Pulled Pork "Picasso's Blank Canvas"

Pulled pork is the pit master's blank canvas, well at least in my book, and a slow-cooked Boston Butt just sounds like a perfect Sunday. Slow-cooked via a smoke bath of hardwood that gives the pork an, oh so sweet taste. The patients that only true pitmasters possess - to wait until perfection is achieved.

You could say that my favorite smoked dish is pulled pork, and it would be hard telling why it isn't.

Now I enjoy a great slab of ribs like the next guy and don't get me started about how brisket changes the way you look at beet. But nothing beats the blank canvas of a slow-cooked, smokey, sweet pork butt. The challenge here is not the quality of the pork but the cut and the climate.

You would think in a country that prides itself on pork that there would be  a Boston Butt on every corner... No it isn't so. It has taken years to find this staple mark of American Barbecue!

It is an art to take such a piece of meat and create a smokey, candy like master piece. It was only when I moved to Germany that I realized how masterful of a skill this truly was.

Let's learn how to make Pulled Pork in Germany, or as my wife, children and friends would say: aufjetz mit da bbq essen!

What makes a Good Pulled Pork

The answer hard saying. Of course the final dish's quality is in the eye of the beholder. I feel (since I have been I almost every state minus Alaska and Hawaii) that I would be at least a fair judge.

I am not here to argue the differences between the regions pull pork methods but only to share how you can possibly get an American style Pulled Pork in Germany (which isn't the easiest task)

Ready? the trick is simple

GET THE RIGHT PIECE OF MEAT!

OK,  so you thought that there was a miracle to turn that stuff you get from Aldi into a competition Pull Pork. Sorry to tell you it isn't going to happen and trust me I have tried!

I good pulled pork starts with the cut and quality of pork that you can aquire!

I have spent years finding the right butcher (or meitzori) that can prepare the cut I need. Not only the cut but a protein source that has the right fat marbling. This is vital and not easily found but doable. I find that when you try to speak in German most butchers are very eager to speak about the "special American barbecue" cut of meat you need! Of course, this can vary from location to location but persistence prevails.

Ok thats great now how

So smoking the perfect pulled pork can be boiled down all to the same point:
temperature and time -- which are one in the same.

What? No special sauce, secret ingredient, or unbelievable rub. Of course these all make a difference, however, nothing is more important then temperature (minus having the right peice of meat first).

Ok all is fair we have the right piece of meat, Boston Butt, with the money muscle, but how do we grill, process, wheeled with our passion the greatest pulled pork ever. Temperature! Lets break down the cooking process that creates the most delectable pulled pork that man-kind has ever known. Its simple science!