Hot & Fast Memphis-style Pulled Pork

Combine all of the rub ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix well with a whisk or stand mixer.

Trim the pork of any loose fat and season all sides with a fairly heavy coat of the rub (about 2/3 cup). Make sure that you season all of the exterior parts of the pork, including any portions between the muscles that you can get to.

Put the pork in a lipped pan with the fat cap down, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate 12-36 hours (the longer the better).

About six hours before you want to serve if, fire up your grill/cooker for indirect cooking at 325ºF grate temperature using the smoke wood of your choice. I use Kingsford® Original (blue bag) with four small chunks of hickory and two small chunks of cherry.

Note: You’ll need enough coals for a five-hour cook, or be prepared to add coals as needed. If you’re using a gas grill, make a few smoker pouches. To do this, you’ll wrap some of the smoking wood in a foil packet and poke a few holes in the packet. You’ll set the packet on top of the heating element. See the related blog link for a photo tutorial.

While your coals are starting, uncover the butt and hit all sides with another light coat of rub (about two tablespoons).

When your coals are ready, spray the grate with oil and put the butt on the cooker with the fat cap down.

Cover and let it cook for 3 hours at an average grate temperature of 325-350 F.

At the three hour mark (mine was 165ºF internal temperature at that point), remove the pork from the fire. Wrap the pork, fat-side up, in a triple layer of heavy-duty foil, adding the ginger ale into the foil packet. You want to wrap it as tightly as you can without the risk of piercing the foil.

Put it back on the cooker and cook indirect for another two hours. The finished temperature should be about 203ºF in the thickest part of the butt. If it’s below 195ºF, continue cooking, checking the internal temperature about every 15 minutes.

Note: Once it’s wrapped you can finish the cook in a 325ºF oven. Yes, it’s sort of like cheating, but nobody will know. If you’re pressed for time, just increase the oven heat to 350ºF.

Remove the butt from the cooker, open the foil and let it rest for at least 15 minutes.

Pull the pork with a large fork in each hand (or by hand wearing gloves), discarding any noticeable pieces of fat. I season the pulled meat with a little bit of the rub and I add some of the wrapping liquid (skimmed of fat) to keep it moist.

Serve the pulled pork on a bun topped with BBQ sauce and some of your favorite slaw.

Enjoy, then enjoy some more!