Real Deal Pulled Pork- I finally get it (took long enough)

We don't do a ton of pulled pork down here but it's always been in the rotation. It's always been pretty good- certainly better than you could get at a BBQ joint down here. I can count on one hand the number of times I've ordered it at a place here (in my entire life). When I eat bbq, I'm going for Brisket, Ribs, and Sausage (The TX Holy Trinity). Earlier this year we went to Southern Smoke down in Houston with @20stone and @20stonespice(There is a thread somewhere on here with all the pics). Aaron Franklin was there, as well as several other celebrity bbq people, including Rodney Scott doing whole hog over hickory coals and an open pit. We waited our turn and got a little nibble. It was so simple but subtly better than any bbq pork that I had ever tasted. There was no rub to speak of and no bark on the piece I got yet it was still popping with something different.


Fast forward to a few weeks ago when I got the book Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat. I was thinking about this book and how I could use it in all my cooking, but also how it could relate specifically to bbq. The chapter on acid was very eye-opening for me. She talked about food that just had that "zing"- and that was acid. In the case of pulled pork, this means vinegar. I know that vinegar and pulled pork go together like peas and carrots and I've always added some. I just did it because people said to. I really had no context as to the "why", I just blindly did it. It was always good but I was never looking to achieve balance. Just adding to add because I read about it somewhere. In following her lead, I really thought about the why and what I was trying to achieve by adding acid (vinegar) to pulled pork. I thought back to that bite I had of Rodney's pig and thought- I want it to be like that. I was looking for that subtle "zing". I added a little bit by bit until it just lit up. Not a flavor, it's more subtle than that. I handed a bite to TFJ (who is not a big bbq fan) and she just looked up and smiled and said "what did you do"? Then the kids. We all settled down with a big pile and went back for more. It was by far the best I've ever done and very reminiscent of That bite I had from Rodney Scott. So simple and hiding in plain site this whole time. 

I've had it every day this week and it's now gone. We would have normally thrown half of it out or frozen it after a few days (and thrown it out later). we always enjoyed it right off the egg but never really felt compelled to go back again and again like this time.

Pulled pork or whole hog are such large chunks of meat and all the flavor is in the outermost millimeter. the vinegar sauce adds salt and acid to ALL the meat allowing the smoky brown bits to play their part but not have to carry the whole load.

I know I'm preaching to the choir to many people on here who grew up in the south or understood the glory that is properly done pig, but I imagine there are many like me who are either thick headed or just didn't get it until now. It took a fancy cookbook for me to get what generations of pitmasters have been screaming to anyone who would listen. "It's the acid, dumbass"! So if you are like me and really didn't understand the glory of perfectly done pig- next time you try it, add acid (vinegar) little by little until it pops. Then enjoy. The only way I can describe "unit it pops" is that it does not taste like vinegar per se. When all the other flavors get really bright and pronounced, you are there.

I can tell you that for the first time in my life, I put pulled pork at the top of the pedestal with brisket. When done right, there really isn't anything better. Consider me converted.

I'm trying my best to figure out how to apply this to brisket. The only way I know of is the vinegar style bbq sauces we like down here but that is not as subtle as vinegar pulled pork sauce. Stay tuned, I'll figure something out.

BTW- I use Myron Mixon's vinegar sauce just because I don't know any better

2 cups cider vinegar 1 cup ketchup ½ cup hot sauce 2 tablespoons salt 2 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes ½ cup sugar