Sous Vide Barbecue Pulled Pork Shoulder Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How long to sous vide pork shoulder for pulled pork? ›

To Cook: Set your precision cooker to 165°F (74°C) for more traditionally textured pulled pork, or 145°F (63°C) for sliceable but tender pork. When the bath is at temperature, add sealed bag with pork and cover with foil or plastic wrap. Allow to cook for 18 to 24 hours.

This was all Steven's idea. Buoyed by the success of 3-2-1 ribs, one of our most popular blogs, Steven wondered what would happen if we treated a pork butt (aka, shoulder) to 3 hours of smoke, 2 hours wrapped in butcher paper, foil, or parchment paper, and 1 hour unwrapped.

It's common for the internal temperature of a pork shoulder to plateau, or stop climbing for a while, between 165°F and 170°F. Don't worry — this is a completely normal part of the process, and can last as long as a few hours. For pulled or shredded pork, cook until the pork reaches an internal temperature 205°F.

Unlike the more lean tenderloin and chops, pork shoulder is an incredibly forgiving cut of meat. It becomes more tender as it cooks and benefits from a lengthy cook time, so even if it stays on the heat a few minutes too long, you won't suddenly end up with something dry or rubbery.

Good rule of thumb is cook 1 hour per pound of pork. In this case I have a three pound pork shoulder, so I cooked it for 3 hours. Always cook until the pork is very tender and easily falls apart. If you pull it out after the three hours and it still seems tough, place it back in the oven and check every thirty minutes.

For a whole shoulder it takes 1hr per pound – so expect a 17-18 hour cook. I smoke the pork shoulder with hickory wood until it gets a nice bark on the outside and hits around 150-160 internal. At that point I wrap the pork shoulder and cook until it hits 192 internal.

Any higher, and you can risk stringy dry pork and tough connective tissue that doesn't break down properly. In general, the cooking time for a 4-pound pork shoulder smoking at 225° degrees is around 90 minutes per pound, but this can vary greatly depending on what type of smoker you're using.

The USDA recommends that pork is cooked to an internal temperature of 145°F (62.8°C) for food safety. But every griller worth their salt knows that cuts rich in collagen, like pork butt, need to be brought to much higher temperatures (195-205°F [91-96°C]) to properly break down the connective tissues.

I have literally made close to 30 pork shoulders in the last year, serving it at parties. And the best ones have all been cooked at about 225 degrees. My Traeger grill will fluctuate a few degrees while cooking, especially if you open the lid, so I set it at 225, and let it do it's thing.

Depends on the size, your grill, and the weather. What you are looking for is fork-tender meat and an internal temperature between 195°F and 204°F. This can take up to 6-12 hours, so be sure to give yourself plenty of time.

How to tell if pulled pork is done? ›

The pork is done when it's so tender that it literally flakes apart when you poke it with a fork and falls off the bone. In a slow cooker: In a 5-quart or larger slow cooker, combine the meat, any vegetables, and liquid. Cover and cook on HIGH for 5 to 6 hours or LOW for 8 to 10 hours.

Allow pork butt to rest for as little as 30 minutes to as long as 5 hours; however, the ideal resting period to rest pork butt is between 1 and 2 hours. This gives the meat enough time to relax and allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat.

This could be your favorite pork shoulder rub, or you can always make your own. A simple blend of garlic powder, salt, and pepper will do the trick just fine. Moist and cold meat absorbs more smoke, so after your meat is seasoned, refrigerate it until you're ready for the smoker.

Slow-roasted pork – After 12 hours, the pork should be fall-apart-tender with a thick, almost black crust. Pick a bit off and have a nibble – cooks' treat! There should still be some liquid remaining in the pan.

Make Time for Your Pork Butt to Sit, Pre-Smoke

If you don't allow your pork butt to sit out before smoking, you might be left with an undercooked interior and burned exterior. To help avoid this, we suggest allowing your pork butt to sit out for around 30 minutes.

At 185°F / 85°C pork will take about 8 hours (or even a little less) to tenderize. The texture is very similar to traditional carnitas. Easily shreddable and reasonably moist. (I used to think standard carnitas were incredibly moist until I tried sous vide carnitas).

Preheat sous-vide water cooker to 155°F (68.3°C). Add pork and cook for 36 hours. Transfer pork to a sink filled with ice water and chill for 15 minutes. Remove from bag then carefully peel off congealed exuded cooking liquid and place in a medium saucepan.

You can also potentially overcook your meats when it comes to searing them before serving, especially if you're using a much thinner cut of meat. So, while it's certainly very difficult to overcook your food using sous vide, to say that it's impossible is a little bit of an overstatement.

For a pork chop, you'll want to cook it at between 135°F (57°C) and 140°F (60°C) for a minimum of 45 minutes to cook it through to the center, and up to four hours (much longer than that and it'll start to get a little soft due to enzymatic breakdown of tissues).