Help with Pulled Pork vs Brisket Please

[Hugh]

I'm cooking for a group of 20 in a few weeks. I'm new to smoking, I've only done one brisket and one pulled pork. I smoke on my gasser.

I'd like to do brisket but I'm nervous about predicting the timing. Is pulled pork easier to cook? More predictable timing. More predictable results???

Thanks

[HawkerXP]

Yes, pulled pork is more forgiving. You can up your cooking temp to hurry it along if needed. Predictablity on timing? There are lots of things that effect timing. Weather, the meat, your cooker......... Best thing I've found is to starter early, wrap up tight and hold in warn oven or cooler. Pork handles this better then beef IMHO.

[fuzzydaddy]

What HawkerXP said. I've held butts for over 4 hours a time or 2 and the pulled pork was still amazing.

[FlaBouy]

I third the motion..

[aarontbell]

Pork shoulder is much more forgiving forgiving than brisket. Shoulder holds in a faux cambro forever, and shredding or chopping it is simple. Go with the pork, and make some of the east Carolina mop or the Lexington dip. The vinegar compliments the fatty pork, serve it on on the side. If you can't make pork for diet/religion make a pulled chuck roast.

[tbob4]

Fourth

[Mr. Bones]

Fifth...

[Hugh]

LOL - I would say we have a majority. Thanx guys. Pulled Pork for the party it is. I just looked at prices - GAWD. I didn't realize how much cheaper a butt is compared to a chuckie or a brisket.


I've got a brisket dry brining in the fridge for a low and slow smoke tomorrow. Can't wait. And I ordered a chuck roast for next weekend's smoke. I have one problem now. My dear wife is threatening to become a vegetarian, she is getting tired of all this meat!

[kmhfive]

More meat for you, then. Good choice on the PB.

[EdF]

I know this will sound like heresy. The guy we used to buy sides of beef and hogs from also owns a BBQ joint in SLC. I was doing my first cook for 30+ people and asked what he advised about pork and beef amounts. He said that based on his observations, make 3x as much pork as beef because that seemed to be what people preferred (where he lives). On a different note, chuck roasts seem to be more forgiving than briskets, to me.

[Steve R.]

When in doubt, I always go with a butt to feed a crowd. It's really hard to screw it up and it's what people think of when they think barbecue.

[Medusa]

Agree with all. You'll have alotta fun with the pork vs. dealing with brisket / chuckie stalls.

[Mosca]

The best thing about pulled pork is that you can do it anywhere from 225 to 325, and it will come out fantastic, and everyone will think you are a PITMASTER. It's that easy. Yeah, there's good, better, and great, but it's not like brisket, where there's dry, acceptable, decent, good, and excellent.

And of course you found out that pork shoulders cost about 1/4 what brisket does, so there's that!

[texastweeter]

might also think about a beef clod, kinda in between the two in how forgiving, but takes longer than both.

[Harpman]

I agree that pork butt is more forgiving. I smoked one last week in my new Traeger and forgot to fill the hopper so the meat temp fell to 160 deg. I filled the hopper and continued to smoke it until completed 10.5 hours later (@225). Came out perfect even after the mishap.

[LA Pork Butt]

I would go with Boston Butt figuring a half pound per person is plenty, so a ten pounder should take care of your crowd.