Good pork for making BBQ

[child of wonder]

My wife and I came up with this great homemade BBQ sauce which we've been using by slow cooking with chicken in the oven.

We'd like to give it a shot with pork but aren't sure what kind of pork to get.

What's a good cut of pork to use that's lean and would pull apart nice for a BBQ?

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

pork loin

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

You don't use lean cuts for BBQ. Try a shoulder for some great pulled pork sandwiches.

 

[Lola]

Pork Butt or pork shoulder.
We love it and my husband makes the best pulled pork I have ever eaten... anywhere.

Obviously it is best in a charcoal BBQ for hours and hours, but we have even tried it in the oven and it is tasty.

OP, can you share your BBQ sauce recipe???

 

[TastesLikeChicken]

Slow roasted pork butt makes for the best pulled-pork.

Pork loin is OK but it's really too lean and doesn't pull apart well.

 

[Vic]

Shoulder aka "Boston Butt."

Slow cook in a crock pot until fork tender all the way through (195F internal temp with meat probe), then pull it apart and serve on hamburgers buns with the sauce.

Or break out the charcoal grill, bank up lump charcoal with some water-soaked hickory chunks on either side with the meat in the middle, and smoke at low heat (250F) for ~4 hours or until done, adding new coals every hour or so.

 

[vi edit]

Originally posted by: MikeyIs4Dcats
pork loin

Negative.

Pork shoulder or pork butt.

 

[child of wonder]

No lean cuts? I suppose we can suffer through that.

Here's the BBQ sauce recipe:

2/3C bbq sauce (we use KC Masterpiece Classic Blend BBQ Low Calorie)
1t ground black peppercorns
1 1/2t cayenne pepper
1/2t minced garlic
1 shot jack daniels
1 1/2t honey
1t chili powder
1 1/2T brown sugar
1T-2T tomato paste to thicken
for 1 1/2 - 2 lbs chicken breast

The sauce has a great honey and brown sugar sweetness right off the bat followed by a great kick from the cayenne pepper. I can't get enough of it.

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

Originally posted by: vi_edit

Originally posted by: MikeyIs4Dcats
pork loin

Negative.

Pork shoulder or pork butt.

if myou're going to be slow-cooking it in a smoker or BBQ I'd agree, but if the OP is looking for a cut to use in a crockpot or oven for a quick BBQ, loin will work fine.

maybe I misinterpreted trhe OPs intentions....

 

[spidey07]

As mentioned shoulder (pork butt is the shoulder, the actual butt is a ham). You don't want lean meats for BBQ, you want lots of connective tissue that gets rendered slowly at 225-250 degrees. This is where all the flavor comes from. What this means is it will take a while. If you don't have a smoker they sell cast iron smokers for use in the oven and it turns out decent.

If you don't have the time for that then you can do baby back ribs (I prefer spare ribs) and they only take a few hours, there's plenty of recipes for doing them in the oven.

 

[child of wonder]

We prefer lean cuts just to save calories. I've been on a diet for 2 years and have kept a lot of weight off but it doesn't hurt to cheat a little once in a while.

Will a pork loin work at all for a good BBQ or will it end up being too dry no matter how you cook it?

 

[vi edit]

Originally posted by: MikeyIs4Dcats

Originally posted by: vi_edit

Originally posted by: MikeyIs4Dcats
pork loin

Negative.

Pork shoulder or pork butt.

if myou're going to be slow-cooking it in a smoker or BBQ I'd agree, but if the OP is looking for a cut to use in a crockpot or oven for a quick BBQ, loin will work fine.

maybe I misinterpreted trhe OPs intentions....

With a little bit of liquid smoke added a 6 pound pork butt is no problem in a slow cooker.

 

[Lola]

Originally posted by: spidey07
As mentioned shoulder (pork butt is the shoulder, the actual butt is a ham). You don't want lean meats for BBQ, you want lots of connective tissue that gets rendered slowly at 225-250 degrees. This is where all the flavor comes from. What this means is it will take a while. If you don't have a smoker they sell cast iron smokers for use in the oven and it turns out decent.

If you don't have the time for that then you can do baby back ribs (I prefer spare ribs) and they only take a few hours, there's plenty of recipes for doing them in the oven.

OHHH!!! Great idea with the ribs!
You could even do a quick rub first before popping them in the oven. when they are about ready... slather on said sauce and enjoy... YUM!

 

[vi edit]

Originally posted by: child of wonder
We prefer lean cuts just to save calories. I've been on a diet for 2 years and have kept a lot of weight off but it doesn't hurt to cheat a little once in a while.

Will a pork loin work at all for a good BBQ or will it end up being too dry no matter how you cook it?

It's a compromise. A bone in chop is pretty lean and very juicy (if cooked right) but it won't shred/pull well.

It's the rendering process with higher fat cuts that Spidey talked about that gives you that nice easy to shred BBQ sammich goodness.

 

[child of wonder]

We need the easy shredding for the BBQ.

I caught my wife on the cell phone at the grocery store just before she left so pork shoulder it is.

 

[GagHalfrunt]

You definitely want shoulder. Stay away from the lean cuts like loin or chops.

 

[loup garou]

lol, it's pork night on ATOT

make sure she gets her butt bone in (lmao), I've seen lots of butchers mangle them when deboning.

 

[elektrolokomotive]

Originally posted by: vi_edit

Originally posted by: MikeyIs4Dcats

Originally posted by: vi_edit

Originally posted by: MikeyIs4Dcats
pork loin

Negative.

Pork shoulder or pork butt.

if myou're going to be slow-cooking it in a smoker or BBQ I'd agree, but if the OP is looking for a cut to use in a crockpot or oven for a quick BBQ, loin will work fine.

maybe I misinterpreted trhe OPs intentions....

With a little bit of liquid smoke added a 6 pound pork butt is no problem in a slow cooker.

Works great in a pressure cooker too, takes way less time.

 

[TastesLikeChicken]

To cook that puppy so it comes out best, wrap it in a double-layer of foil and poke holes in the foil about 6" apart all around. You really don't need any rub, salt, or anything else because the BBQ sauce is going to impart the flavor eventually.

Place the foil-wrapped pork in a roasting pan with a rack and put it in a 210 degree oven for 8 - 10 hours, giving it a 1/4 turn every 2 hours. Other than turning, do not open the oven.

When time's up, remove it and let it rest for 1/2 hour to 1 hour. You can even just put it in the fridge after it's cooled and still wrapped for the next pahse for the following day.

When you open that foil it'll practically fall apart. Pull the pork and put it in the crock pot with the BBQ sauce on low for 4 - 6 hours.

High heat is the enemy of tender pork and will make it tough. A long, slow coking will produce the the most tender, succulent results by far. Takes a while but you won't be disappointed.

 

[lokiju]

Boneless butt.

 

[Savarak]

brine a 6-8lb pork butt or shoulder for a day, and then slow cook it at 225 for at least 6-8 hours... should shred off a fork like its cotton candy

 

[FoBoT]

yes, pork is good BBQ

 

[Safeway]

Country style pork ribs. They are delicious.

 

[HomeBrewerDude]

pork shoulder or pork butt will be a sure fire thing... no way to mess it up.

and of course, back back or country style pork ribs! these take a bit of attention ot method...

for a real experiment you could also get a small uncured ham... delicious!

 

[Squisher]

Originally posted by: child of wonder
We prefer lean cuts just to save calories. I've been on a diet for 2 years and have kept a lot of weight off but it doesn't hurt to cheat a little once in a while.

Will a pork loin work at all for a good BBQ or will it end up being too dry no matter how you cook it?

The thing is this slow cook method will render most of that fat away from the meat. If you slow cook something lean you might just end up with jerky.