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Coke in Pulled Pork?

Central IL Egger
Central IL Egger Posts: 260
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
I cooked 70 LBS of pork butts over the weekend for a business party tonight, and know that Coke is used for moisture when I reheat it. Can anybody give me guideline for how much Coke to use per LB? BTW, it cooked down to about 30 LBS final weight. Thanks, and I'll be posting some before and after shots tomorrow!

Comments

  • We usually just wing it; don't think 6oz per # would be too much. I would taste some; if you think it is dry add a little more. Just remember it's easy to add more and real tough to take some out.
    Jupiter Jim

    I'm only hungry when I'm awake!

    Okeechobee FL. Winter

    West Jefferson NC Summer

  • i don't add coke. you should 'need' too, but may simply want to.

    i'm gonna say something that i am surprised i have never heard before, and only just thought of now.... if you wanted to moisten PP so that it was succulent like the moment it first comes off the smoker, you would simply add maybe stock (pork stock, if you had it of course) and a little UNFLAVORED gelatin. gelatin is actually what makes PP feel moist. it is really dry, overcooked pork, lubricated with a camouflage of gelatin (converted from gelatin).

    ...if the gelatin trick ever becomes a "thing", remember i said it here first. hahahaha
  • thirdeye
    thirdeye Posts: 7,428
    It's an eyeball thing. Here are some other options I've collected from an ongoing poll or reheating liquids.

    PULLED PORK
    Apple juice + cooking juice
    Apple juice + chicken broth
    Coca-Cola
    Apple juice + cooking juice + cider vinegar
    Coca-Cola + chicken broth
    Coca Cola + BBQ sauce
    Apple juice
    Apple juice + cider vinegar
    Dr. Pepper + cooking juice
    RC Cola + sauce
    Cider vinegar + water
    Vinegar + water (or apple cider)
    Fruit nectar
    Pineapple juice + sauce
    Sprite
    Happy Trails
    ~thirdeye~

    Barbecue is not rocket surgery
  • thirdeye
    thirdeye Posts: 7,428
    I have heard that the use of gelatin can give the pulled meat an unusual texture (or maybe stickiness is the right word) as it begins to cool back off.

    I think the use of phosphates has been played around with too (they are found in the Fab products).
    Happy Trails
    ~thirdeye~

    Barbecue is not rocket surgery
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,665
    a 50/50 mixture of coke and "low sodium"chicken broth. only for the reheat,not much though, then i add a little sauce to the end before serving
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • sure. as it cools it becomes solid gelatin (unflavored jello!).

    that's why PP is dry in the morning (aside from the fact that any residual moisture has probably evaporated too). and the kicker is that it takes more heat to re-melt gelatin when reheating than it does to convert it from collagen in the first place. so often the dry pulled pork still has the agent which makes it succulent (the gelatin) still there, but it's not melted enough by the reheating, and the meat is even drier. plus, reheating drives out any residual moisture even further... catch-22

    alton brown talks a bit about this when making stew, he cooks the stew meat 'til it is falling apart, and then lets it cool. after it cools, it'll stay pretty firm in the stew when it is heated because the gelatin never has time to fully re-melt.

    i dunno. there's never much leftovre pulled pork in ths house. what there is is usually only enough for ABTs :laugh:
  • CBBQ
    CBBQ Posts: 610
    I use low sodium chicken broth. I don't have any issues with coke except the sugar content. You can also make pork stock out of the bones you pull from the butts.
  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,880
    Mark,
    I've been a Coke fan for years and what works for me is 4 oz per pound. One thing that's important though is to use the real Coca-Cola, not the diet crap or flavored stuff. The next important thing is never tell people that you added the Coke as they will wrinkle their noses as they say EEEEWWWWW! It really does not add sweetness and by the time it has done it's thing there is no brown evidence in the liquid!
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    I finally tried Coke the other day and found the meat to be sickeningly sweet! It was a last ditch effort to find something to make reheated butt worth eating. So far, nothing has worked.

    I thought about using gelatin, but haven't yet. That's next I guess. The only solution I have found so far is to eat it ALL when it comes off the egg - which is, of course, impractical.

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,880
    how much Coke did you use? Personally I have a real aversion to sweet foods and have never found my level of 4 oz per pound to be sweet. To each his own as they say.
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
  • Bacchus
    Bacchus Posts: 6,019
    Put the Coke in a large glass, preferrably over ice.
    Put the leftover PP in a pot on the stove with no liquid. When it's hot, plate it and drizzle with sauce. Drink the coke.!
  • Instead of re-heating I have made pulled pork into a cold terrine.
    While it is still warm just push all the PP into a mould, which has been lined with cling film (this helps in removing the meat after).
    You can put a layer of carrot sticks, celery sticks, or anything you like in the centre for coulour and texture if you want. Place a weight on top of the meat and press for a few hours or overnight in the fridge.
    Then just take the meat from the mould and serve in slices like a pate or terrine. It is lovely served with salad on a hot day.
    Greetings from Ireland, Roger
  • NCSU-Q
    NCSU-Q Posts: 104
    I agree with Bacchus. I usually wrap it tightly in foil, no additional moisture, and reheat it in the oven at about 325 degrees.
    Serve with sauce, and it is almost as good as fresh.

    I've never tried it with coke (no need), but it seems that the sugar content would ruin the flavor. (keep in mind I am a NC boy that only uses vinegar based sauce... I suppose if you are using tomato/sugar based sauce, the sugar from the coke would just blend right in.)
  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    Ron, I probably used too much. Still, as NCSU-Q said, being a vinegar sauce guy, ANY sweetness is probably too much. It's time to cook another butt so I can experiment some more.

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,665
    i think it works best for reheating frozen pull and it seems to go over good for a big crowd, i use it more sparingly with the low sodium broth, i dont like it too sweet either
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • Last weekend I cooked an 8# pork butt. When I reheated it in the crock pot the next day, I used 1/2 can of Dr. Pepper. I thought it turned out pretty moist, and didn't have any "soda" flavoring.
  • CBBQ
    CBBQ Posts: 610
    I agree with you. My problem with Coke and the sugar is that it's an issue with diabetic customers which is a bigger and bigger thing these days.
  • I have never tried it. I usually do what some others have said. Wrap it up in foil with no moisture added and reheat in the oven at 325 until warm. Then plate it with some sauce. It isn't as good as fresh, but it is still good eats.