PORK BUTT FOR PULLED PORK RECIPES

Steps:

• For the Dry Rub: Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. After blending the spices together, massage them into the meat, shake off any excess. Place the pork butt on a roasting rack inside a roasting pan with the fat cap side up.
• To Cook the Meat: Preheat the oven to 225 degrees F. Insert a remote digital thermometer into the fattest part of the roast but away from the bone. Roast uncovered so the outer crust will form a bark. Covering the roast causes the spices to become caked. 
• After about half of your cooking time is complete, start basting the meat. I use a vinegar based sauce and I do that about once an hour until the meat is fully cooked.
• Some Guidelines: In order to be pulled, a pork butt must be cooked to an internal temperature of 195-205°F to break down the collagen in the meat. FOR PULLED PORK: cook to 195-205°FIf you prefer sliced pork sandwiches as in some restaurants, you may cook the pork butt to a lower internal temperature. This endpoint can be used if you are running short on time or prefer sliced pork. FOR SLICED PORK: cook to 180-185°F
• How long will it take to cook a pork butt? As a rough estimate, figure 1-1/2 to 2 hours per pound based on the trimmed weight of an individual roast. For example, when cooking a roast weighing 8 pounds after trimming, the total cooking will be around 12-16 hours.
• Remember, this is only an estimate—it may take more or less time, depending on the temperature of the butt at the start (fresh from the refrigerator or brought to room temperature), thickness of the pork butt, the amount of connective tissue that needs to be converted to gelatin, the temperature of the oven, and the number of times you open the oven for checking and basting (which lets the heat out.
• When the meat finishes cooking, remove it from the oven and tent with foil for 15-20 minutes to allow it to rest and the juices redistribute before slicing or pulling the pork butt.

Steps:

• Mix the paprika, garlic power, brown sugar, dry mustard, and salt together in a small bowl. Rub the spice blend all over the pork. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Put the pork in a roasting pan and roast it for about 6 hours. An instant-read thermometer stuck into the thickest part of the pork should register 170 degrees F, but basically, what you want to do is to roast it until it's falling apart.
• While the pork is roasting, make the barbecue sauce. Combine the vinegar, mustard, ketchup, brown sugar, garlic, salt, cayenne, and black pepper in a saucepan over medium heat. Simmer gently, stirring, for 10 minutes until the sugar dissolves. Take it off the heat and let it sit until you're ready for it.
• When the pork is done, take it out of the oven and put it on a large platter. Allow the meat to rest for about 10 minutes. While it's resting, deglaze the pan over medium heat with 3/4 cup water, scraping with a wooden spoon to pick up all of the browned bits. Reduce by about half. Pour that into the saucepan with the sauce and cook 5 minutes.
• While the pork is still warm, you want to "pull" the meat: Grab 2 forks. Using 1 to steady the meat, use the other to "pull" shreds of meat off the roast. Put the shredded pork in a bowl and pour half of the sauce over. Stir it all up well so that the pork is coated with the sauce.
• To serve, spoon the pulled pork mixture onto the bottom half of each hamburger bun, and top with some slaw. Serve with pickle spears and the remaining sauce on the side.
• Combine the cabbage, carrots, red onion, green onions, and chile in a large bowl. In another bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, lemon juice, and sugar. Pour the dressing over the cabbage mixture and toss gently to mix. Season the cole slaw with the celery seed, hot sauce, salt, and black pepper. Chill for 2 hours in the refrigerator before serving.