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!