Creating pulled pork using a combination of BBQ and sous vide techniques results in meat that’s exceptionally tender, flavorful, and perfectly cooked. Here’s a step-by-step recipe to achieve that perfect pulled pork:
Ingredients
- 2-2.5kg pork shoulder or pork collar
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons paprika
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, for heat)
- BBQ sauce of your choice
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup water
- Wood chips (for smoking, if using a BBQ smoker)
Equipment
- Sous vide machine
- Large pot or sous vide container
- Vacuum seal bags or zipper lock bags
- BBQ grill or smoker
Instructions
Sous Vide Prep
- Mix the Dry Rub: In a bowl, combine brown sugar, paprika, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper.
- Season the Pork: Rub the spice mixture all over the pork shoulder, ensuring it’s fully coated.
- Bag It: Place the seasoned pork in a vacuum seal bag or a zipper lock bag. Add the apple cider vinegar and water to the bag. If using a zipper lock bag, use the water displacement method to remove as much air as possible and seal it.
- Sous Vide Cook: Preheat your sous vide machine to 165°F (74°C). Once the water bath is ready, submerge the pork shoulder and cook for 24 hours. This long cook time ensures the pork becomes incredibly tender.
BBQ Finish
- Preheat Your BBQ or Smoker: If you’re using a smoker, add wood chips of your choice to get that smoky flavor. Preheat it to a medium-low temperature, around 250°F (121°C).
- Remove and Dry: After the sous vide cook, remove the pork from the bag and pat it dry with paper towels. Reserve the liquid from the bag.
- Smoke or Grill: Place the pork on the grill or smoker. If using a grill, you can add soaked wood chips in a smoker box or wrapped in aluminum foil with holes poked in it for smoke. Cook for 1 to 2 hours, until the exterior has a nice, smoky crust.
- Rest and Pull: Let the pork rest for about 15 minutes. Then, using two forks or your hands (if cool enough), shred the pork into pieces.
- Sauce and Serve: Mix some of the reserved cooking liquid back into the pulled pork to keep it moist. Add BBQ sauce to your liking and mix well. Serve hot.
Additional Tips
- Serving Suggestions: Serve your sous vide and BBQ pulled pork on briche buns with coleslaw, or use it as a topping for nachos or pizza.
- Wood Chips Selection: Choose wood chips based on the flavor profile you desire. Hickory, mesquite, apple, or cherry wood are all great choices for pork.
This method combines the precision of sous vide cooking with the traditional smoky flavor of BBQ, giving you the best of both worlds. Enjoy your deliciously tender and flavorful pulled pork!
