Pulled Pork Sandwiches

In Texas, beef is king of barbecue, so it was no surprise that my search for the best "Texas Style" pulled pork recipes led me across state lines. I found Carolina style, and North Carolina style, I found pulled pork in Alabama, Tennessee and Georgia and even some recipes that claim to be "southern style", but no true traditional "Texas Style" pulled pork.

I searched Google, I search Wikipedia, I searched food blogs, recipe books and even restaurant websites, but still, no pulled pork recipes claiming to be "Texas Style".

So I ask myself this, What is pulled pork?

Answer: Pulled pork is more of a method of cooking pork, rather than a specific style. The specific claim to style or flavor comes from the sauces and/or the way its served in different regions.

In all the recipes I found, all use pork butt or Boston butt cooked over slow, smoky heat for an extended period of time, slowly softening the connective tissues of the meat so that it can be pulled apart by hand. Once pulled apart, the pork is then mixed with barbecue sauce held warm till served.

Jack Daniel's Whiskey Wood Smoked Pork Chops

Today is a short journey to the smoky goodness of Jack Daniel's Whiskey Wood Smoked Pork Chops. Although the total time should take around 4 hours, its relatively a short time when considering that most recipes require brining and smoking meats for 2 or 3 times as long. Using an acidic brine and butcher cut pork chops instead of working with a whole bone-in pork loin will allow for the total brining and smoking time to be cut in half.

Ingredients:

Meat/Cut: Pork Chops, 1" - 1 1/2" Thick Cut
Wood Type: Jack Daniel's Whiskey Wood Barrel Chips
Brine Type: Acidic

Brine Ingredients:
1 Gallon Cold Water
1 Cup Salt
1 1/2 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
1 Cup Brown Sugar
1 Tablespoon Mustard Powder
1 Tablespoon Whole Black Peppercorns

Total Time: Approx. 4 Hours