Welcome!


This is a membership forum. Guests can view 5 pages for free. To participate, please join.

[ Pitmaster Club Information | Join Now | Login | Contact Us ]

Only 4 free page views remaining.

Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Indoor Crock Pot Pulled Pork Recipe --When the butt's schedule and yours don't jive - Ode to Sandy Brennan's Pulled Pork

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    Indoor Crock Pot Pulled Pork Recipe --When the butt's schedule and yours don't jive - Ode to Sandy Brennan's Pulled Pork

    My wife and the other 7th grade teachers are getting together this Friday to celebrate the end of another school year. I asked her if the hostess would like us to bring pulled pork or something. She said yes, indeed. Apparently, I forgot I had a day job and lack a cooker that I can set and forget for that period of time. I consider the Weber semi-set and forget.

    It dawned on me that since I got the Weber I have not cooked a thing inside the house including my never-bested pulled pork. I live in North Carolina and thanks to my friend, Sandy Brennan, my pulled pork has never failed to get rave reviews even though it is cooked in a crock pot. Yes, friend a crock pot. I used to cook it in the crock pot for 24-48 hours and very rarely threw it on the gasser for a little bit of smoke. It was hardly worth the effort to do so, frankly.

    Since obtaining the Weber and SNS; everything, including several butts have been cooked on it. I follow the Perfect Pulled Pork recipe from this site. This week affords an opportunity to test out a combination of the Perfect Pulled Pork recipe with the ease of the crock pot. I have a mid-morning appointment on Thursday so I won't be in to work at my normal 6:30 am. I am going to dry brine the butt tonight and cook it on the Weber on Thursday. It should be done about the time I get home from work and college boy will be home during the day to make sure something crazy doesn't happen like everything catching fire or a pack of coyotes stealing the butt off the grill. Thursday night I will pull only the bark off and put the rest of the butt into the crock pot un-pulled and follow the recipe below. It will cook until Friday afternoon at which time the bear claws will come out and the pulling will begin. I will add the bark just prior to heading over for the shindig.

    That's the plan, should be a good experiment. Below is my Ode to Sandy Brennan's Pulled Pork recipe and some ideas for modifying it that I have used for those that find themselves in a pinch or cook-don't pull-and-freeze their butts.

    Ode to Sandy Brennan's Pulled Pork
    INGREDIENTS
    1 bone in BOSTON BUTT (or boneless)
    1 tablespoon salt (seasoned salt or whatever)
    1 cup water
    2 cups apple cider vinegar
    1 large sweet onion
    2 teaspoons cayenne or chipotle or ancho (play with the flavors)
    2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
    Original recipe calls for 2 tbs brown sugar. I do not use sugar in mine, sometimes I add honey.

    DIRECTIONS
    • Slice the onion in 4-5 thick slices and lay in bottom of crock pot. Add water until the onions are just covered.
    • Add 1 cup vinegar
    • Lay the butt fat side down or up. if you put it up it is easier to remove. If you put it down you get a much richer flavor and you can still remove a lot of the fat.
    • Sprinkle a bit of salt and pepper on the top of the butt.
    • Place crock pot on low for 12-14 hours (I like to start this on Thursday night and we eat it Friday night and munch on it all weekend).
    • After 12-14 hours, remove the butt and try to strip off the layer of fat. Use a fork or let it cool first and use your hands to shred it. I prefer the second method.
    • Strain the liquid from the crock pot making sure to keep the onions and one to two cups of the liquid (depends on size of the butt).
    • Return the butt to the pot and stir in the remaining dry ingredients. Now add in the remaining vinegar and the reserved liquid. Stir it and put that sucker on WARM for another 8-14 hours.
    NOTES
    I don't make the sauce separately as the butt stays really juicy this way and we add a spoonful of the liquid on our plate if we want. When I make sauce I essentially follow a standard Eastern NC sauce.

    I like to play with flavors. Once I added about a 1/8 cup cumin and everyone went nuts for it in the office. Another time I added a healthy dose of masala on and in it as well as Italian cherry peppers and baby bell peppers and that was good too. Sometimes I substitute chipotle salt for the regular salt.

    Last edited by martybartram; June 11, 2016, 07:40 AM. Reason: fixed a step mistake

    #2
    In the winter I do my pulled pork in the crock pot. I add 1/4 cup of liquid smoke. Liquid smoke is the same chemicals that are in smoke.I usually drain the liquid, and what is left over, while it isn't a dead ringer for bbq'd pulled pork, is pretty damn good.

    Comment


      #3
      Pork is delicious, however prepared. Thanks for sharing your recipe!

      martybartram Can we edit this post's title to reflect that it's an indoor or crock pot recipe? That way months & years from now it'll be better found if someone is looking for an indoor pulled pork recipe.

      Comment


      • martybartram
        martybartram commented
        Editing a comment
        Of course

      • martybartram
        martybartram commented
        Editing a comment
        It does not let me change it. Maybe an administrator or moderator can.

      #4
      I do a combo crockpot/PBC pulled pork when time is tight, also. I have not yet tried pulling the bark off first (why didn't think of that?), but next time I will. Thanks for the idea and your recipe. I will use both next time!

      Comment


      • martybartram
        martybartram commented
        Editing a comment
        Hey I just thought of it lol. It makes sense though, huh? I know you will like the recipe

      #5
      martybartram I changed it. Thanks, now it better reflects its contents, which are very valuable! Let me know if you'd like it reworded.

      Comment


      • martybartram
        martybartram commented
        Editing a comment
        G2G thanks!

      #6
      When I used to do pulled pork in the crockpot I just put it in with a bit of liquid smoke and sometimes a splash of bourbon. They produce enough liquid on their own that you don't need to add any extra. These days I would probably try a coating of Memphis Dust.

      Comment


        #7
        martybartram , am I correct in assuming that the PB cooks for a total of 28 to 36 hours? (8 hours on the Weber/SnS and 20 to 28 hours in the Crock Pot) And it's still moist? That's amazing.

        I would have been tempted to smoke on the Weber/SnS and reheat the next day for 5-6 hours on Low with all the ingredients described. Shows what I know.

        Good plan to pull the bark off--or do you slice it off? How did that technique turn out?

        TIA,
        Kathryn

        Comment


        • martybartram
          martybartram commented
          Editing a comment
          Yes, beyond moist, dripping wet! All those fats break down and mix with the vinegar and water.

        • martybartram
          martybartram commented
          Editing a comment
          I misread this the first time, I have not done this yet. I am trying it today, thinking it would be a good chance to experiment with combining the two techniques.

        #8
        Reheating for 5-6 hours would probably work just as well. The PB is on the Weber/SNS right now (went on at 6:30am). I get home at 3:30 but have someone who can relay temps to me from home to work just in case it gets to temp too fast and needs to come off. I don't think that will be a problem though as I closed the vents just a touch more than normal and am projecting grate temps hovering around 200-210.
        I will try and pull the bark, but if it takes to much meat with it or comes off in too small of pieces I will slice it. I will take pictures of the process!

        Comment


          #9
          martybartram , Marty, thanks for the additional information. I'll eagerly follow your upcoming posts on this method. Intuitively it sounds like a winner.

          Kathryn

          Comment


            #10
            Man this sounds awesome - good for a lousy weather day when standing by the smoker isn't quite as much fun. I want to try both the "all crock pot" method and the "1/2 smoker, 1/2 crock pot" to compare. Thanks for sharing the recipe.

            Comment


              #11
              Progress report: https://youtu.be/pXPPZuKk_KU

              Comment


                #12
                Butt after 11 hours. Probe tender at 200 even if I recall correctly.
                Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_1422.JPG
Views:	128
Size:	168.5 KB
ID:	178665
                Just a bit of bark porn for y'all
                Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_1423.JPG
Views:	118
Size:	219.3 KB
ID:	178666

                Bone side bark porn
                Click image for larger version

Name:	image_21527.jpg
Views:	112
Size:	196.5 KB
ID:	178667

                Fat cap side of the butt
                Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_1425.JPG
Views:	122
Size:	224.9 KB
ID:	178668

                Bottom side bark and fat porn
                Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_1426.JPG
Views:	134
Size:	242.5 KB
ID:	178669

                I ended up using a combination of slicing and pulling the bark. Below you can see the initial slice and how I used that to pull a larger section of bark off.
                Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_1427.JPG
Views:	116
Size:	183.0 KB
ID:	178670

                Bark porn taken after the bark was separated from the butt.
                Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_1428.JPG
Views:	123
Size:	255.8 KB
ID:	178671

                Prepping the crock pot. First step is to put onion on the bottom.
                Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_1430.JPG
Views:	136
Size:	112.8 KB
ID:	178672

                I had about 2.5 cups of BBQ sauce leftover in the fridge ( I try to keep it on hand), so I just poured it over the butt, fat cap up. That naked section on the right is the cook giving in to temptation.
                Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_1431.JPG
Views:	114
Size:	203.1 KB
ID:	178673

                Sprinkled more MMD on the butt
                Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_1432.JPG
Views:	123
Size:	319.7 KB
ID:	178674

                Crock pot on low for 20 hours and she is off!
                Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_1433.JPG
Views:	120
Size:	236.1 KB
ID:	178675


                This is at 5:30 this morning after 10.5 hours in the crock pot. No more pretty white vidalia onion, they are a beautiful caramel color now.
                Click image for larger version

Name:	image_21537.jpg
Views:	128
Size:	186.0 KB
ID:	178676

                I pulled the bone out and the meat separated easily with just a touch of a spatula. Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_1436.JPG
Views:	121
Size:	177.4 KB
ID:	178677

                Close up of the inside of the butt, still plenty moist and nice quantity of juicy fat. I added a cup of water as the sauce was a touch strong after reducing a little and the added MMD. I flipped the butt fat cap down and it will continue on low for another 9.5 hours. I will pull it this afternoon and add the bark back in.
                Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_1437.JPG
Views:	118
Size:	172.8 KB
ID:	178678
                Last edited by martybartram; June 10, 2016, 12:11 AM.

                Comment


                  #13
                  Following this cook is so much fun, martybartram . Your photos are great. I almost reached into the monitor to snick a little piece of that bark and pop it into my mouth. Sounds as though you had that job covered, though.

                  Kathryn

                  Comment


                  • martybartram
                    martybartram commented
                    Editing a comment
                    yes I do Kathryn, yes I do. The pictures I attribute to the iPhone 6Plus, it takes great pics. I hope to make the classic slaw recipe this afternoon to go with the pork as well. I am glad you are enjoying the process, I am too.

                  #14
                  The final cook. NOTE that the final direction in the recipe calls for the crock pot go on WARM not low. When you put it on low your risk overcooking like I did (below) but all was not lost. I made up a double batch of Eastern NC BBQ mop sauce, picked the worst pieces out and put the pork back in the crock pot (after cleaning the pot). I was lucky I had separated the bark because, frankly that saved it in my opinion. I put 5 cups of Eastern mop sauce on it and put it on warm. Then I mixed up a second type of sauce, a combination of 1 cup Kraft's slow simmering classic, a good squeeze of honey, and 2 tsp of Habanero Death Dust. That second sauce was money! At the end of the day, I was disappointed in the pork but everyone raved over it and the host spent a good bit picking my brain on how I cooked it. Lesson: pay attention to details and don't cook in the morning unless you have had coffee.
                  Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_1438.JPG
Views:	121
Size:	207.2 KB
ID:	179328

                  Comment


                    #15
                    Well, martybartram Marty, one thing about making a mistake like that is that you only do it once. From now on every time you make this recipe you'll think of the time when you left the Crock Pot on Low instead of Warm.

                    The warm setting is about 165 degF, as I recall, in my Crock Pot. That's like cambroing the PB for the last 8-14 hours of the Crock Pot cook.

                    So you smoked the PB for 11 hours on the kettle then put in the Crock Pot for 20 hours on Low? What had you planned on doing, 11 hours on the kettle, then 10 hours on Low and 10 hours on Warm?

                    Anyway, it sounds as though you saved the day with your ingenuity and flair for throwing great sauces together. Congrats!

                    Kathryn

                    Comment


                    • martybartram
                      martybartram commented
                      Editing a comment
                      Your third paragraph is spot on. On my crockpot after a few hours on low it will start boiling so essentially I boiled off 98% of my water. Dumb, but if you don't make mistakes you can't learn from them.

                  Announcement

                  Collapse
                  No announcement yet.
                  Working...
                  X
                  false
                  0
                  Guest
                  Guest
                  500
                  ["pitmaster-my-membership","login","join-pitmaster","lostpw","reset-password","special-offers","help","nojs","meat-ups","gifts","authaau-alpha","ebooklogin-start","alpha","start"]
                  false
                  false
                  {"count":0,"link":"/forum/announcements/","debug":""}
                  Yes
                  ["\/forum\/free-deep-dive-guide-ebook-downloads","\/forum\/free-deep-dive-guide-ebook-downloads\/1157845-paid-members-download-your-6-deep-dive-guide-ebooks-for-free-here","\/forum\/the-pitcast","\/forum\/national-barbecue-news-magazine","\/forum\/national-barbecue-news-magazine\/national-barbecue-news-magazine-aa","\/forum\/national-barbecue-news-magazine\/national-barbecue-news-magazine-aa\/bbq-news-magazine-2019-issues","\/forum\/national-barbecue-news-magazine\/national-barbecue-news-magazine-aa\/bbq-news-magazine-2020-issues","\/forum\/national-barbecue-news-magazine\/national-barbecue-news-magazine-aa\/bbq-news-magazine-2021-issues","\/forum\/national-barbecue-news-magazine\/national-barbecue-news-magazine-aa\/bbq-news-magazine-2022-issues","\/forum\/national-barbecue-news-magazine\/national-barbecue-news-magazine-aa\/current-2023-issues","\/forum\/national-barbecue-news-magazine\/national-barbecue-news-magazine-aa\/current-2024-issues","\/forum\/free-deep-dive-guide-ebook-downloads\/1165909-trial-members-download-your-free-deep-dive-guide-ebook-here"]
                  /forum/free-deep-dive-guide-ebook-downloads/1165909-trial-members-download-your-free-deep-dive-guide-ebook-here