Succulent Pulled Pork Starts With The Right Cut

Making authentic barbecue at home can be a little intimidating. Working on ribs for hours on the grill or in the smoker only to find out they've completely dried out is not how you want to start a dinner party. Pulled pork, on the other hand, is a great gateway into the world of barbecue because it's easy to make pulled pork with a slow cooker, and if you want to practice on the smoker or grill, it's less expensive and much more forgiving than other traditional barbecue cuts. For perfect pulled pork, start with the right cut of pork: pork shoulder or pork butt.

Although sometimes mistaken as coming from the rear end of the pig, the pork butt (or Boston butt) is actually part of the front shoulder of the animal. Furthermore, the terms "pork shoulder" and "pork butt" are often used interchangeably, but when talking precise cuts, the pork shoulder is the entire muscle — composed of the Boston butt (upper section) and picnic shoulder (lower section). The picnic shoulder is significantly leaner and more thoroughly muscled, while the Boston butt is more fatty and tender. But whether you're buying the stuff under the name pork shoulder or pork butt, you'll get incredible, delicious pulled pork that melts in your mouth.

Shoulder and butt cuts are ideal for pulled pork because they cook beautifully slow and low, for what is, essentially, a pork confit. They have high fat content and a good amount of connective tissue. The fat melts into the protein, and the connective tissue breaks down into gelatin, adding flavor and holding in moisture for a result that is tender, slightly chewy, and deliciously salty, and it pulls apart easily with a fork. As the names for these two cuts are sometimes used interchangeably, you may want to check with your butcher if a packaged cut is labeled simply "pork shoulder." While still perfectly acceptable smothered with barbecue sauce, when using only the picnic shoulder, your pulled pork will end up a bit drier and less tender. Conversely, the Boston butt has more marbling, so it will come out more juicy and tender, but with a little excess fat.

Once cooked and working toward perfecting the pulled pork sandwich, let your roast rest before shredding. Think about hand-shredding the meat for the best results. When it comes to adding sauce, pretty much anything works, so go with your personal favorite — but there's a lot to learn about regional American barbecue sauces.