 combo of apple cider vinegar, apple cider and beer to build the bark.
  • Remove from smoker at 165 F internal and lay over a double-layer of butcher paper (or in a high-walled tin foil pan). Top the pork with several pads of butter and pour in a 1/3 can of cheap, warm beer. Wrap tightly and place back in the grill-smoker to slowly braise until 205F internal.
  • Remove from grill and rest for 1 hour in a dry insulated cooler.
  • Place on a cutting board, pull that scapula bone, shred, load it all up on a massive sandwich with a pile of homemade slaw and smash!

Nutrition

Calories: 425kcal
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