This is a great recipe for large groups (especially if you want to make friends). It requires a little planning, but it might be a good excuse for you to meet your neighborhood butcher.
Makes: 12 people appreciate the other white meat
Total kitchen time: 10 hours (1 hour active time)
Shopping list:
- 6-8 lb pork shoulder
- 1/2 cup kosher salt
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- Trim the pork to remove excess fat. You’ll want to leave a small layer of fat for flavor (and the coveted pan drippings), but trim off any giant chunks of fat.
- Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl and mix.
- Place the pork in a roasting pan and pat with the dry rub. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
- (The next morning) Preheat your oven to 220 F. Add about 1/4 inch of hot water to the bottom of the roasting pan. Cover the pork shoulder and roasting pan in aluminum foil and bake for 6-8 hours or until it reaches an internal temperature of 150F. If you have a probe thermometer, this would be a great time to use it. Make sure your roast isn’t cooking too quickly (or slowly). Adjust the oven temperature accordingly.
- When the pork reaches an internal temp of 150F, remove the foil and crank the heat up to 425. Cook until the pork forms a golden brown crust, about 10 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let sit for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, transfer the pan drippings to a small saucepan and add the vinegar. Boil until reduced, about 20 minutes.
- To pull the pork, use two large forks, back to back, and pull the meat until it flakes apart. This might take up to 40 minutes for a large pork shoulder, so put on some of your favorite music before you start.
- When ready to serve, pour the pan sauce over the pulled pork.
I don’t know where you get your pork but there is no way you are able to pull it apart at 150F unless you are doing it sous vide over 2 days. The two times I’ve made pulled pork I wasn’t able to pull it apart until the probe thermometer reached 195F. That’s a 12 lbs piece of meat in the oven for 8-9 hours at 220F. Since I’m using the same temp as you and about the same time I actually doubt you had it at 150F unless you put it in the oven frozen.