Originally Posted by
Winger Ed.
Years ago, my next door neighbor would go WAY down into the interior of old Mexico and bring back their Grandma for awhile.
Granny made pulled pork with the best and softest texture of any I've ever had.
It was so good, I wanted to go down there and bring her back myself sometimes.
I've made and had pulled pork all sorts of different ways, but it was never the same, or as wonderful.
I found and did a recipe today that is I think how she did it.
Her seasoning was a little different-- but I think this is the process.
With a big, 7-10 pound pork shoulder or butt roast:
Brine for 24-36 hours in the refrigerator.
Solution--- 1/2cup salt, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 3 Tbs dry rub, 2 Bay leaves, 2 quarts water.
I put it all in a big zip lock bag in a big bowl so I can swish it around without spilling it.
Pat it dry, and coat with plenty of dry rub. Any one will do, but I used:
1 TBS each of cumin, garlic pdr, onion pdr, chili pdr, salt, black pepper, paprika.
1/2cup brown sugar, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper.
For more of a Tex-Mex flavor, add in a pack or two of grocery store taco mix powder or more cumin.
Cook it fat side up, uncovered, in the over at 225F. (this is not a miss print)
At 170 F internal temp. it will be done like a regular pork roast.
This needs to go to 200 F internal. It will take at least 12 hours, maybe 13.
Once it hits 200 internal, shut off the oven and leave it inside, with the door closed until it cools down to about 140.
It'll take another couple or three hours.
Take it out and scrape off all the fat and that gooey looking white stuff.
Now it's ready to be 'pulled' with a pair of forks.
If you think it's dry, save the drippings. Skim off the grease, boil it down some,
pour it back over the shredded meat, and toss it like a green salad.
I did a 8 pound one today.
Mrs. Winger made me stop 'sampling' it so there would be enough left for dinner.
Sure- you can cook it in the oven at 350 a few hours, until the internal temp. is 200.
But it won't even be close to how this comes out.