Any recipes for carnitas or pulled pork on the grill?

[dermunkee]

Have a large Weber grill with a redneck engineered add-on so I can smoke a good brisket, would love to try out some pork this weekend, either grilled or smoked.

 

[TheDan]

Mix up a brown sugar brine, soak a small pork butt in it for 4hrs. Smoke over pecan or oak until it pulls apart easily. Should take between 6-8hrs depending on your heat and the size of it.

 

[vmax]

I would like to see picture of red neck apparatus

 

[dermunkee]

Sounds easy enough TheDan. Any thought on whether a strong mustard and bourbon coating on the pork butt will work well with the smoke to add a good flavor or am I asking for trouble?

vmax, I'll try and take a picture or three when I get home for you.

 

[Vaquero]

I would like to see picture of red neck apparatus

Yep

 

[coachrick]

I've been cheating a LOT lately...pork shoulder in the pressure cooker! Sweat some onions, sear the pork a bit...add seasonings...20 minutes later it's ready! Shred and drizzle with cooker juices and 3 minutes under a broiler for crispy, caramelized goodness!!! Picked up some 'natural' pork shoulder, boneless, for $1/pound at HEB...might still be on sale...YUM-OH!!!

 

[dermunkee]

I read the pressure cooker thread, some good ideas in there, but I don't have one and kitchen space is at a premium / non-existent right now. Plus, you don't get the smokey goodness that way. I've been playing around with sous vide lately, makes the best filet you've ever had, I'm going to try to go for super tender lamb next.

 

[dermunkee]

Here is a picture, had a few teenager things to attend to when I got home, so I couldn't really set it up, but you should get the gist.

It's 3 pieces of sheet metal from home depot bent over a sawhorse and riveted together to fit on top of the cooking grill, there are 2 cutouts in the bottom to clear bolts for the handle around the side of the grill. Cutouts at the top bent in to hold another grill, I align the grills so that the movable ends flip up and I can feed the charcoal holder in the bottom of the grill with wood chunks and charcoal as needed using a big pair of tongs. The lid goes on top of the contraption with the vents closed to keep in the smoke. I stick a big disposable aluminum pan next to the coals and fill it 2/3 with water, it maintains the heat due to water's naturally high specific heat. An entire brisket cut into 2 sections will fit on the top, the extra volume does wonders for convection and keeps the entire thing within 5 degrees of every other spot when I measured. Heat is maintained for about 2 hours at a time using the vents on the bottom of the grill and then it's time to add more charcoal and wood. A whole brisket takes 6-8 hours to cook, I usually smoke some potatoes on the bottom rack at the same time and finish them off in the oven. I can also do 4 whole racks of pork ribs, 2 on top, 2 on bottom.

 

[Vaquero]

Hell yeah.

 

[matefrio]

 

[dermunkee]

Thanks matefrio, I can modify that to go in the grill no problem.

 

[TheDan]

Sounds easy enough TheDan. Any thought on whether a strong mustard and bourbon coating on the pork butt will work well with the smoke to add a good flavor or am I asking for trouble?

That sounds delicious. I would add it as a glaze in the last hour or so, although if it gets a little burnt that is fine too. Once you shred it all together that just spreads the flavor.

 

[karlac]

Authentic San Antonio style:

 

[dermunkee]

Thanks Karlac, I wonder what he put into the pan first that flamed up, didn't look like an alcohol fire.

 

[TheDan]

Thanks Karlac, I wonder what he put into the pan first that flamed up, didn't look like an alcohol fire.

Some type of oil. Traditionally it would be lard.

 

[coachrick]

Some type of oil. Traditionally it would be lard.

Yep...cooking IN lard...then pour the cooking juices over the shredded meat before a quick broil to caramelize...YUM!!! But keep the cardio-doc on speed dial!!!

 

[baboon]

Pork cofit makes some rocking carnitas when crisped up in the lard they were originally cooked/stored in!

 

[TheDan]

Yep. Basically how you make carnitas is to simmer pork chunks in some lard and enough liquid to cover it on very low heat until all the liquid has evaporated. Once the liquid is gone you let it fry in it's own juices until it's just crispy on the outside. You can add vegetables, fruit, and spices to the liquid for flavor. Last time I made carnitas I used about half a cup of lard, and for the liquid a 50/50 mix of orange juice and chicken stock with a roughly chopped onion for flavor.

 

[CZPistol]

Never tried cooking carnitas before, but this looked so damn good, had to try it for myself today. So fricking good I'm beside myself...

 

[matefrio]

Never tried cooking carnitas before, but this looked so damn good, had to try it for myself today. So fricking good I'm beside myself...

His stuff almost always works out. That looks great.