Mastering Flavorful Pulled Pork on Your Kamado Grill: A Step-by-Step Guide

Pulled pork is a quintessential BBQ dish that captures the smoky, tender goodness we all crave from low-and-slow cooking. When made right, pulled pork melts in your mouth and hits all the right notes – smoky, savory, slightly sweet and perfectly seasoned. While delicious, perfecting pulled pork requires patience and the right cooking techniques

Kamado grills like the Kamado Joe are ideal for pulled pork. Their ceramic construction holds heat extremely well while providing versatile temperature control. This allows you to smoke low and slow all day to tenderize the pork and infuse it with flavor.

In this guide, I’ll walk through step-by-step how to make competition-worthy pulled pork on your Kamado grill. Let’s get started!

Choosing the Right Cut of Pork

The best cuts of pork for pulled pork are the shoulder and butt. They contain plenty of fat and connective tissue that breaks down during the long, slow cooking process, leaving you with succulent fall-apart meat. The two most common options are

• Pork butt (also called Boston butt) This comes from the upper shoulder/neck region. It contains a good amount of fat, which keeps the meat moist. Pork butts usually weigh 6-8 lbs.

• Pork shoulder (also called pork picnic): This comes from the lower portion of the front leg. It’s a bit leaner than the butt overall but still has great flavor. Pork shoulders weigh 4-8 lbs.

Either one makes fantastic pulled pork, so choose based on what’s available and fits your budget. Plan on 1⁄2 pound of uncooked meat per person. So a 6-8 lb cut will feed 10-16 people with leftovers.

Prepping the Meat

To prep the pork for the Kamado:

• Trim excess fat: Leave about 1⁄4 inch of the fat cap intact but trim off any thick fat deposits. This ensures you get good flavor without large unrendered pieces.

• Apply a dry rub: Coat all sides liberally with a pork-friendly dry rub. Let it sit for at least 30 minutes so the spices permeate the meat.

• Prepare drip pan: Place a disposable foil pan on the grill below the pork to catch drippings. Add 1-2 cups of water, apple cider, fruit juice or beer to keep things moist.

Setting Up the Kamado Grill

To set up the Kamado for optimal pulled pork:

• Use indirect heat: Set up your grill for indirect cooking by banking charcoal to one side. The pork should sit over the empty side so it cooks from radiant heat, not direct flames.

• Get to 225-250°F: Kamados excel at holding low, steady temps. Shoot for 225-250°F to break down the pork’s collagen. Don’t be afraid to start lower and increase heat if needed.

• Add smoking wood: Use your favorite smoking wood like hickory, oak or apple. Soak chunks for 30-60 minutes before adding to the charcoal. Wood provides that quintessential smoky flavor.

• Use a water pan: Fill a disposable foil pan with water and place it opposite the coals. This provides moisture so the pork stays juicy.

Cooking Technique

With your Kamado prepped, it’s time to put the pork on:

• Place pork fat-side up: Putting the fat cap upwards allows it to slowly render and baste the meat.

• Cook until 205°F internal temp: Track the internal temp, not time. Pull the pork at 205°F for ultimate tenderness. This takes 1-1.5 hours per pound.

• Spritz periodically: A spray bottle with apple juice/cider vinegar gives added moisture and flavor if desired.

• Power through the stall: Don’t panic if the temp stalls around 150-170°F. This is normal as collagen breaks down. Just stay patient!

• Rest before pulling: Once 205°F is hit, remove pork and let rest 30-60 minutes wrapped in foil before pulling. This allows juices to reabsorb.

Pulling, Serving and Leftovers

You’re almost to pork perfection! To complete the masterpiece:

• Pull by hand: Use bear claws or forks to shred, removing any unsavory bits. The meat should pull easily and look dark, moist and juicy.

• Season again: Mix in your favorite BBQ sauce or more dry rub to taste. The pork will soak up the flavors!

• Serve on buns: Pile high on hamburger buns or sandwiches. Don’t forget sides like slaw, beans, potatoes and pickles!

• Save leftovers: Store pulled pork 3-4 days refrigerated. Reheat gently before serving again. It also freezes well up to 3 months.

Tips for Pulled Pork Perfection

Here are some additional tips for taking your pulled pork to the next level:

• Play with rub flavors. A brown sugar or coffee rub adds nice richness.

• Try different wood types for subtle smoke flavor changes. Cherry and pecan are nice alternatives.

• Vary your BBQ sauce – tomato, vinegar, mustard and more complement pork well.

• Garnish with freshly chopped onion, cilantro, bbq sauce drizzle for extra flair.

• Shred some pork into mac and cheese, omelets, potatoes or pizza for inventive leftovers.

• Pull and freeze pork in meal-size portions for quick weeknight dinners.

Thanks to its versatility and precision heat control, the Kamado Joe is my grill of choice for juicy, smoky pulled pork. Follow this guide and you’ll turn out competition-quality ‘cue with delicious bark and a tender, melt-in-your-mouth interior. Experiment with different woods, rubs and sauces until you dial in your ideal flavors. Then sit back and enjoy the fruits of your smoking labor alongside an ice-cold beer. Once you master this recipe, pulled pork on your Kamado will be a regular star at all your gatherings.