Slow Smoked Pulled Pork

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My husband is the master of all things revolving around outdoor cooking.  I don't barbeque, and I don't use our smoker.  That is his territory, and he rightfully belongs there, because he is the king of outdoor cooking.  His barbeque chicken is the most tender, flavorful barbeque chicken ever tasted, and the things he does with a smoker are just incredible.  One of our favorites is this slow smoked pulled pork.  It is addictive, full of phenomenal smokey, sweet, rich flavor, and it taste like bacon, taken to a whole new mind blowing level.  Our house smells so amazing when he makes this, between the smell wafting inside through the door, and when it is in the house after it is finished.  Oh if I could bottle that smell...

Anyways, if you have a smoker, and love BBQ pulled pork, this is a must try recipe for you.  It takes a little love and TLC, and a bit of a time commitment, but the end result is so worth it.  Do it on a day your having people over, it makes a ton, or make some new friends, because I guarantee neighbors are going to be wondering what smells so dang good!
 
If you need some ideas on what do with all this pulled pork, here is an idea.  These are some slow smoked pulled pork stuffed pretzel rolls I made a while back.  Took them as an appetizer to our Fourth of July family party, and they were gone before most people got there.  My favorite use for the pulled pork.  We just mixed the shredded pork with BBQ sauce, then made the pretzel roll dough that can be found here .  Pull of the amount needed to make the rolls, but flatten the dough pieces, put a heaping tablespoon of filling, and wrap the dough around it and seal it.  Proceed with the baking soda bath and baking as usual.  Incredible!!!

This pic was before I figured out how to take decent pictures, but this is a smoked pulled pork pretzel roll.  OMG Yummy!

SLOW SMOKED PULLED PORK

Ingredients:

• 5-7 pound pork shoulder/pork butt roast
• Yellow mustard
  

Rub (Double if you have a larger amount of pork) :

• 3 Tbs paprika
• 1 Tbs garlic powder
• 1 Tbs brown sugar
• 1 Tbs dry mustard
• 1/2 tsp chipotle powder (optional, but tasty)
• 1 Tbs Chili powder
• 1 1/2 Tbs sea salt

Equipment:

• Foil
• "In-Oven" thermometers
• Cookie sheets
• Smoker 
• Apple or white grape juice (100%)
• Cherry wood or hickory wood chips for smoker

Directions:

1.  Preparing the meat:

• Remove the meat from the package and place on a cookie sheet that has been lined with foil.
• Squirt a generous amount of mustard (trust me, it may seem odd, but there is no mustard taste when it is done) on all sides of the roast and rub around to coat.
• Mix all of the spice rub ingredients together until they are well incorporated.  If you have two large roasts like I did, double the spice mix.  This was about 14 pounds between the two of them (gotta love Sam's Club). 
• Rub the spice mix over all the sides of the roast, patting into the mustard to help it stick.
• Insert the thermometer probe into the center, making sure not to hit the bone.
• It should resemble the set up below:

Prepped pork roasts with mustard and spice rub applied

     2.  Get the smoker ready:

• This will vary depending on the smoker style but for our upright smoker, this is what we do:
• In the water portion of the smoker, place about half apple juice (or some other juice) and half water.
• Place the wood chips in the appropriate area of the smoker.
• Put the meat in at about 225 degrees F.
• Make sure the thermometer read out is working and readable.

     3.  Smoking the meat:

•  When the internal temperature of the meat reaches 100 degrees F, fill a CLEAN squirt bottle with more of the apple juice (or other juice) and squirt it down real well every hour or so.
• When the temperature reaches 165 degrees F, pull it out and place it on a double layer of foil, wrap it most of the way up (making sure to not move the thermometer), and pour about 1/2 cup of the juice of choice in, and then finish sealing the foil around it.
• Place back in smoker until the internal temp is anywhere from 190-210 degrees F.
• The true test of when it is done is if the meat is able to be shred with a fork.  We usually cook ours to a temperature of 205 degrees F, but it also depends on where there thermometer has been placed, and how well it works.  If it shreds, its good to go.
• Once it reaches the correct temperature, pull it out, take it inside and check for shred-ability.  If it is good to go, then keep it wrapped in the foil for about 1 hour, for the juices to redistribute. 

See all that darkness?  That is FLAVOR!  In my family, there are fights over the bark, or the outside part of the roast.

•  Shred it up, and enjoy it mixed with a BBQ sauce of your choosing, or plain with some coleslaw, or in tacos, the possibilities are endless, but it is so flavorful, I am sure you will have no problems finding some way to use them.