What makes the best pulled pork?

When it comes to pulled pork, most experts agree that the pork butt, also known as the Boston butt, is the best choice due to its tenderness, texture, and flavor. If you can't find a Boston butt, the picnic shoulder is the next best option.

What is the best cut of meat for pulled pork?

What is the best cut of meat for pulled pork? Pork shoulder is ideal for pulling purposes. It has an optimum fat content that yields to create tender, melty meat, but it's essential you cook it slowly to allow the protein to break down properly.

What is the secret to tender pulled pork?

But for home cooks, he offers up the best way to get the spoon-tender pulled pork in your oven. “Start with a good piece of meat and cook it at higher temp, like 400 degrees, to color both sides,” says Castillo. “Then drop the temp down to 250.

What kind of roast makes the best pulled pork?

The Shoulder Cut

The most common cut for making pulled pork is the shoulder. The pork shoulder is the entire front leg and shoulder of a hog. In your grocery store, you will usually find this divided into two cuts: the Boston butt (also known as the Boston roast) and the picnic roast.

Is pork shoulder or pork loin better for pulled pork?

So what cut of pork should be used for pulled pork? It has to be the pork shoulder. We always advise people to use pork shoulder for pulled pork due to its marbling. When cooking, the marbling of fat throughout the cut secures moisture and makes the taste even more intense.

Pulled Pork | Basics with Babish

Which part of pork is tastiest?

Roasted pork loin is probably one of the best parts of the pig. pork loin can be made bone-in or boneless, Grilled, smoked or slow-roasted on a barbecue with whatever spices and sauces you like, the roasted pork loin is a firm favorite among chefs.

Can I use pork loin to make pulled pork?

What is the best cut of meat for pulled pork? Pork shoulder or pork butt are often used for pulled pork. You can also use pork tenderloin (like this recipe) for a leaner cut of meat!

Is Boston butt the same as pork shoulder?

Pork butt, also known as Boston butt or pork shoulder, is a cut of meat from the upper portion of a pig's front shoulder. It's a relatively inexpensive and forgiving hunk of meat that you'll most often see served as pulled pork in barbecue restaurants.

Is pork butt the same as pork shoulder?

Both come from the shoulder of the pig, but pork butt is higher on the foreleg, while pork shoulder is farther down. As relatively tough and fatty cuts, both benefit from long, slow cooking methods such as roasting, stewing, and braising.

Is Boston butt good for pulled pork?

A Boston butt, also known simply as a pork butt, is a flavorful cut that takes well to low and slow cooking. It's the most popular cut of meat for making pulled pork.

What does vinegar do to pulled pork?

If your meat is hard to shred, it's not done yet. A little bit of apple cider vinegar goes in here too and it really does the trick to break down the meat to make it more tender plus gives it just the right zip of extra flavor.

How do you make pulled pork moist?

If your pulled pork is dry, it's probably because it's overcooked. You can help the meat retain moisture by keeping it warm in a slow cooker, ideally with a bit of water or chicken stock added. To keep the pulled pork from drying out during storage, consume any leftovers within 3 days.

What cut of pork is best for slow cooker pulled pork?

When it comes to making pulled pork, look for a boneless pork shoulder. Sometimes it's also called a pork butt or Boston butt. You can find bone-in pork shoulders, though I prefer a boneless pork shoulder for more meat in my slow cooker.

What cut of pork is best for smoked pulled pork?

The best cut of meat to use for pulled pork is the pork shoulder. Which is not actually called that at the markets. This particular cut is called a Pork Butt. A whole pork shoulder can be divided into two sections: the top is the Boston butt, labeled as pork butt at the market.

Can you overcook pulled pork?

Can you overcook the pork? It's hard to overcook the well-marbled and fatty shoulder cut. However, it can become mushy due to the acids in the sauce if the cooking continues too long beyond the recommended cook times. Make sure to keep an eye on the pork and take a bite for the best gauge of doneness.

Which is better Boston butt or picnic?

Though pork butt is our choice for most low and slow cooking preparations, and is better when it comes to higher heat and faster cooking as well, the picnic shoulder wins out when we've got shatteringly crisp skin on the brain.

Whats better to smoke Boston butt or pork shoulder?

Either Choice in Pork Cuts Can Give You a Delicious Result

If you want to slow smoke a piece of pork and enjoy deliciously tender meat, go for the pork butt. If you want pork with crispy skin and a slightly tougher texture, grab a pork shoulder.

What is a good price for Boston butt?

Boston Butt Price / Pork Butt Price

Boston butt is usually sold at a per-pound rate of about $1.79 to $2.29. Often, you can find it on sale for 99 cents per pound, in which case you should buy a large batch. It's not a huge investment when the price is this low, and the results are well worth it.

Why is my smoked pork shoulder tough?

If you don't cook the connective tissue properly, it will be tough and rubbery. The connective tissue has to break down and literally melt away in the meat. This takes time. but when it's done, the meat should fall apart by itself.

Why is it called pork picnic?

It has a large bone in the centre and is tougher because it does more work (walking). It's called Picnic Shoulder because it comes from the shoulder of the pig (hog), which is technically the front legs of the pig including the shoulder blade. The shoulder yields two large pork roasts.

How many pounds of pork do you need for pulled pork?

For pulled pork, the standard rule of thumb is one-third to one-half pound of meat per person. When cooked and shredded, a bone-in pork shoulder will lose around 40 percent of its weight. For example, a raw 10-pound pork shoulder (or two 5-pounders) will yield about 6 pounds of finished meat, serving 12 to 18 people.

Can you shred a whole pork loin?

The low temperature and slow, long cooking process also make the oven pork loin meat easy to shred as it tenderizes over the hours.

Is there a difference between pork loin and pork tenderloin?

Size: Pork loin tends to be a bigger cut than pork tenderloin. Bones: Cuts of pork loin can be boneless or bone-in, while pork tenderloin is boneless. Cook time: Pork loin is a larger cut of meat, so it benefits from a longer cooking process.

What temp does pork loin shred?

The loin will be done and juiciest when it hits an internal temperature of 145F. A loin cooked to 145F can be sliced thin and piled high for a serious platter of great eating. The loin will start to fall apart and become “shredable” when it hits an internal temperature of 205F.