I LOVE my Big Green Egg and I love anything I cook on it. My favorite type of cook “low and slow” which is de rigueur for making delicious, moist, flavorful pulled pork. As part of the New Year’s Favorites collection, this recipe is probably not as traditional, but…..well, I get to use my Egg! Typically, I will do two pork butts even though one may yield more than enough pulled pork for one meal. You can put the rest is heavy-duty plastic zipper bags and freeze for another time.
The secret to a good low and slow is to start with a well prepared Egg, but first let’s get the meat ready:
Prepare the pork butt(s):
2 good sized (7-8 lb) pork butts with good fat cap on one side
McCormick’s Grill-Mates Pork Rub (or any other commercial rub you prefer)
Rinse pork butts and pat dry with paper towels. Generously (meaning, DO NOT HOLD BACK) rub each with the rub (apply more to the meat and just a little on the fat cap). Wrap each butt in plastic wrap and place in refrigerator overnight. Take the meat out of the refrigerator about an hour before starting to cook (leave in plastic wrap until time to put on the Egg).
At this time, soak your smoking wood. I use a mixture of hickory and apple, but you can use whatever you have or you prefer. Place large chunks in water and let soak overnight.
Prepare the Big Green Egg:
I like to remove any used lump from the Egg and completely clean out all the ash. At least make sure there is no ash or small pieces of lump in any of the air holes. Place a layer of fresh lump into the fire box. Top with half your wood, then place another layer lump on top. Finally, place remaining wood chunks on top and light.
Cook the butts:
Bring Egg to 225 F, then add plate setter, legs up. Use a large aluminum roasting pan for drippings on top of plate setter, the top with the rack. As you bring the Egg back up to and stabilize the temperature at 225 F, the white “wet” smoke will begin to become more clear and “dry.”
Once the Egg is stable at 225 F, place the butts on the rack, fat side up. Smoke for a long time! Typically, you can plan on 1.5-2 hours per pound. Monitor the Egg temperature periodically to keep at 225F. After several hours, you can check the temperature. You are going to see the temperature “stall” for a period of time…this is normal…DO NOT increase the temperature of the Egg.
When the temperature of both butts is between 195-200 F, remove and wrap in heavy-duty foil and cover with towels (some posts I’ve read recommend putting them in a cooler) to rest for about an hour.
After the rest period, unwrap from the foil, reserve juices, and pull the meat apart with forks other other devices designed for this (I have a pair of “claws” that work great). Discard the bone and any large amounts of fat. Add a little of the reserved juices to the pulled meat and set aside until ready to serve.
Freeze remaining pulled pork in heavy-duty plastic zipper bags.
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