American · Barbecue · main

Smoky Dr Pepper Pulled Pork

Smoky Dr Pepper Pulled Pork reads umami 7.8, richness 7.3 and salinity 5.4 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a American · Barbecue main, about 9 hr 9 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 7.8 · Richness 7.3 · Salinity 5.4 · Sourness 4.6 · Sweetness 4.2 · Heat 3.7 · Smoke 3.4 · Allium 3.3 · Funk & Ferment 2.7 · Warm Spice 2.5 · Earthy 2.0 · Nutty 1.4 · Bitterness 1.4 · Fruity 0.8 · Citrus 0.8 · Herbaceous 0.7

What's in it (14)

Time & effort: about 9 hr 9 min (7 hr 24 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 262.4 kcal, 13.9 g protein, 15.4 g fat, 18.3 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (11 steps)

  1. Pat the pork shoulder dry with paper towels. In a small bowl, combine the kosher salt, brown sugar, smoked paprika, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne. Rub the mixture over every surface of the pork, pressing it into the fat cap. Wrap tightly and refrigerate at least 1 hour, or up to overnight for the flavor to penetrate.
  2. About 30 minutes before cooking, pull the pork from the fridge to take the chill off. Set up your grill or smoker for indirect heat with a handful of wood chips (hickory or apple work well) added to the coals or a smoker box, and bring the temperature to a steady 225-250 F.
  3. Whisk together 1 cup of the Dr Pepper, the cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce in a small bowl; keep it by the grill.
  4. Place the pork fat-side up over indirect heat, close the lid, and smoke undisturbed until a deep mahogany bark has formed on the surface, about 2 hours.
  5. Once the bark is set, mop the pork with the Dr Pepper mixture every 45 minutes to an hour, keeping the grill steady at 225-250 F, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part reads 165 F, about 3 to 4 more hours.
  6. Remove the pork and set it on a double layer of heavy-duty foil. Pour the remaining 1 cup Dr Pepper over the top, then wrap tightly, sealing the seams so no liquid escapes. Return the wrapped pork to the grill.
  7. Continue cooking, still at 225-250 F, until a probe thermometer slides into the thickest part with almost no resistance and the internal temperature reads 200-203 F, about 1.5 to 2 hours more.
  8. Remove the pork, keep it wrapped in the foil, and let it rest at least 45 minutes; this lets the juices redistribute and makes the meat far easier to pull.
  9. Carefully open the foil over a bowl to catch the juices; pour the collected liquid into a small saucepan and skim off the surface fat. Stir in the barbecue sauce and simmer over medium heat until slightly thickened, 8-10 minutes.
  10. Shred the pork with two forks, discarding the bone and any large pockets of fat. Toss the shredded meat with the reduced sauce until evenly coated and glossy.
  11. Pile the pulled pork onto the hamburger buns and serve right away.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.