Mastering Smoked Pulled Pork on a Green Mountain Grill

Pulled pork is a quintessential BBQ dish that takes time and skill to perfect When done right, it results in tender, juicy pork bathed in smoke that pulls apart easily and melts in your mouth. While smoking pulled pork takes patience, using a high-quality pellet grill like the Green Mountain Grills (GMG) makes the process much easier In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk through step-by-step how to smoke mouthwatering pulled pork on a GMG pellet grill.

Why Choose a Pellet Grill for Pulled Pork?

Pellet grills, also known as pellet smokers, are exceptional for smoking pulled pork for several reasons:

• Set it and forget it – Once you set the target smoking temperature, GMG pellet grills automatically maintain it by feeding wood pellets into the firebox at a controlled rate. This frees you up to focus on other aspects of cooking rather than constantly monitoring temperature.

• Precise temperature control – Pellet grills allow you to dial in exact temperatures ranging from 180°F to 500°F, which is ideal for low and slow smoking. Holding a steady temperature is key to get tender, fall-apart pulled pork.

• Adds real wood flavor – GMG grills use 100% natural hardwood pellets, so your pulled pork gets infused with delicious smoky flavor from wood species like hickory apple maple, etc. This wood smoke taste is very difficult to achieve on standard gas or charcoal grills.

• Simple, convenient operation – With a large pellet hopper, electronic ignition, and built-in fan, pellet grills basically run themselves. Once loaded with pellets, you can smoke for 8+ hours unattended.

With all of these benefits pellet grills are hugely popular for smoking large cuts of pork like Boston butt for pulled pork. Let’s look at how to unlock their potential.

Selecting the Pork

The cut of pork you select is crucial, as you want lots of fat and connective tissue that will break down into succulent pulled pork during the low, slow smoking process. The top options are:

• Pork butt (also called Boston butt) – The pork shoulder, available bone-in or boneless. It’s the most common choice because it’s well-marbled.

• Picnic ham – From the upper part of the front leg. Also has great fat content.

Aim for a 5-10 lb pork butt or picnic ham, which will yield enough pulled pork for 8-12 people. Plan on cooking 1.5-2 hrs per pound of meat. Make sure to trim off any loose fat or skin before applying your rub.

Creating a Spice Rub

A homemade spice rub adds tons of flavor and forms a crispy, flavorful bark on the exterior of the pork during smoking. For pulled pork, make a sweeter style rub with 1/2 cup brown sugar and spices like:

• 1-2 Tbsp paprika (for color and flavor)
• 1-2 tsp each of garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, mustard powder, cayenne pepper, black pepper
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Mix the ingredients until well combined. Generously coat all surfaces of the pork with the rub, patting it into the meat. Allow it to marinate in the fridge for at least 1-2 hrs (or up to 24 hrs) before smoking.

Setting Up Your GMG Grill

Pre-heat your GMG pellet grill to 225-275°F, the ideal temperature range for low and slow smoking. For the Jim Bowie model, use the main grates rather than the upper shelf to allow fat to drip away from the pork as it smokes.

Use a digital thermometer with a food probe to monitor the internal temperature of the pork. Insert it into the thickest part of the meat, avoiding contact with the bone (if using bone-in).

Smoking the Pork Butt

Once your grill is up to temperature, place the seasoned pork butt directly on the grates, fat side up. Close the lid and let it smoke for 5-6 hours until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. At this point:

• Spritz the pork with apple juice or cider to help keep it moist. Repeat every 30-60 mins.
• If desired, lightly brush the pork with your favorite BBQ sauce to build up a glaze. Take care not to overdo it.
• Double wrap the pork tightly in aluminum foil, then put it back on the grill. The foil helps power through the temperature plateau.

Continue smoking the wrapped pork for 2-4 more hours until it reaches 200-205°F internally. The collagen will have broken down, making the pork incredibly tender and ready for pulling.

Resting, Pulling, and Serving the Pork

After removing the smoked pork from your GMG grill, let it rest wrapped in a cooler or oven for 1-2 hours before pulling. This allows the juices to redistribute through the meat for added moisture.

Use two forks to pull the pork into shreds and pieces, discarding any excess fat. Lightly mix in your favorite BBQ sauce to coat the pork. We suggest starting with 1/2 cup per pound of meat. You can serve the pulled pork:

• On buns with extra sauce for classic BBQ sandwiches
• Piled on nachos or baked potatoes
• In tacos, burritos, omelets, pizza, casseroles, etc.

Leftovers will keep refrigerated for 5-7 days or frozen for months. Reheat individual portions in the microwave as needed.

Handy Tips for Pulled Pork Perfection

Here are some additional tips to ensure tender, juicy pulled pork using your Green Mountain Grill:

• Choose a flavorful pellet variety like hickory, apple, or maple to complement the pork.

• Use a disposable aluminum pan underneath to catch pork drippings for making sauce later.

• Spritz with apple juice every 45 mins after the first few hours to prevent the pork exterior from drying out.

• If the pork hits a temperature plateau around 160°F, don’t worry! Just power through until it reaches 200°+F.

• Letting it rest in a cooler keeps the pork piping hot for pulling and serving to guests.

• Mix the pulled pork and sauce in batches to control moisture and prevent it from getting soggy.

• Shred any unpulled chunks by hand rather than overmixing to maintain some texture.

With this complete guide to smoking pulled pork on a Green Mountain Grill, you’ll be able to achieve competition-worthy results in your own backyard. So fire up those pellets and start perfecting your pulled pork recipe today! Let us know how it turns out.