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Most of my recipes are traditional flavors and methods, but sometimes I like to try something new. With fall in the air and all this talk of pumpkin spice, why not grill some pumpkin. Better yet, make Pumpkin pulled pork! The flavors did not disappoint. You get the savoriness of the pork with a mild pumpkin flavor and hints of apple, cinnamon and all spice that make you scream yum and dig for more.
Table of Contents
Step 1: Prep the pork
This recipe is definitely not a last minute dinner choice. It is a process that needs time and patience for the meat to cook through nice and slowly while containing the tenderness and flavorfulness of the pork throughout.
Because of the vessel used to cook this meal, make sure to purchase a smaller pork shoulder. I don’t recommend anything larger than 5-6 pounds. To get started, score the fat cap on the pork shoulder, coat with Worcestershire sauce which will work as a binder and season with Dad’s All Purpose rub.
Don’t be shy with the seasoning. The shoulder is a large chunk of meat, so make sure to coat it heavily on all sides. Some of the spice will burn off during the cooking process.
Recipe Tip
Use hot sauce or yellow mustard as binder substitutes if you don’t have Worcestershire sauce on hand.
Pat the seasoning down vs. rubbing to avoid any of the spice from falling off.
If short on time, use a boneless shoulder to speed up the process.
Leave the seasoned pork shoulder at room temperature for about 30 minutes and allow it to sweat. This process opens up the meat to absorb all those wonderful spices.
Dad’s Seasonings
Must have grillin seasonings!
Step 2: Direct smoke first
Preheat the smoker to 250 degrees and set for indirect heat. Place the seasoned pork shoulder on the grill and cook it until the internal temp of the protein reaches 170 degrees.
Depending on the size of the shoulder, you should estimate 1.5 hours/lb. Total cooking process will last 7-9 hours.
For the first 2 hours, leave the pork on the smoker and let the grill do its magic. After that, spray the pork shoulder with apple cider vinegar every hour. This helps keep the meat moist.
After about 4 -5 hours or when the internal temperature of the pork reaches 170 degrees, it’s time to wrap it up.
Step 3: Wrap or pumpkin it
This is where the traditional approach changes. Instead of wrapping the smoked pork shoulder in butcher paper, foil or pan, I decided to use a hollow pumpkin as the cooking vessel.
Recipe Tip
- When looking for a pumpkin, make sure it will fit on your grill when closed. That is why it is also very important for the size of the shoulder to not be too big or else it won’t fit inside.
Start by cutting off the top of the pumpkin so you have enough space to inset the pork. If you don’t have a pumpkin scooper left from Halloween, take a handheld mixer and start twisting out the seeds and membrane. It’s less messy, fast and fun.
Once the smoked pork internal temperature reaches 170 degrees, place the pork shoulder in the pumpkin. In a mixing bowl, add apple cider, brown sugar, cinnamon, all spice and nutmeg. Whisk the ingredients together and pour it over the pork shoulder. These fall flavors are perfect on pork with sweet and savory notes that will only enhance the flavor of the meat. Close the pumpkin and set it back on the grill for another 2-3 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 204 degrees. In addition to the internal temperature, test the tenderness of the meat by doing a probe test which should go into the pork shoulder without any resistance.
Remove the pumpkin pork from the grill and let it rest for 1 hour before shredding. Mix the the shredded meat with all the juices inside the pumpkin, serve and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions:
No, just depends what your grocery store or butcher have. Bone-in will take slightly longer to cook vs. boneless but will provide more flavor. Bone-in also cooks more evenly. Boneless may have some well done parts since it’s not evenly shaped due to the bone being removed.
I prefer to use foil over butcher paper because it helps retain all the moisture which keeps the pork nice and tender. I use a foil pan to fold the shoulder, then wrap the top with a foil sheet.
Printer friendly recipe
Pumpkin Pulled Pork
Ingredients
- 1 Large pumpkin
- 5-6 lb Pork shoulder
- 1 cup Apple cider
- 1/4 cup Dad's all purpose rub
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp Cinnamon powder
- 1 tbsp Nutmeg
- 1 tbsp All spice
- 1 tbsp Brown sugar
Instructions
- Remove the pork shoulder from the packaging, pat it dry and score the fat cap.
- Coat the entire pork shoulder with Worcestershire sauce and season with Dad's all purpose rub. Be sure to get all sides and edges.
- Set up the grill for indirect heat at 250 degrees and place the seasoned pork shoulder directly on the grates.
- After 2 hours on the smoker, occasionally spritz the pork with apple cider vinegar.
- Once the internal temperature of the pork reaches 170 degrees, remove the pork off the grill.
- Cut off the top from a pumpkin and scoop out the insides and seeds. Be sure the opening is large enough to fit the pork shoulder. Place the pork shoulder inside the pumpkin.
- In a mixing bowl, add apple cider, brown sugar, cinnamon, all spice and nutmeg. Whisk the ingredients together and pour it inside the pumpkin over the pork shoulder.
- Close the pumpkin and set it back on the grill for another 2-3 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 204 degrees and the meat is probe tender.
- Remove the pumpkin pork from the grill and let it rest, covered for an hour. Shred the meat and mix with all the juices inside the pumpkin. Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition
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