Pulled pork is one of those essential BBQ recipes every pitmaster should master. It’s ridiculously tasty, surprisingly forgiving, and perfect when you need to feed a crowd.
And the best part? You don’t need a fancy offset smoker or expensive pellet grill to get it right. With the proper setup, you can make phenomenal pulled pork on your regular kettle grill.
We’ve gathered all the tips and tricks you need for a perfect tray of juicy, smoky, shreddable pork.
What Is Pulled Pork?
Pulled pork is slow-cooked pork that becomes so tender you can shred it with your hands. During the long cooking time, connective tissue breaks down into gelatin, making the meat moist and buttery soft.
In the Southern States of the US, it’s common to smoke an entire pig. But over here, and in most backyards, we go a little smaller.
We use the shoulder of the pig. You could go with a pork collar (which sits closer to the neck), but we prefer the Boston Butt. That’s the upper part of the shoulder. It’s named after the barrels (“butts”) used to ship them from Boston back in the day.
This cut has the perfect balance of fat and meat, and it’s rich in collagen that melts into delicious gelatin during cooking. It’s the sweet spot of BBQ pork.
Setting up your kettle grill for Low and Slow
Your kettle grill is more versatile than you think. Thanks to its adjustable vents, it can handle low and slow cooking just fine.
We’re aiming for a kettle temperature between 120 °C and 150°C (250°F – 302°F). Technically, that’s already bordering on hot and fast, but don’t worry, you’ll still need plenty of patience.
Here’s how we set up for a controlled cook:
Open both top and bottom vents fully.
Cover about one-third of the coal grate with lump charcoal or briquettes.
Nestle a fire starter in the middle and light it.
This creates a glowing core in the centre that slowly spreads outward as it lights the surrounding unlit coals. This setup is known as the Minion Method, which enables stable, extended cooking without the need for refuelling.
To control the airflow:
Cover the empty part of the coal grate with aluminium foil.
This forces air to flow through the briquettes, making temperature regulation easier.
Place a drip tray on top of the foil. This catches the fat from the meat and keeps your grill clean.
Now close the lid and turn the thermometer away from the coals for a more accurate read. Once the kettle temp is about 20°C (36°F) below your target temperature, start adjusting the vents:
Bottom vent: Set it to the “smoke” position that is nearly closed.
Top vent: Also nearly closed.
Important: Never close the vents entirely. Cutting off oxygen causes incomplete combustion and produces bitter smoke that will ruin your bark.
Prepping the Pork Shoulder
We’re using a Boston Butt that usually comes with a thick fat cap. Trim most of it off, but leave about 0.5 cm (¼ inch) for flavour and moisture.
Coat the meat in yellow mustard to help your rub stick. Don’t worry. It won’t taste like mustard once cooked.
Dry Rub Recipe (for 3.5 kg meat / 7.7 lbs):
- 4 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp smoked sea salt
- 1 tbsp coarsely ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp granulated onion
- 2 tsp granulated garlic
- 1 tsp chilli powder
Use about 1 tbsp of rub per pound of meat. The combination of mustard, dry rub, smoke, and rendered fat creates a dark, flavorful crust called the bark.
Bark looks burnt, but trust us, it’s the best part of pulled pork. And as pitmaster, you’ve earned the right to tear off the first chunk of bark when it’s done.
Adding the Smoke
Do you want that unmistakable BBQ flavour? That’s smoke.
We use Hickory Wood Chunks for this cook. Hickory imparts a bold, slightly sweet, bacon-like flavour to pork. Would you prefer a gentler touch? Try apple or cherry wood instead.
Stack one chunk on the hot coals and two more next to it so they ignite gradually. This provides hours of smoke without needing to lift the lid.
Let’s Get Cooking
In our 67 cm Master-Touch, we have room for two or three shoulders. This time, we’re just cooking one.
But there is a purpose in stacking your grill full of meat. The more meat on the grate, the more stable the temperature. That’s due to the thermal mass of the meat that evens out heat fluctuations.
Place the pork on the grill, fat side up. Insert a meat probe into the thickest part. At this stage, It doesn’t have to be placed precisely in the middle.
The Stall, the Plateau, or the Wall
Smoke the pork until the internal temperature reaches 60–65°C (140–150°F). Then you hit the dreaded stall.
At this temperature, moisture starts to evaporate from the surface of the meat, cooling it down. This works similarly to when you sweat during a workout and the wind makes you feel chilly.
This phase can last several hours and will likely cause confusion. When you are four hours in, and your thermometer still says 65°C? You’ll swear something’s broken.
That’s why competition BBQ teams use the Texas Crutch.
The Texas Crutch to get past the stall
Once the bark is set, we wrap the pork to help push through the stall.
- Move the pork to your drip pan.
- Pour in a mix of: ½ water, ¼ apple cider vinegar and ¼ Worcestershire sauce
- Wrap the pan tightly with foil.
- Poke the thermometer back in through the foil.
- Place the drip pan with the smoked meat back on the grill.
The lack of airflow in the package prevents the surface from cooling, so the core temperature starts to rise again. The steam in the package helps break down connective tissue faster. You’re essentially braising the meat inside its own sauna.
How long does it take to make pulled pork
Good pulled pork takes time, even at 150°C (300°F). But you must plan for about 45 to 60 minutes per pound of meat. This 3.5 kg (7.7 lb) Boston Butt took around 6 hours, plus resting time.
When you go with the classic 110°C (230°F), you’d better block out your whole day because it can take maybe 10 hours or more.
When your thermometer reads 93°C (200°F), it’s time for the tender test. You insert the probe into the meat at different spots. If the probe slides in easily, like butter, it’s done.
If not? Put the lid back on and check again in 30 minutes.
Let it rest for perfect juicy pulled pork
Even if the meat is perfectly cooked, don’t pull it just yet.
When the meat is hot, the muscle fibres are tight and push the moisture in the meat to the edges of the meat. Resting lets the fibres relax and redistribute moisture.
That moisture is mostly gelatin, not just water. Gelatin gives the pulled pork a better taste and that perfect mouthfeel. If you pull too soon, you lose the gelatin, and that would be a shame.
Rest the meat for at least 30 minutes. If your guests are late, wrap the foil-covered pork in a towel and put it in a cooler. It’ll stay hot for hours. Our record in the cooler was six hours, and the meat was still warm enough to serve.
Pulling the Pork
Once the pork shoulder has rested, unwrap it and shred it in the juices in which it was cooked.
Never discard the liquid, for it’s worth its weight in gold. The liquid is rich in melted fat and gelatin, which keeps your pork juicy and flavorful.
Dry pulled pork usually means two things. It didn’t rest long enough, or you threw away the juice
Now you know better.
Leftovers? You’re in Luck
Pulled pork keeps beautifully in the fridge for 3 to 4 days, stored with some of the cooking juices. When you need to store it longer, you put it in the freezer. Fill a Ziplock bag with the juice. Label it with the date and contents. Trust us, you’ll forget. In the freezer, you can keep pulled pork good for 3 to 4 months.
Reheating Pulled Pork
Here’s how we do it: First, let the frozen pulled pork thaw in the fridge overnight. Don’t rush this part, slow and steady keeps the texture right.
Once thawed, put the pulled pork in a pan on the stove. No blasting heat here. Keep it low and slow, just as you would when cooking it.
You pour in a splash of cola. Not too much, but just enough to create some gentle steam. The cola adds a subtle sweetness and acidity that works surprisingly well with smoky pork, preventing it from drying out before the juices can also melt.
Cover the pan and let it warm slowly, stirring occasionally. Give it time to heat through, and you’ll have perfect pulled pork that might even taste better than the first time.
Ready to fire it up? This isn’t just a recipe. It’s your roadmap to real-deal BBQ, even if you’re cooking in your backyard with a kettle grill. Once you’ve nailed this, you’ll never look at pulled pork the same way again.
