So you want pulled pork like the competitors…well here’s how they do it basically. Everyone has their own technique if you will but here’s how I got 5th place in NYS.

Good pork shoulder with good marble

Now I’ve tried the “prime pork” and it’s really fatty…to me a real good “Choice” shoulder with fat content in it is all you need.

Now it’s time to trim. Trim off any excess fat from the shoulder…but not all of it. There will be a ton of it on the bottom…I’d say take off half but not all.

Once your shoulder has been cleaned up it time to inject. I use Chris Lilly’s injection reciepe but everyone always uses their “top secret” injection. When it come down to it judges like sweet over heat.

Injection:

3/4 cup apple juice

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup salt

2 tlbs Worcestershire sauce

mix up and inject until that shoulder can’t hold anymore.

Set up kettle grill (this is what I used for my 5th place 1st time out in competition) for and indirect smoke or use your smoker

use briquettes, they cook more stable, and apple or cherry wood

Place shoulder in pan and cover shoulder with Yankee Rub…I won $ with my Yankee Apple, but Yankee Peach, Yankee Cherry, Yankee Orange, Yankee Blueberry will all work SO GOOD

***Keep that temp at 250′ ALWAYS***

Keep a good smoke and spritz with apple juice every 1/2 hour.

You also need to keep temp…not going over 195′

Once you hit 195′ , and this could take up to 10 hours…maybe less, maybe more depending on the weather…take the shoulder out and wrap in aluminum foil real good…the wrap into a blanket and set aside for 3 hours…this will

1-keep cooking the shoulder a little

2-let the shoulder rest

After a 3 hour reast open slowly…LOL

The juices are incredible and you should have a huge smoke ring….take out the $ muscle and cut into slices(You tube this)

the rest you can chunk, shred or string

Add your favorite sauce and finish this on the smoker…now you can finish with the last hour of the smoke but I didn’t

Take a shot every time you say OMG!

Good luck competitors!

Yes, this is my exact recipe that I use when I used to compete  in The KCBS. Please read the entire technique first before you start this.

You will need:

Smoker or Kettle Grill

Chimney (or something that you light briquettes without lighter fluid)

2-3 bags of briquettes

apple or cherry wood chunks

rib rack

You can use any pork ribs you’d like but like St. Louis cut or Baby backs. Before you start you need to clean up the ribs , You need to cut off any excess fat of the top and also cut off the back strap. After that is done flip the rack over and pull off the silver skin. This allows the smoke to go through the ribs.

Let’s start with the marinade.

2 gallon zip lock bags

3 cups apple juice

6 oz. coke

1/2 cup mustard

1/3 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup apple cider vinegar

3 tlbs Worcestershire sauce

1 tlbs garlic powder

1 tlbs black pepper

2 tlbs kosher salt

2 tlbs Happy Hot Sauce

mix all ingredients together…you can place up to 2 full racks into 1 (2) gallon zip lock bag. Use 2 cups of marinade in each bag. Roll out all of the air so all of the marinade covers the ribs…zip tight and put in refrigerator over night, or for at least 6 hours.

After the marinade , you need to set up your smoker and soak your wood chunks. Don’t use chips, because they burn up way too fast. Make sure you smoke with water, the steam helps . Your going to set up for indirect smoke if you don’t have a smoker, so get an aluminum pan and fill it with water.

Pat dry the ribs and discard the marinade.

Set your smoker up for 250′. Use your vents and control that temp. Temp spikes can affect your smoke. Make sure you have a good thermometer on your grill or smoker.

OK…we are ready to go. We are going to use the 3-1-1 technique. 3 hours smoke-1 hour wrap and 1 hour finish.

As soon as your coals are ready and your wood is soaked and your pan is filled we are ready to go.

Apply generous amounts of Yankee Rub on the front of the ribs…don’t worry about the back so much…just the bone.

***We like them all…Yankee Apple -Yankee Cherry-Yankee Orange-Yankee Peach-Yankee Blueberry****

Spray your rib rack with a non stick product. Put the pan of water next to the coals , and place the grate on(that’s if you don’t have a smoker)

Place rib rack over the pan of water. Place a couple of wood chunks on the coals. Cover and let smoke.

Every half an hour spritz your ribs with apple juice.. Add coals and wood as needed keeping your temp at a constant 250′

After your 3 hour smoke it is time to crutch or wrap your ribs. You will need :

Aluminum Foil

Brown sugar

Honey

Soy butter product

Tiger sauce

Take about an arms length of foil and place it on the table. Take a rack of rib and place it over to one side of the foil. Take a soy butter, not real butter, and spray all over ribs. Squeeze Honey over all of the ribs, add Tiger Sauce if desired and then sprinkle Brown sugar ribs. Then fold over foil and wrap up so you create a nice foil “BOWL”.

Do this to all of the ribs, take off rib rack and plac the crutches on the grate…away from the coals.

Do this for 1 hour

Now it’s time to finish. Carefully take off all of the crutches and place on the table…take the time to add coals if needed. Be careful when unwrapping the crutches. Theres going to be a lot of juice. You can either save the juice or discard .

Now place the grate back on and your ready to finish. Place the ribs back on the grate, bone side down …now is the time you can mop or brush your favorite sauce, or not. Cover the smoker and let finish for 1 hour. You can mop or brush every 15 minutes. Keeping the temp at 250′ at all times.

This is how the experts do it. Have fun…this is a lot of work and takes practice but you can do it. Don’t worry if you mess up a little…ITS RIBS!!!! and they are going to be the best ribs you ever made.

Email us at suppot@sweetcarolswinebbq.com if you have any questions

Good luck and have fun!