Pulled Pork - HELP !!

[Indy Smoker]

Hello!

I am new to the forum and have tried some Salmon and Ribs.  I am looking to make some Pulled Pork, but don't know what type of cut is best, what brine or rub to use, or how long to cook.  Can someone help a new user out !!??

[Gizmo]

Pork Shoulder aka Boston Butt is the favorite.

Rub is to taste.  Lots of them out there like Bad Byron's, or you can make your own.  Check out the recipe site for additional info and recipes.  Cook time will depend on size of butt and temp you cook at.  6 hours to 20 hours is not unheard of.  Most go by an internal temperature say around 185 deg.  Some lower and some higher.  When you pick it up and it falls apart, it is done.   :)

[Caneyscud]

Welcome IndySmoker

With butts brining is not necessary, and will change the texture of the finished product.  However, some do and like it.  

Asking which rub is best is like asking which color is best?  It's all personal opinion.  I tend to go simple - salt, pepper, maybe some cayenne and/or garlic.  I like the taste of smoked meat/fat.  When I eat barbecue, that is what I want to taste, smoke meat, not some other flavor that overpowers or interferes with my smoked meat enjoyment.  I can consume those other flavors in other ways without conflicting with my barbecue.  Additionally, I find that, on big thick pieces of meat, the rub doesn't really make that much difference.  The flavor of rubs, usually don't penetrate too far so you have a much bigger percentage of internal meat to bark (where the rub flavor resides).  So don't sweat a rub selection for large thick pieces of meat.   With ribs and such thin meats each bite tends to have some bark in it, so rubs make a larger difference to the taste of the finished product.  Even with those meats, I tend not to rub as I mop - and I expect the mop to flavor the bark some and keep the meat moister.

Generally most rubs are of 2 types - Sweet - vs - Non-sweet.  Within each of the two main types you will also have spicy - vs - non spicy (translated pepper hot) and salty - vs - non-salty.  I prefer Non-sweet, spicy, salty rubs myself.  But with pork for around here, Nashville, most people would use a Sweet, non-spicy, salty rub.  

Just look at the ingredients.  Look for sugar to determine sweetness.  Same as with salt.  And then look for the type and amount of peppers added.  Finally look at the spices - are they some that you like or do they contain stuff that that you don't think fits with the taste of barbecue like star anise, ginger, cardamon, etc....

Of course, many people have a completely different take on rubs.  And guess what, they like their barbecue just as much as I like mine!  And we both would probably like each others.   

[Habanero Smoker]

For pulled pork my favorite is The Renowned Mr. Brown Barbecued (Memphis Rub); from Smoke & Spice, by Cheryl and Bill Jamison.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup Black Pepper, fresh cracked
1/4 cup Paprika
1 /4 cup Turbinado Sugar or Brown Sugar
2 Tbsp. Salt, Kosher
2 tsp. Mustard, dry
1 tsp. Cayenne pepper
(Makes enough for one 6 - 8 lb. Boston Butt with some left over)