Lexington Pulled Pork Shoulder

Submitted by ratherbeswimmin

"Steven Raichlen"

 

• Ready In: 7hrs
• Ingredients: 21
• Serves: 10-12

ingredients

• Rub

• 4 teaspoons sweet paprika
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon white pepper
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1⁄2 - 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

• Pork

• 1 (5 -7 lb) boston butt
• 10 -12 hamburger buns

• Lexington Vinegar Sauce

• 2 1⁄2 cups cider vinegar
• 1⁄2 cup ketchup
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce (Crystal hot sauce)
• 4 teaspoons salt
• 4 teaspoons hot red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon white pepper

• Lexington Slaw

• 1 medium head green cabbage
• coarse salt

• Other Ingredients

• 4 -6 cups wood chips, soaked for 1 hour in water to cover, then drain (hickory chips, preferred)

directions

1. Make the rub: add all the rub ingredients to a small bowl; stir to mix; set aside 1 ½ tablespoons of the rub for the Lexington Vinegar Sauce.
2. Sprinkle remaining rub all over the pork, patting it onto the meat with your fingers.
3. Set up grill for indirect grilling; for gas grill, place all of the wood chips in the smoker box; run the grill on high until you see smoke, then decrease heat to medium-low.
4. When ready to cook, place the pork, skin side up, in the center of the hot grate, over the drip pan and away from the heat; cover the grill.
5. Cook the pork until darkly browned on the outside and very tender inside, 4-6 hours (instant read thermometer should read 195°; if the pork starts to brown too much (and it probably will), cover it loosely with foil, but remember that those browned bits are good, too.
6. Make the sauce: add sauce ingredients plus 1 ½ tablespoon reserved rub to a large nonreactive bowl along with ½ cup water.
7. Whisk until the sugar and salt dissolve; store in refrigerator until ready to use; bring to room temperature before using.
8. Make the slaw: Remove core from the cabbage and discard.
9. Cut cabbage into 8 chunks; finely chop cabbage in a food processor using the metal blade and pulsing the motor; work in several batches so you don’t overcrowd the processor bowl.
10. Transfer cabbage to a large bowl; stir in 2 ½ cups Lexington Vinegar Sauce; taste for seasoning, adding more vinegar sauce as necessary; can be made up to 4 hours ahead; store in the refrigerator covered.
11. When pork is done, transfer to a cutting board, cover it loosely with foil; let rest for 20 minutes.
12. Then pull the pork into large pieces, discarding any bones or lumps of fat.
13. Using a fork, pull each piece of pork into thin shreds; transfer pulled pork to a large foil pan and stir in 1 to 1 ½ cups vinegar sauce—enough to keep the meat moist.
14. To serve: mound the pulled pork onto hamburger buns; top with coleslaw and let everyone add more vinegar sauce to taste.