Cooking with Smoke

It’s been a month since my last newsletter, BUT I would rather skip a Forknight than send a rushed ChatGPT script just to make the deadline. My channel, videos, recipes, and this newsletter are all about quality over quantity… so I will simultaneously apologize for the wait AND thank you for your patience. Now let’s talk about SMOKE!

-Trigg

THE BREAKDOWN & RECIPE

Pulled Pork Perfection

Serves: A LOT | Prep Time: 20 mins | Cook Time: 7 - 8 hours

INGREDIENTS:

• Large Bone-In Pork Butt (Which is actually a pork shoulder btw)

• Olive Oil

• Dry Rub Mix (This is my version of the rub from a Franklin’s BBQ Video, “1 Part” = About 1 Tablespoon or 18g)

  • 4 Parts Salt

  • 4 Parts Black Pepper

  • 2 Parts Smoked Paprika

  • 1 Part Onion Powder

  • 1 Part Garlic Powder

• Apple Cider Vinegar

• Oak or Applewood Chips

INSTRUCTIONS:

Rather than using cook time to determine steps for this recipe… use the internal meat temp to go step by step.

40°F or 4°C - This is the temperature when your meat comes out of the fridge. (Cover the meat with olive oil to make it sticky, and then sprinkle the dry rub on all sides in an even layer. Place on a rack in a smoker at 275°F or 135°C. I use oak chips, but people also enjoy applewood.)

135°F or 57°C - The fat on top and inside of the meat will begin to melt or render. Introducing some extra moisture into the meat. (Nothing to do here… just let the meat do its thing)

140°F or 60°C - The muscle fibers begin to tense up and squeeze out their water. (Spray a little apple cider vinegar onto the top of the pork to prevent it from getting too dry)

150°F or 65°C - About 3-4 hours after start of smoking. (Place the meat into a foil tray to catch the remaining fat and water that will leak out of the meat as it goes up in temp. Spray with a bit more apple cider vinegar, and seal the top with aluminum foil as well.)

180°F or 82°C - The collagen or connective tissue will break down, becoming gelatin inside the meat. This will reabsorb some of the juices and fats that are dripping off the pork. (Just be patient)

203°F or 95°C - The collagen has fully broken down. (Pull the meat out of the smoker and rest it for AT LEAST 45 minutes. Possibly 1 hour if you can wait)

Then with gloved hands, shred the meat apart, mixing in the fat AND the juices that are in the aluminum tray. This is the key to a moist pulled pork. Nothing gets wasted. All the gelatin in the meat will thicken up the juices and make a delicious sauce that’s tasty all on its own, but you can also add your favorite bbq sauce if you’d like.

The Toolbox

Here are some tools that can help with this Forknight’s recipe and beyond…

The rest of this year is going to fly by, I can already tell. I’m heading to New Haven this week for the world’s largest pizza party, and I’ll be filming with some of the most famous pizzerias in the city. This is a dream come true, and I’m so happy to be documenting the whole thing and making a big long YouTube video about New Haven Pizza. I truly can’t wait to share it with you, but for now… I need to go pack my bags and cameras.

👋 UNTIL NEXT FORKNIGHT!
-Trigg

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT!

Check out my most recent VIRAL videos:

• The TRUTH About Kitchen Knives

• How to Break Down a Chicken in UNDER 3 Minutes

• How to Improve Your Chicken Parm

Thanks for the Support!