Bourbon and Coke Pulled Pork Recipe for your Labor Day Party

Bourbon (and Coke) pulled pork sandwiches for Kentucky

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 gallon water
• 1/2 cup salt
• 2 tablespoons crushed red pepper
• 1 ten pound pork shoulder (Boston butt)
• game rub (recipe below)
• 12 ounces coca-cola
• 12 ounces bourbon
• 8 Hawaiian Rolls

METHOD:

Mix water, salt, and crushed red pepper to make brine for the pork. Brine pork in refrigerator for 6 hours. Preheat oven to 215 degrees. Remove pork from brine and pat dry. Season pork with rub heavily. Place pork in roasting pan and pour bourbon and coke in bottom of pan. Cover with foil shiny side out and place in Primo Grill. Cook in Primo Grill for 11 hours. Remove and serve.

And here is the same basic recipe but with more details from another source:

Bourbon and Coca-Cola Pork Shoulder

Recipe by Tim Love, executive chef of the Lonesome Dove Western Bistro in Forth Worth, TX

What you’ll need:

a 10-pound pork shoulder (AKA Boston butt)
1 gallon water
½ cup salt
2 Tbsp red-pepper flakes
1 can Coca-Cola
1 1/2 cups bourbon
Game rub (recipe below)

Tim Love’s Game Rub

Mix together the following in a jar and store in the refrigerator for up to six months.

½ cup kosher salt
½ cup freshly ground pepper
½ cup pure chile powder, such as guajillo
1/4 cup ground cumin
1/4 cup fresh thyme leaves
1/4 cup fresh rosemary, finely chopped

How to make it:
1. In a large pot or medium-sized cooler, mix water, salt, and red-pepper flakes to make brine for the pork. Brine the pork in refrigerator for at least six hours or overnight.

2. Heat  your grill to 220°F*. Remove the pork from the brine, pat dry, and heavily season the pork with game rub. Place the pork in roasting pan or cast iron skillet and pour the Coke and bourbon into the bottom of pan or skillet. Cover loosely with foil, shiny side out, and place the pork on the cooler side of grill.

3. Keep the fire consistent at 220°F.  You may have to raise or lower the fire accordingly. Feed the fire with pre-soaked smoker chips, if you’re using. Cook the pork until a dark crust develops and the interior temperature reaches 145°F, about 6 hours, flipping the shoulder in the pan halfway through. Remove, slice and serve.