Low & Slow Pork Shoulder

Low & Slow Pork Shoulder

By Big Green Egg

Authentic pulled pork is one of the all time great barbecue classics. Cooked Low & Slow with a little added smoke, it's unbeatable.

  • Low & Slow
  • Beginner recipe
  • Feasting

Overview

Cooking tougher cuts of meat slowly at low temperatures transforms the connective tissue between overworked muscle groups into gelatin — for a melt-in-the-mouth texture and an amazing, meaty depth of flavour. This Pulled Pork recipe is the perfect demonstration of how Low & Slow cooking works, and it's almost impossible to get wrong!

EGG SETUP

Pre soak a handful of hickory chips.

Set up your EGG for indirect cooking using the ConvEGGtor and Stainless Steel Grid, and light it. You're aiming for a temperature of 110˚C. Add in your EGG Genius if using and set the pit temp at 110˚C.

When you're ready to start cooking, drain the water from the Woodchips, remove the ConvEGGtor and sprinkle the Woodchips in a large circle on the charcoal.

THE RUB

Pat the shoulder dry of any moisture

Mix the dry rub ingredients together in a bowl and add to the meat, thoroughly rubbing into the surface with your fingertips.

pork rub reggulator

When you've finished massaging the dry rub into the pork shoulder, replace the ConvEGGtor, and the Stainless Steel Grid and add the pork on top.

COOKING THE PORK

If you're using the EGG Genius to monitor the pork's temperature — something we would highly recommend — now's the time to insert your probe.

pork rub

The weight of your pork will define the cooking time. Slow cooking can take anywhere from 5 - 12 + hours. You can make your coleslaw and bbq sauce in this time.

If using a dual probe remote thermometer you will notice that the internal temperature of the meat slowly rises and then apparently plateaus or even falls by a few degrees. This is not the EGG needing more oxygen or fuel, this is the science of low and slow happening, as collagen starts to break down and turn to gelatin. An enormous amount of energy is required to enable this process and so the temperature of the meat stops increasing whilst the chemical reactions take place. Do not adjust the temperature of your EGG. You should not try to speed up this process with more heat. Once the majority of the tissues have been rendered to gelatin the temperature will begin to climb again.

The target internal temperature for pullable pork is 90˚C-93˚C.

When that temperature is reached, using tongs, remove the pork to a cutting board and tent with tin foil. Let it rest for at least 15 minutes.

pulled pork seasoning

COLESLAW

Place the mayonnaise, lemon juice and mustard in a large serving bowl. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and mix well

Add the cabbage, onion, carrots and coriander and stir well to coat in the dressing. Cover and chill for 2-3 hrs before serving.

BBQ SAUCE

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and allow to cool before using.

PULL THE PORK

Using the Meat Claws, shred the pork into strands. It may be easier to cut the pork into smaller pieces before doing this.

Mix the pulled pork in with your BBQ Sauce, and serve with the coleslaw in a fresh white bap.