All about the pork!!

Hello fellow foodies and food lovers, todays post is about a little adventure I took last night.  One of my all time favorite things is pork pulled pork tender juicy and able to take on many different flavors. Including but not limited to mexican which we went with but BBQ you could even do an herb and garlic pulled pork, but back to our adventure I have tried pulled pork a few different times all times with okay results but each time learning little tricks to improve the over all results. We will get into spices and flavors a little later but right now lets focus on the method of cooking for there are many different thoughts and theories on what makes the "BEST" pulled pork.  No one method right or wrong it is all about what works for you.  Though in my opinion there is one way that far the way to go no mater what spices and flavors your going for, that is low and slow in a smoker but lets face it we don't all have smokers hanging out it the backyard though that is the dream there are plenty other way to get great tender fall apart pulled pork.

 First things first your cut of meat. What to use?  Now I am not pulled pork expert or meat expert for that matter but through a little trail and error I have found the cut of pork that I think works the best, that being the "BOSTON BUTT" aka pork shoulder.  Boston butt is yes a fatter more marbled cut of meat but in this cause it really aids in helping to ensure a tender yet juicy not dry outcome.  Secondly you want to think about your cooking vessel, again I prefer to use a butch oven with a tight fitting lid but there are other options such a crock pot, and of course a smoker.  However I find that a crock pot is a little to fussy and well like I said I don't have a smoker so I go with the old fashion dutch oven works for me every time.  ( A trick I use with the dutch oven is i foil wrap it before putting on the top insuring a tight seal.  You want all that heat and moisture to stay within the pork.)  Thirdly you want to think about the temperature you want to cook your meat at.  Low and slow is what I find works the best in keeping your pork mouth watering and juicy.  Really if all depends on your time table, and how much time you have to wait! I tend to cook mine at 325 degrees for two hours to about two hours and forty minutes. Really depends on you oven, when checking your meat for doneness you can gage it by testing the temperature or after awhile you start to get a feel for when it is ready.  You want to take a fork stick it into the thickest of your Boston butt and there should be no to very little give, in essence the meat should almost fall away from the fork.  That is how you know you set and ready to go, take out of the oven cool until is is cool enough to handle and with two forks pull apart.  The forth and last thing other then flavor which we will get to in just one moment is the amount of liquid you want to use.  This also depend on how big your piece of pork is, for a piece about 2.5lbs I use just shy of 1.5 cups as far as what to use that is up to you beer, water, stock, juice, and mixture that is all up to you and the flavors you are after so have fun with it. Just know your liquid should not come up more then a inch inch and a half your not pouching or boiling here. Here is what i used in my dry rub amounts are on a person to person preference.

Chili Powder 
Garlic Powder 
Ground Cumin 
Salt & Pepper 
Brown Sugar 
Orange Zest

( The longer time your dry rub has to marinade on the pork before cooking the more flavor in the end will impart on your final product.)

To go along with our mouth watering pulled pork we did a super simple grilled corn and back bean salad with fresh lime juice.  Adding in a little red onion and green bell pepper for texture and freshness. You can serve this salad raw and cold or you can do what i did and lightly cooked and warmed everything up in a frying pan.  whatever you choose to serve a long side the main attraction or how you season it get out there save some money get your hands dirty and try your hand at making your very own pulled pork.  Until next time lay with your food try new things and get out there as the saying goes the world is your oyster or in this case your pulled pork.