Kamado grills like the Big Green Egg and Kamado Joe are ideal for making insanely delicious pulled pork. The ceramic construction holds heat and moisture like a champ for succulent, fall-off-the-bone meat. Follow this simple guide for smoking pulled pork success on your kamado.
Pick the Right Pork
Opt for a bone-in pork shoulder also called a Boston butt. Around 5-8 pounds is a good size. The marbling and connective tissue break down into ultimate tenderness after the low slow cooking.
Prep the Pork
Rinse the pork and pat dry with paper towels. Trim off any loose pieces or hard fat. With a sharp knife, lightly score the fat cap in a crosshatch pattern. This allows the rub to penetrate and promotes browning.
Make a Flavorful Dry Rub
Homemade rubs are easy and make pulled pork extra special Use 1/4 cup each of brown sugar, smoked paprika and chili powder Add 2 tbsp each of salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and cumin. Mix well and coat the pork liberally.
Get Your Kamado Ready
Fill the charcoal basin with lump charcoal. Use a chimney starter to get the coals lit and ready for cooking. Install the heat deflectors in the kamado and place a drip pan on the lower grate.
Smoke Low and Slow
Set the kamado temperature to around 225-250°F. Place the seasoned pork directly on the upper grate, fat side down. Let it smoke for 2 hours undisturbed to start forming a tasty bark.
Spritz and Wrap
After a few hours, open the lid and spritz the pork with apple juice or cider vinegar. This adds flavor and moisture. Double wrap tightly in foil and return to the grill.
Cook to Perfection
Continue cooking until the pork reaches an internal temp of 195-205°F for ultimate tenderness. This may take 6-12 hours total. The bone should slide out cleanly when done.
Rest and Shred
Allow the pork to rest wrapped for at least 30 minutes before unwrapping. This lets the juices redistribute evenly. Use forks or bear claws to shred, discarding excess fat.
Make it a Meal
Serve the juicy, smoky pulled pork on buns or over baked beans, coleslaw and cornbread. Delicious!
With the right prep and cooking technique, kamado grills deliver mouthwatering pulled pork with superior smoke flavor. Enjoy tasty barbecue any night of the week with this easy kamado recipe.
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Kamado Smoked Pulled Pork
There’s no better way to spend a lazy day at home than letting a super simple Kamado Smoked Pulled Pork do its thing.
I’ll be honest: I love lamb, especially when it’s cooked slowly on a smoking grill. If I had an unlimited budget I pretty much would eat lamb every single night of the week. But, this kamado smoked pulled pork is sure up there with the lamb. 10hrs of smoky goodness creating the juiciest pulled pork that is packed with flavour.
- Set for indirect, deflectors in the lowest position.
- Let’s make the firebox bigger because we want the cook to last longer.
- Add some good chunks of smoke wood to your charcoal. For this cook, I used a mix of lychee and hickory.
- Looking for a stable dome temp of around 122C [250F]
- Around 10 hrs cook time
- Internal meat temp around 97C [205F]
- Pork Shoulder
- Olive Oil
- My favorite dry rub right now is KC Butt Spice for pork.
- carrots, onions, apple cider vinegar, water, mixed herbs. Looking for enough liquid to ½ fill the tray.
Cover the pork shoulder with a thin layer of olive oil to keep it together. Rub your dry rub all over the meat, making sure it covers well by massaging it.
With the kamado sitting on a stable temperature add the water tray under the grill rack. Add the pork, close the dome – now go and enjoy your day!.
Once it reaches 97C [205F], take off the grill cover (tight foil wrap, towel, and esky are best) and let it rest for an hour or as long as you can.
Time to shred the meat, you can use the fancy Bear Paws
I didn’t spritz this cook, but I did check the water level and add more to it a few times. Over time, I’ll play around with the water tray to see if it makes the cook better in any way. Kamado cooking is typically a “wetter” environment than an offset or a traditional oven etc. Because of this, I don’t think it adds much extra moisture to the meat. But, I love the smell of vegetables roasting, so I think it will add some extra flavors while it’s cooking.
How to smoke perfect PULLED PORK every time! Kamado Joe 101
FAQ
How long do you cook pulled pork in a kamado?
How to cook pork on kamado?
How long does pulled pork take on the Big Green Egg?
How long to cook pulled pork at 225?