Ever wonder what makes pulled pork so tender that it practically falls apart? The secret’s in the apple cider brine, and I’ll walk you through each step to get the same results!
STEP 1: Get Your Ingredients
First up, get everything you need, which includes:
- Pork shoulder or butt: These cuts are tougher and fattier, which makes them perfect for brining.
- Apple cider and apple cider vinegar: Apple cider adds sweetness, while the vinegar works as a tenderizer.
- Dark brown sugar: This helps the skin develop a nice bark.
- Dry rub: To make this, you’ll need coarse salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder.
STEP 2: Brine Your Pork
After that, make your brine by grabbing a large plastic container or food-safe bucket and mixing your apple cider, apple cider vinegar, dark brown sugar, and dry rub.
Stir it well until all the sugar, salt, and powders have dissolved.
Then, put your pork inside, making sure that it’s fully submerged, before transferring it to the fridge to marinate overnight, or around 8 to 12 hours.
STEP 3: Start Smoking
The next day, preheat your smoker to 225°F with the lid closed. This usually takes 10 to 15 minutes.
While the smoker’s warming up, take the pork out of the fridge and pat it dry with a paper towel. Season it again with some salt, pepper, paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder, then let it rest for a few minutes.
In the meantime, boil the leftover brine to kill off any bacteria, and set it aside for basting.
Once the smoker’s ready, place the pork directly on the grates, fat-side up, and let it cook for about 3 hours. Be sure to brush it with your reserved marinade every hour to lock in the flavors.
STEP 4: Increase the Heat
After 3 hours, transfer the pork to an aluminum pan and pour in the rest of the brine. Crank up your smoker to 250°F, then place it back inside to cook for another 6 to 8 hours.
Use an instant-read thermometer to check for doneness. Insert it into the thickest part of the pork. You’ll know it’s ready when it reaches 195 to 200°F.
STEP 5: Let It Rest
Finally, take it off the heat, transfer it to a cutting board, and let it rest for 20 minutes. When the timer’s up, shred your pork using two forks, sprinkle more seasoning if necessary, and it’s ready to serve!
Now, you can make sandwiches, mac and cheese, empanadas, and enchiladas with it!
Apple Cider Brined Pulled Pork
This juicy, salty, and sweet Apple Cider Brined Pulled Pork is made with only a handful of ingredients, and smoked to fall-apart perfection!
Ingredients
- 1 6-10 pounds pork shoulder or pork butt (bone-in)
- 6 cups of apple cider
- 2 cups of apple cider vinegar
For the dry rub:
- ½ cup of dark brown sugar
- ½ cup of coarse salt
- 2 tablespoons EACH of smoked paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder
- 1 tablespoon of coarse black pepper
Instructions
- Grab a mixing bowl and combine all of your rub ingredients. Stir until they become one cohesive mixture.
- Then, in a large container or food-safe bucket, pour your apple cider and apple cider vinegar. Toss in half of your dry rub and stir until the sugar and salt are completely dissolved.
- Place your pork inside the container, making sure that it’s fully submerged. Cover it with a plastic wrap and pop it in the fridge to marinate for around 8 hours, or overnight.
- The next morning, preheat your smoker to 225°F with the lid closed. While that’s warming up, remove your pork from the liquid, pat it dry with a paper towel, and season it with the rest of your rub. Note: Don’t discard the marinade!
- With your leftover brine, bring it to a boil to get rid of any bacteria, and save it for basting.
- Once your smoker is ready, place your seasoned pork directly on the grill and let it cook for 3 hours. Every hour or so, brush it with your boiled brine.
- After 3 hours, transfer your pork to an aluminum container and pour the remaining liquid on top. Increase the heat of your smoker to 250°F, and put your pork back inside to cook for another 6 hours. Note: Use an instant-read thermometer to check for doneness. You’ll know it’s ready when the device registers 195 to 200°F.
- At that point, take your pork out of the smoker, transfer it to a cutting board, and leave it to rest for 20 minutes.
- Lastly, shred it using 2 forks, and season it with more of your dry rub if necessary. Now you’re ready to eat it as is or make other pulled pork recipes!
Notes
Image credit to @global.appetite.
Featured image credit to @theseasonedmom.
