MOMOFUKU'S PULLED PORK


PULLED PORK...when those two words are uttered in our house, my family starts to chant, cheer, and drool.

That's right.

Now, I try not to be too bossy, but I can't help myself this time. (Sorry my vegetarian and kosher friends.) The rest of you must try this recipe! It is that easy. That good. And I'm making some right now.

This recipe comes from David Chang (of beloved Momofuku) and his new magazine Lucky Peach. This is the pulled pork Chang sticks in Momofuku's pork buns, bowls of ramen, etc..

We've made this recipe a half dozen times since we discovered it a couple of months ago. We scarf the crispy, juicy, salty pork on its own (with maybe a veggie or two along side just to make us feel healthy.) Pulled pork tacos with radish slices and guacamole have also proved a popular variation on this piggy theme. And if there are ever any leftovers, a sandwich with pork slathered with BBQ sauce is our favorite option.

Now that we are hooked on this pulled pork, I'd love any other ideas you guys might have for ways to eat it. Suggestions, anyone?

Be sure to take into consideration that the pork needs to sit overnight in the fridge with its salt/sugar rub, and it does need to roast for 6 hours in the oven. Be patient. It's worth it!


 


INGREDIENTS from  Lucky Peach Issue 1
(printable recipe)
  • 3-4 pounds boneless pork shoulder
  • 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal Kosher Salts per pound of pork *
  • 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon sugar per pound of pork 
  • black pepper
* An important update on salt. I have found, and gotten reader feedback, that this pork can tend to be too salty. Feel free to reduce the salt by 1/2. Also keep in mind that all salts are different. Most professional kitchens use Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt. Morton's Kosher salt is much more salty.


Rub salt, sugar, and a bit of ground pepper onto the pork shoulder. Cover and refrigerate pork overnight.

The next day, preheat oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit. Place seasoned pork into a roasting pan. We use our trusty cast iron skillet. Toss it in the oven.

Roast for 6 hours. Lucky Peach suggests occasionally basting the pork with the rendered fat and juices after 3 hours. (Honestly, I usually skip the basting and really dig the crispy exterior.)

After 6 hours, take the pork from the oven, let it rest for a half hour or so. Then use forks to break apart the pork. Lucky Peach says to "savage the pork with two forks." I LOVE that!



What else is cooking this week?

Cannellini Bean Soup with Wilted Greens: this soulful recipe from Alice Waters lives deep in my archives, but I've made a couple of batches recently, loved every bite, and I thought you might enjoy it too!


152 comments:

  1. I've never made anything even close to this before! I'm starting to get more and more into meat, though, so I could see this appearing on the table soon. It helps to have a fella who digs meat to the eXtreme, and once worked at a smokehouse down south:)

    Oh, and I can savage with the best of them!

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  2. Emma, Chang's recipe will not disappoint! It takes a bit of time, but is super easy. We are making this pulled pork on a near weekly basis.
    I'm sure your smokehouse honey will approve;) Savage away!
    -E

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  3. OMG! This recipe looks simple and delicious. HAHA...I love the "savage the pork with two forks" line.

    I'm SO excited about Momofuku Milk Bar's book that's gonna come out later this month.

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  4. Adrianna, I figured you would like the recipe, being the bacon-kind-of-girl you are;) And if the reliability of this recipe is any indication of things to come in the cookbook, we can all be psyched!
    -E

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  5. This is not too different from how he seasons his pork belly for his famous pork buns. Mmm, pulled pork on a steamed bun would surely be awesome, too!

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  6. Mmmhhh, fabulous! I love pork shoulder.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  7. Wow, this looks absolutely sublime! I'm going to make this for my boyfriend...can already see the HUGE smile on his face - he adores pulled pork. Great recipe :-)

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  8. How about a Piggy in Red Flannel?
    Pulled pork w/Red Flannel Hash (beet & potato),
    for a weekend/leftover breakfast

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  9. Carolyn, You are totally right. Lucky Peach also gives the recipe for Momofuku's Pork Belly. Same rub, just cooked with different temp instructions. I need to give the pork belly a try too. I bet it is amazing! And now I am remembering your post on the pulled pork buns! I'm adding your link here for others to drool over....

    http://www.foodgal.com/2010/02/momofukus-famous-pork-buns/

    Thanks Rosa:)

    the little loaf, It really is good! I hope you and your boyfriend both like the recipe:)

    Contact Info, Pulled Pork with red flannel hash... brilliant suggestion. Yum! Thanks!

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  10. omg that first picture made me soo hungry! So much good stuff going on here: momofuku, pork, tacos etc. Yum!!

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  11. I'm sold! will have to try this recipe over the weekend. I looove pulled pork on tacos and sandwiches.
    yum! I'm really excited to try this one out.

    love your photos :)

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  12. Thanks Stepanie! I guess we cannot go wrong with juicy momofuku pork, eh? I'm actually amazed they are willing to share this tasty secret with us.

    M, This recipe is so easy and good it almost feels like cheating;) I think you'll love it!

    -E

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  13. You make everything look so yummy. Love the photos of your food. I swear we are on the same wave length...I had a pork roast ready and waiting. I am going to try this recipe but in the crock pot.
    I used to do it in the oven all the time but found out what a crock pot can do for you. Yes, I know, many say it isn't cooking and you don't get the crispy outsides, but it does pull easily...it's so tender and it does taste great on Pamela's GF rolls.
    I also put chutney all over the roast (any kind) 1 hr before serving. I also like to stab the meat and insert slivers of garlic over the entire roast with salt and pepper. I do this at night and pop it in the fridge. I just pull it out in the morning and put it in the crock pot and turn it on low. 8 hrs. later...YUMM! Thanks for a new way to try pork! Can't wait to try it.

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  14. when it comes to red meat, pork is what i crave for. I can never do pull pork successfully and next I will follow your steps for it :)

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  15. Oli! It does always seem like we are on the same cooking jag. So fun! I bet your crock pot pork is so good. I am always amazed at how tender things are when cooked that way. I don't own a crock pot, but I keep thinking I could fake it with a lidded dutch oven in a low heat oven? And your chutney addition sounds really interesting. You know, I've done the garlic trick with a leg of lamb, but never pork. Yum! Thanks for all those great tips today:)

    Hey Kankana, I'm with you... I could live without beef, but pork does call my name. I hope this recipe works for you and you get some pulled pork happiness!

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  16. This has become a family favorite around here. The kids devour it with gusto, and I start having visions of my leftovers sandwich with barbeque sauce and arugula while the meat is first cooking in the oven. You should see the look on my colleagues' faces when I pull that out for lunch!

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  17. I've been reading Lucky Peach and enjoying it. Can't wait for the next issue. How great to make the Momofuku classic at home!

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  18. Thanks P:)

    Lisa, Lucky Peach is a good read, isn't it? And I like the gritty unpolished photos. I think the next issue is on its way... yippee!

    -E

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  19. Is the temperature in fahrenheit or degrees? I would love to give this a go but would hate to end up with a charred shoulder by mistake!

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  20. Hi Anonymous, Great question and thanks so much for asking. The temperature is fahrenheit. I will be sure to clear that up in the recipe. I too would hate for you to have a burned piece of pork!
    -E

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  21. This would be perfect for the when my Chinese boyfriends family visits in December for Christmas. Hard to believe it's coming up so quickly on the calendar!

    http://www.absolutelyfengshui.com/dateselection/chinese-calendars.php

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  22. Hi India, I hope you all enjoy the recipe!

    -E

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  23. Absolutely delicious! Made this for dinner tonight with green beans and buttercup squash from my CSA- simple and amazingly good! New pork favorite. I literally didn't touch it once it went in the oven. Perfect to make on a Sunday afternoon.

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  24. I love this so much, but I hate that it takes so long for the cooking!

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  25. Emily, Your comment made my day. Your dinner sounds so delish and I'm thrilled you that you enjoyed the recipe. Have a great week!

    Kelvin, I know the cooking time is long. But I promise you it's worth the wait. I stick the pork in the oven and leave it to cook while I go out and do other things. Luckily, it doesn't really need tending:)

    -E

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  26. Looks beautiful, need to try this...

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  27. The best thing too about slow cooked meat is the delish smell in the house when you come back in. Yum! Def try slow cooking in the dutch oven Erin - just ball up some foil to rest the meat on so the warm air/steam gets at it on all sides! My fav way of cooking day in day out! Slow cooked whole chicken has never tasted better or more moist! I promise!!!!

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  28. Thank you so much for posting this! David Chang's new Sydney restaurant is opening this week, but it will be a while before I get a table - this should more than fill the gap in the mean time! I'm thinking about making a vermicelli rice noodle salad with some of it. LOVE pulled pork, can't wait to make it.

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  29. Thanks aweeheavy!

    Jossie, Thanks for giving me another nudge to try the dutch oven/slow cook:) I can only imagine the possibilities. Hungry now!

    Leah, I think the vermicelli salad with pulled pork is inspired. How could that not be good! Lucky you to live in Sydney - it's such a gorgeous city.

    -E

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  30. When friends visited recently they brought that copy of Lucky Peach. I'm not sure if I was sadder to see them go, or the magazine. (Just kidding!) I'm planning my husband's b-day party and was going to make pulled pork. Now I know HOW I'm making it. Thank you, as usual, for all of your inspiration. This kind of bossy works for me!

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  31. Hey Julia, it's always good to hear from you! I think the pulled pork would be great for your husband's b-day party. My sister in law made this recipe for a crowd - I think she cooked over 20 pounds of pork shoulder! She said it was awesome and happily devoured by all.

    I'm glad you didn't mind the bossiness;)!

    -E

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  32. Ahhh...everything about this simple recipe is beautiful.

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  33. Thanks Katie! And we can thank the folks at Momofuku for sharing such simple deliciousness with the rest of us. I'm going to make another batch of the pulled pork tomorrow for friends. Yum!

    -E

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  34. So for a 3 pound pork you would use 3T + 3 Tsp of both salt and sugar? Am I reading that right?

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  35. Hey Anonymous, Yep you got it!
    -E

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  36. Looks heavenly! Is that plain, old granulated sugar and table salt - or special types of each?

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  37. JulieBean,
    Yep, the recipe calls for plain old granulated sugar and salt. I like to use sea salt. If you use table salt you may want to use a little less, because it can be so darned strong.
    I just took a pork shoulder out of the oven to share with friends tonight. Cannot wait!!
    -E

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  38. I just made this, and it did not disappoint. It's truly brilliant. Thanks so much for sharing this, Erin! I had to savage it with my hands, but I think that's because I used a pork butt instead of a shoulder. It was also a tad bigger, and thus had to cook it longer. There are so many variables even with such a simple recipe! We sliced a chunk off while the rest continued to cook, and had it on rice with cilantro, scallions, and ginger black pepper sauerkraut. I made a little sauce with nam pla, sesame oil and calamondin syrup. Perfection. Maybe tomorrow: pork buns?

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  39. Yeah! Julia, I'm so glad you tried the pork, savaged it with your hands (rad!), and were inspired by the whole thing. Rice, cilantro, scallions, and ginger black pepper sauerkraut? That sounds so so good.

    We just ate our leftovers today with BBQ sauce - lazy, but damned good!

    Happy eating,
    E

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  40. Tried this today, so easy and so yummy. Went so well with apple sauce and bread rolls:) Thanks!!

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  41. jsherr,
    Thanks so much for letting me know that the recipe worked out for you. And I bet the pork was really good with apple sauce. Yum!
    -E

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  42. Okay, to my salt/sugar rub I add 1 T of cocoa powder, 2 T fine ground dark roast coffee and 1 T smoked paprika per four pounds. Magic.

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  43. Anonymous - that sounds rad! Cannot wait to try.
    -E

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  44. Hey! this recipe sounds awesome! How many servings do you think a 3-4 lbs shoulder would yield?

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  45. Hey Anonymous, Good question.... I guess it depends on how you'll serve the pork. If you are shredding little bits into tacos, filling sandwich buns, or putting it in a salad or soup, you could probably feed 8-10 people. If you are serving big piles of pork for each person, you may only serve 6. I'd always err on the side of making too much - the leftovers are so good!
    -E

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  46. Is there a bone in there? I tried this once, and wasn't thrilled with the results...I thought it might be because of the bone.

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  47. Hey there,

    Great question. There is no bone for this recipe. If you do use a bone-in shoulder I would increase the roasting time by an hour or two. If the meat in the center cannot be shredded easily, pulled apart with forks, then it isn't done.

    Also with bigger shoulders I just add roasting time. The recipe is quite adaptable and at such low heat, you can add cooking time without much problem.

    For most reliable results, try a boneless shoulder next. I think you'll be happy:)

    E

    PS Thanks to your comment, I will note "boneless" in the recipe.

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  48. Thank you much! I'll prep it today and cook it tomorrow.

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  49. Wow, great technique, but too much salt for our tastes!! I'll try it again but reduce the salt by half or even two-thirds. We don't eat any processed foods, and so maybe we're more sensitive to salt? But the friends we had over thought it was too salty, also. I did use sea salt, thinking I'll use kosher next time as it's less salty (being bigger crystals so less salt to the volume) than sea salt. But thanks for the simple technique!

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  50. Hey there Robyn, I think you make a really good point and I so appreciate the feedback. We have now made the Momofuku recipe at least a dozen times and often find it to be a bit on the salty side too. I think the type of salt does make a difference. And I have reduced the salt by half and have still been really happy with the results. I am going to make note in the recipe. Thanks!

    E

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  51. Great recipe, thanks for the inspiration. Made it last night and posted it on my blog.

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  52. Thanks Rich! So glad you liked it:)

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  53. Starting my pork today to refrigerate overnight and cook tomorrow... Question is - do you cook it covered or uncovered? Lid? Foil? Instructions didn't mention a lid or covering, so I'm assuming not. Advice?

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  54. Hi Cecily. Uncovered. No lid or foil. You'll get a nice caramelized crust on the outside of the roast. Yum!
    -E

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    1. Thanks so much for the quick reply! Looking forward to it! We'll let you know how good the house smells tomorrow...

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  55. Cecily, Very jealous over here. I hope you love the recipe!
    -E

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    1. It is/was delish! Also found it a bit salty for our taste - but otherwise divine! Like pork candy! Now I just have to let that pan soak for about a month to get it clean...

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    2. Hey there Cecily, thanks for letting me know! Pork candy is right. Maybe try cutting the salt next time to find just the right taste. There seems to be a lot of wiggle room in the salt department;)

      -E

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  56. Ive made this dish numerous times always with fantastic results. Some minor variations: use of brown sugar for a portion of the regular, addition of white pepper, also tried the coffee mentioned above. Always great.



    although, I notice when I season the pork and let it sit overnight, quite a bit of moisture is left in the bottom of the pan. I do cover the pan with saran wrap while its in the fridge. Does this occur with anyone else? Do you discard the extra liquid? Put it in the bottom of the cast iron?

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  57. Hey Anonymous,

    Great to hear about your variations. I must try that coffee - I keep forgetting.

    And yes, only once I found the pork released a lot of moisture after sitting overnight in the fridge. I poured the liquid out before I put the pork in the cast iron and the cooked meat seemed just right.

    -Erin

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  58. I have a pork sirloin roast in the freezer... can I use this or does it have to be the shoulder? Looks great!!

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  59. Hey there, Great question.

    I sadly haven't any experience cooking a sirloin roast. I just looked it up to check out where is comes from on the pig and think it could work. My only concern is if it's fatty enough. You definitely want some nice marbling for a juicy roast. Have you ever slow-cooked a sirloin roast?

    Are the bones still in? This would also affect cooking time.

    Hmmmmmm. Wish I could ask my butcher right now.

    -E

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  60. Thanks... I think it's fairly lean compared to the shoulder so maybe not? And no, it's boneless... Maybe I'll have to go out and by a shoulder:) Or maybe I could wrap some bacon around it:)

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  61. Making this tonight... haven't decided whether or not to serve it over some cilantro-lime rice or mash potatoes and a veggie. I also have hawaiian rolls to eat as a sandwich tomorrow. Smelling good already and it's only halfway done!! :)

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  62. Awesome! Your potential sides sound great. I especially love the idea of the cilantro lime rice. Lemme know how it goes!
    -E

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  63. We really liked it... although the roast I bought was a little too fatty, too big and had a bone in it so It wasn't as easy to shred and outside was done far before inside... next time I'll get a smaller boneless one. We loved it on hawaiian rolls with BBQ sauce and side of garlic mash potatoes and sauteed green beans:) Thanks for the recipe! Flavor was great!

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  64. Thanks so much for letting me know! I love the details - much appreciated:)

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  65. Was soooo good!!! Silly me read it wrong and I put as much pepper on it as salt and sugar, lol. It was a little salty and peppery but my daughters LOVED it!!! Will def make it again!

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  66. Jaymie, thanks for letting me know and I'm glad your girls enjoyed it! My kids scarf it up:)

    -E

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  67. beyond delish! question though. i have a cast iron cooker and i wasnt sure if this should be cooked covered or uncovered? so i did half and half. want to know how you do it though to make it get so crispy!

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  68. Yeah! I'm so glad you liked it. I cook mine uncovered the whole time, the crispy exterior is like candy:)
    Thanks for the note!
    -Erin

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  69. I finally made this tonight! It was super easy and sooo good! We used it for tacos and have some leftovers for lunch tomorrow with rice and veggies.
    I'm already planning to make this again in a couple of weeks, we're definitely hooked now!

    thanks for sharing this recipe :)

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  70. I've made this recipe about 5 or 6 times over the last couple of years. I found it initially on Working Class Foodie's website under "Momofuko's Bo Ssam" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlKhRwhvS4g). It's a great video and the dipping sauces they show have become staples in my repertoire. They recommend rinsing the brine off which I heartily agree with. The brined meat is beautifully flavoured and so tasty that the added salt wouldn't be missed. I keep an eye out for pork picnic on sale and usually pick a couple up to keep in my freezer in case I get the urge. Which is probably going to be sometime this week now that I've seen this... *yum*

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    1. Hey there, thanks for all the tips. Rinsing the brine sounds like a good idea. We are so addicted to this recipe at our house. My eight year old daughter was begging for it this morning:)

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  71. I love to turn my pork shoulder roasts into cuban pork sandwiches! Pork with ham, swiss cheese, pickles, and mustard (I like Dusseldorf) served with maybe some pork juices........ can't be beat.

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    1. Yum! I am drooling just reading this:)

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  72. I'm kicking myself for thinking a two pound shoulder would be enough for just me and the hubs. I see a trip back to the market for another roast in my immediate future! This could easily become a weekly staple in our house, so delicious and nearly effortless!!

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    1. Splitpea9, It is a dangerously easy recipe, isn't it?;)

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  73. This is very similar to a recipe I have used for basic pulled pork for some time, except that I use brown sugar and some red pepper flakes. My bunch likes it best with my BBQ sauce added after the pork is "savaged", and allowed to cook another 30 min to blend the flavors (almost all drippings drained off first). Best BBQ sliders I've found.

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    1. oldandgrumpy, it's only 8 am but I am drooling reading about your sliders;)

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  74. Mine just went into the oven...I don't know how I'm going to make it through the next 6 hours of anticipation!

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    1. Oooh.... The smell will drive you crazy, but it's worth the wait:)

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  75. i tried this last night, roasted for 6 hours and 30 mins. the pork shoulder i used was so tough still i couldn't even shred it. any tips?

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  76. Wow! Looks so delicious... i got envy! I want to do it on my want. Wanna try cooking it.

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  77. Do you put the fat side down, or up? I'm finally getting around to trying this, thanks for posting! And is the verdict for bone-in, or boneless?

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    1. I put the fat side down and I prefer bone-out. I've had much more consistent results with a boneless shoulder. Also be conscious of the salt issue. Under-salt if you're worried.
      Enjoy your pulled pork. It's one of our family's favorite treats.
      -E

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  78. Thank you! The butcher only had bone-in. Will you let you know how it goes.

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    1. Eileen, just cook it longer. You know it's done when you stick a fork into the center of the meat and it pulls apart easily. Yum!

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  79. Reporting back -- I used a 2.5lb cut with the bone in and about 1T sea salt per pound of meat. After 5 hours the meat was melting away from the bone. Thanks again!

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    1. Great! Eileen thanks for the feedback and I'm so glad the pork was as yummy as it should be.
      xo
      E

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  80. Thanks for posting another great recipe.

    We've been making pulled pork in a slow cooker for years. Slice a large onion, top with pork and a dose of bbq sauce, cook on low all day (8-9 hrs).

    I tried this recipe in a slow cooker and it turned out great. I was surprised that the meat developed a crust similar to cooking it in an oven. We defatted the cooking juice and added some back into shredded meat to keep it moist. Mmm. I dialed back the salt in case closed cooking concentrated the flavor. Will probably use more next time.

    BTW - for salt conversion I use:
    1.0 measure table salt
    = 1.5 measure Morton's Kosher
    = 2.0 measure Diamond Kosher

    I think this conversion came from Cook's Illustrated.

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    1. Hey there cmovic,
      Thanks for this wonderful and super helpful comment. The salt issue can be so challenging.
      And I'm with you... I always add cooking juices back into the meat - makes it so moist and delish!
      -E

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  81. Sounds like a great recipe. I too add garlic slivers into my roast. One the first night, I usually have with potatoes and a veg. Monday maybe tacos, Tues probably in a fried rice, Wed. enchiladas with a mole sauce, and if there's any left it's bbq pulled pork sammies. Yum yum.

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  82. I made this today. In fact, I just pulled it out of the oven.. after only 3.75 hours and it's way over cooked-bone dry and the bottom is burnt. I got the temp right but I used a smaller hunk of meat, just over 2 lbs. Could that be my problem?

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  83. Oh no Amanda. I'm SO sorry to hear this. The smaller piece of meat would definitely lower the cooking time - could even do so by half. But the fact that your pork was burned and so dry makes me wonder about the oven. Have you ever had such problems before? My own oven seemed to be running hot at one point and I bought a thermometer at the hardware store and in fact my oven needed to be recalibrated. Even 10-20 degrees could make a huge difference when something cooks for so long.
    Again I feel so sad about your pork. This recipe has become beloved by so many people I know and I wish it had been good to you too!
    -E

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  84. i tried this, and it was on the dry side :( i wonder what happened?? my gut told me not to let it roast for so long. alas...

    i also halved the salt/sugar and it was more than plenty!

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    1. Ugh! This recipe is either a beloved favorite or a frustration.

      So sorry to hear it was dry. My thoughts are... 1. If the piece of meat smaller than 3 pounds, it would need less cooking time 2. If the meat was particularly lean - though not sure why it would be - it wouldn't be as succulent. Shoulder should be nice and marbled. 3. Your oven could be running a little high?

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    2. hey, seriously, it just means that i have to try it again (in fact i am trying it again right now, although, not so low. doing it at 325, and for however many hours it takes to get tender, and we will see what that yields)!

      i think the first shoulder was 2.5 pounds.

      THANK YOU for posting this though. it should just be a template. i should know better!

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    3. I love your determination - you're my kind of cook! Lemme know how it goes at the higher temp. Very curious.
      Now I need to make another batch of pulled pork myself;)

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  85. Hey There,

    Do you keep it uncovered or covered for the 6 hour oven time?

    Many Thanks - really looking forward to making this!

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  86. Uncovered. You can baste it with its juices if you like. I just let it do its thing.

    Enjoy!

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  87. Erin: we've just prepped this for Christmas lunch. Jim cannot wait! Happy, happy, Charlotte

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  88. Yay! This is one of our all time favorite dishes. I hope you enjoy. Merry merry Christmas to you two!!! Love, e

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  89. Making this for Super Bowl Sunday. Did it originally with the full amount of salt and sugar (Morton's) and it definitely salty. If this happens, you can always balance it out with a less salty sauce. Got a 10lb. shoulder this year and broke it down into 2 halves. Can't wait to try more recipes from this site.

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    1. So jealous Jeff! I wish I'd thought to make a big batch of pulled pork today. Enjoy!!!

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  90. I forgot to salt/sugar last night and wanted it for Valentine's dinner tonight!
    Hope it doesn't take away from original too much . . .

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    1. Hey there Sue, I would go ahead with the salt/sugar rub now and at least get it on the pork for a few hours before cooking.
      Happy Valentine's Day!
      E

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  91. Erin . . . I just have to say THANK YOU for the easy peasy recipe. I had a rather large bone-in pork roast that went into the oven at 7:30 this morning and came out of the oven at 5:00 tonight. It probably could have gone another hour but the smells from the oven were overwhelming and we couldn't wait any longer. The meat was starting to fall off the bone. This meat is to die for. I've got all kinds of left-over ideas running through my head right now. I did separate some of the meat and liberally pour barbeque sauce on top for dinner tomorrow.

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  92. Yay! I'm so glad you liked it! We made this pulled pork last night as well! I love how ridiculously easy the recipe is.

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  93. This looks so darned good!! I'm pinning it right away!

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  94. Have you tried making BBQ nachos with the leftovers? A staple in Memphis. And yummy!

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  95. My husband and I loved Momofuku when we visited New York, so I was excited to try this recipe. My whole family agreed it was delicious! Thanks for posting it:)

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  96. im thinking about cooking the shoulder and keeping it in the fridge for a few days so that i can do the final step with the brown sugar at my leisure.

    have you tried anything like this?

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    1. Hey Dave,

      Not sure that I fully understand your question... You're wanting to precook, then do the sugar rub?

      I'd love to help. Can you tell me again, what you're thinking.

      Thanks,
      Erin

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  97. AnonymousJuly 10, 2013

    HELP....I want to make this today for tonight's dinner and I did not marinade the meat....any suggestions. It looks FANTASTIC!

    thanks,

    Karin

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    1. Hey there Karin, You could try doing the rub and letting everything sit for an hour at room temp before cooking. It won't be the same, but should still be delish!
      -E

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  98. I have made this twice since I found this recipe and it's amazing! Just a hint of sweet and its fabulous with jasmine rice, butter lettuce and chili sauce.

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    1. Oh I'm so glad you like the recipe. We LOVE it too. It's always a hit at our house. The jasmine rice, butter lettuce and chili sauce sound awesome.

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  99. Even though this is an Asian recipe, we use it for tacos with a tomatillo or mango salsa. Mmmmm, easy and delicious.

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  100. Oh my. I've been dreaming of pulled pork, so this is my next project. Do you think I should reduce the roasting time if I make only 1-2 lbs of pork?

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    1. Lisa, you will love this! Yes definitely reduce cooking time for a smaller cut. You'll know the pork is done when a fork goes easily into the center allowing you to pull the tender meat apart.xo

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  101. Hi Erin,
    Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful recipe. The first time I made it I used a roasting pan and basted, after savaging with forks I transferred a portion to my cast iron skillet with some Annie's BBQ sauce and served it with greens made with drippings from the roast pan. So wonderful!
    I'm making it again for my boyfriends parents visiting, they can easily beast up for lunch while we're at work. Scoring me points with the parents!
    Thanks again, you are fantastic!

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    Replies
    1. Amanda, thank you for your nice note! I love hearing how the recipes work in other people's kitchens... and I'm so happy to help you score points with your boyfriend's parents:)
      Funny enough, we made the pulled pork last night ourselves. I think we've now made this recipe for everyone we know. Always a crowd-pleaser!
      xoxo
      E

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  102. Hi. This recipe is fantastic, thanks so much for posting it. I've made it often and it's a family favorite. I think the issue with the salt is in the interpretation of how to calculate the amount. It states 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon per pound. So, I think that means 1 Tbs + (1 Tsp X # of pounds). It does not mean (1 Tbs + 1 Tsp) X # pounds. So, for a 4 pound roast, it should be 1 Tbs + 4 Tsp = 7 Tsp of salt versus 4 Tbs + 4 Tsp = 16 Tsp. Same for the sugar. Thanks again. Peter

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  103. Peter, thanks so much for this comment. You really got me thinking!!.. so much so that I went back to look at my copy of the first issue of Lucky Peach, where I got the recipe originally. In fact, it says that it is (1 T + 1 t) salt and sugar per pound. We've found that if we use diamond kosher salt it really works, but sea salt or regular table salt is way too strong.

    You do bring up a very great point that the recipe is in fact quite flexible. Less salt and sugar still works.


    Thanks again!
    Erin

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  104. Looks amazing!!! Maybe I would pair it with homemade BBQ sauce and garlic mashed potatoes. This is a great dish for fall or winter. I agree this would make a great leftover. It would be great with some cabbage slaw in between toasted ciabatta slices.
    Thanks for the yummy recipe :)

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  105. I know what you mean by the household cheers! I told my husband the other night pork was for tea and he cheered "yeah"

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  106. I tried this recipe yesterday for the first time. I was extremely nervous despite how easy the recipe is because I am new to cooking big hunks of meat (aside from boiling whole chicken). It turned out BEAUTIFULLY tho. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! I'm so sad I do not have any leftovers, but I'm happy the reason is because my guests loved it! I served it alongside homemade Alabama White Bbq Sauce, which was the perfect accompaniment. Thank you again!

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    1. Lynda, I'm so glad the recipe worked for you! We just made the pulled pork yesterday ourselves. Great minds;)
      I warn you, you'll be making this pork many times over the years - it's always a crowd-pleaser!
      -E

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  107. i just bought a pork shoulder but just realized it has a bone....should i cook it longer than 6 hours? yikes!

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    1. No problem - it will be delish! Just cook it longer...maybe 1-2 hours more. Remember, you want the meat near the bone to be tender and "savage-able."

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  108. I have been wanting to try this for awhile and today I did. Did it with a 4.5 pound bone in Boston Butt. I cooked it at 250 degrees for 8 hours in a cast iron skillet. I only used half of the salt and sugar to be on the safe side. It came out perfect and I served it with broccoli au gratin rice, garlic toast, and salted and black peppered yellow tomato slices. Thanks for this!

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    1. Jay, thanks so much for letting me know how it went for you. Sounds like an awesome meal!

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  109. Easiest way to shred ANY meat after it's cool: Drop it in the Kitchen Aid mixer with the paddle attachment. Stir. Done! Enjoy ; ))

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  110. This looks amazing, will be trying soon. Thanks for the recipe!

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    1. Rachel, I hope you enjoy it. It's a favorite at our house!

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  111. Can't wait to try to this recipe. I noticed that your pork roast was tied. Mine came untied. Does it matter?

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    1. Is your pork in one chunk or is it splayed out?

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    2. It is in one chunk and splayed out. It was 5.5 lbs with a bone in it. I just cooked it today and took it out after 5.5 hrs of cooking. Outside crispy and inside tender. Very delish! My family enjoyed it very much. Thanks! BTW, I tried your carnitas too. It was great too.

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    3. I'm glad it turned out well! It's one of our favorite recipes:)

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  112. Before cooking it should I rinse off the salt, sugar and pepper that was on it over night? Didn't say to but wanted to make sure

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  113. So I plan on hosting a pulled pork bbq and I have 19 ponds of pork shoulder.how long should I cook it in the oven?

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    1. Hey there, that sounds awesome! I'm guessing each piece is around 6 pounds? They could all go in the oven at the same time. It should be a minimum of 8 hours, up to 10-11 for cooking. You'll know it's done when the pork pulls apart easily with a fork.
      Also, not sure if you've made the recipe before? Please be careful not to oversalt. See details and notes in my recipe.
      Have fun!

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  114. Easy to make delicious pork meat <3 love it!

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  115. AnonymousMay 02, 2017

    I found this post ages ago and have since made this MANY times (always with a dash of fish sauce!) and it's phenomenal. It's definitely the recipe I will pass down to my kids :)

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    1. Ah, that makes me SO happy. I love it too. It's a family fave for us for sure!

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  116. Thanks a lot for sharing with us this interesting recipe on
    hog roast. It is good to get testy recipes of hog. Your blog is really very useful to us. Thanks for this blog.

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  117. Hi. Do you think this recipe will work as well with a pork loin? Would the timing change for cooking?

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So good to hear from you... I appreciate each and every note you leave for me!

Thanks,
E