Memorable Quotes:

"A Bearnaise sauce is simply an egg yolk, a shallot, a little tarragon vinegar and butter, but it takes years of practice for the result to be perfect." Fernand Point

BBQ Pulled Pork on Big Green Egg

A low-and-slow smoked pulled pork made with pork shoulder injected with a honey-bacon BBQ marinade, coated with yellow mustard and dry rub, then smoked over apple wood until tender with a deeply flavorful bark. This recipe makes a large batch that’s ideal for vacuum-sealing and freezing for future meals.


Yield: 13–16 pounds pork shoulder before cooking
Prep Time: About 30 minutes, plus 1 hour resting
Smoke Time: About 18–22 hours
Smoker Temperature: 220°F
Target Internal Temperature: About 193°F

Ingredients:

  • 2 boneless pork shoulders, 13–16 pounds total
  • 1 (16-ounce) bottle Cajun Injector Honey Bacon BBQ Marinade
  • Marinade injector or syringe
  • Yellow mustard, such as French’s
  • Dry BBQ rub, such as Butt Rub
  • Large chunks apple wood, for smoking
  • Lump charcoal

Instructions:

  1. Remove the pork shoulders from the package and pat thoroughly dry with paper towels. Place on a large baking sheet or pan.
  2. Using a marinade injector, inject approximately 8 ounces of marinade into each pork shoulder. Insert the needle fairly deep into the meat and slowly inject while withdrawing the needle, helping distribute the marinade throughout the pork.
  3. Refrigerate the injected pork shoulders for about 1 hour.
  4. Coat the top and sides of each pork shoulder with a thin layer of yellow mustard. The mustard acts as a binder for the dry rub.
  5. Liberally coat the mustard-covered surfaces with dry BBQ rub.
  6. Turn the pork shoulders over and repeat with mustard and dry rub on the remaining surfaces.
  7. Finish with the fat caps facing up.
  8. Prepare the Big Green Egg for indirect cooking at 220°F with a full load of lump charcoal. Place a drip pan between the heat deflector and cooking grate.
  9. Add several large chunks of apple wood for smoke.
  10. Place the pork shoulders on the cooking grate fat-side up. Insert a temperature probe into the thickest portion of one shoulder, avoiding large pockets of fat.
  11. Maintain the Egg at approximately 220°F and smoke until the pork reaches an internal temperature of about 193°F, approximately 18–22 hours.
  12. Avoid repeatedly opening the Egg during the cook. Maintaining a steady temperature is the key to low-and-slow barbecue.
  13. When finished, the pork should have developed a dark, flavorful bark and be tender enough to pull apart easily.
  14. Remove the pork from the smoker and shred with forks or meat claws, discarding excess pieces of fat as desired.

Freezing & Reheating

Divide leftover pulled pork into approximately 12-ounce portions, which is a convenient amount for two pulled-pork sandwiches.

Vacuum-seal the portions and freeze.

To reheat, place the unopened vacuum-sealed bag in simmering water for about 10 minutes, or until thoroughly heated. Open the bag and serve. If the pork seems a little dry, add a small amount of chicken or beef broth or your favorite BBQ sauce.

Serving Ideas: Besides pulled-pork sandwiches, the smoked pork works well in tacos, burritos, quesadillas, nachos and soups.

Cook’s Note: This is an excellent recipe for making a large quantity at once. Vacuum-sealed portions retain the moisture and smoky flavor remarkably well when reheated.

Source: Family Recipe / GB Recipes

One small change I made to your original directions: I omitted the instruction to rinse the raw pork. USDA food-safety guidance recommends not washing raw meat, since splashing water can spread bacteria around the sink and surrounding kitchen surfaces