So, I've had good pulled pork. Hell, I've made good pulled pork. But my recent experiment with char siu pork butt crystalized something for me. Pulled pork is... boring.
Let me explain. What to we all do when we finish smoking a nice hunk of pork butt? We shred it. We don't slice it, we shred it and mix it together. We ohh and ahh over great bark and snack on it. Why? Because that's where the flavor is. But the vast majority of the butt is the interior... which doesn't get any of the flavor of the rub or smoke. It's basically just slow roasted pork.
Further evidence? Blasphemy Ribs. What's their advantage? More of the meat is exposed to rub, smoke and sauce. Beef ribs... same. Burnt ends... oh hell yes. Even regular brisket - it's thin enough that a higher percentage of the meat is exposed to smoke and rub. or just cook ribs. Mmm... ribs...
So, my thinking going forward is to skip the Big Hunk O'Pork and slice that puppy into chunks no thicker than about 2 inches. Maximize the flavor. And get a pigsket, once Porter Road restocks....
Let me explain. What to we all do when we finish smoking a nice hunk of pork butt? We shred it. We don't slice it, we shred it and mix it together. We ohh and ahh over great bark and snack on it. Why? Because that's where the flavor is. But the vast majority of the butt is the interior... which doesn't get any of the flavor of the rub or smoke. It's basically just slow roasted pork.
Further evidence? Blasphemy Ribs. What's their advantage? More of the meat is exposed to rub, smoke and sauce. Beef ribs... same. Burnt ends... oh hell yes. Even regular brisket - it's thin enough that a higher percentage of the meat is exposed to smoke and rub. or just cook ribs. Mmm... ribs...
So, my thinking going forward is to skip the Big Hunk O'Pork and slice that puppy into chunks no thicker than about 2 inches. Maximize the flavor. And get a pigsket, once Porter Road restocks....
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