[nky]

On a good day, with my ceramic charcoal smoker, I can match the quality of a top Memphis or Carolina barbecue joint's pulled pork - but it's not easy. I slow cook a pork shoulder roast (preferably a Boston butt roast) for 12 to 15 hours with a blend of hickory and apple or cherry wood chips and lump charcoal at a temperature of 215 to 225 degrees. Pulled pork that is not prepared using the "low and slow" smoking method doesn't cut it, IMO, and not many people are willing to do the work that it takes to fix it that way.

Barbecue is cheap, even in the best restaurants, so I have sometimes wondered if it is worth the effort to fix it at home - especially on a chilly night.

If you can fix a good smoked brisket, then you have done something that I haven't. My briskets never turn out as well as my pulled pork and because I like pulled pork better anyway, I gave up my quest for a perfect brisket after a few tries. It's too easy to turn out briskets that are as tough as shoe leather. :biggrin:

try this easy and yummy
Barbequed Pork Rub
Combine:
1/4 Cup Kosher Salt
1/4 Cup black pepper
1/4 Cup Chili Powder
1 T. Dried Oregano
1 T. Dried Thyme
1 t. Cayenne
Apply to about an 8 lb. Pork Shoulder (Boston Butt)
Combine all rub seasonings. Coat the shoulder with the rub, massaging into the meat.

No need to let it sit-- it'll have plenty of time to absorb flavors on the grill.
Indirect heat: Grilling indirectly is for cuts of meat that take a long time to cook (it's like baking in the oven). Set up the grill so that half has fire and the other half does not. Cooking is done on the area where there is no fire underneath, but there is plenty of heat. This can be done easily on both gas or charcoal grills. For a gas grill, simply turn one burner on medium-high, keeping the other burner turned off. For a charcoal grill, when the briquettes have turned white, rake them to the sides and cook the meat in the middle of the grate.
Smoke: Whether you use a gas or charcoal grill, you'll need smoke for authentic barbecue flavor. Creating it on a charcoal grill is a no brainer-- just add pieces of water soaked wood directly onto briquettes....But gas grill are different story. Ashes from the burning wood could clog the burners, so wrap pieces of dry wood in aluminum packet opened at top...Put packet on grilling grate directly over the fire. Preheat one side of grill to medium high. Place smoke packet over the fire drip pan under unlit side. Place pork over drip pan and grill for 3 hours. Check every hour to make sure there's plenty of smoke.



Smoking takes 3 hours. Add wood packets as needed to keep plenty of smoke circulating.
Once smoking is complete. Wrap pork in two layers of foil, crimping edges to seal in moisture.
Return to grill: cook 2 hours.
After 2 hours, insert meat thermometer into thickest part of meat. You want to hit 180 degrees
Keep foil around the meat and let rest off heat for 30 minutes. It's now ready for pulling with fork or fingers.