Pulled Pork Szechuan Style - No BBQ Sauce Needed!
Author: 
Recipe type: Two Zone - Direct and indirect heat
Serves: 6 to 8
 
Ingredients
  • For the pork:
  • 3 pounds pork butt
  • ¼ cup soy sauce
  • ¼ cup rice vinegar
  • 2 Tablespoons peanut oil
  • 1 Tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry
  • 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon Szechuan peppercorns, toasted and ground
  •  -
  • For the sauce:
  • 1 Tablespoon peanut oil
  • 1 Tablespoon Szechuan peppercorns
  • 1 Tablespoon peeled and grated ginger
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 1 Fresno chile or Serrano chile, seeded and minced
  • 1 cup pork, chicken or vegetable stock
  • 3 Tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry
  • 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
  • ½ teaspoon Chinese 5-spice powder
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon water (called a slurry)
  •  -
  • For crushed peanut topping:
  • ¼ cup salted peanuts, crushed
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon Chinese 5-spice powder
  •  -
  • For Serving:
  • King's Hawaiian Sweet Rolls or slider buns, split
  • Chives, cut into ½-inch pieces
  • Fresh cilantro springs
  • Sriracha chili sauce
  •  -
  • Extras:
  • Bull Cast Iron Grill Humidifiers or metal bread pan
Instructions
  1. Place pork butt in a large zip-top bag. Stir together the marinade ingredients until completely combined; pour into bag with pork. Squeeze air from bag and sea; marinate in refrigerator overnight or at least 4 hours. About an hour before cooking, remove from fridge and let come to room temperature .
  2. Set up grill for direct high heat and make sure you have enough gas in the tank. Brush and oil the grates and then brown the meat well on all sides - a little char is good! Now this step is totally optional, but I think that it really enhances the flavor. After all, if you were cooking a roast in the oven you'd brown it, right?
  3. Remove the roast from the heat and set up the grill for indirect cooking with medium-low heat. Return the pork, fat side up, back to the grill and place humidifiers or bread pan along side. Fill humidifiers with water, leftover stock and/or Shaoxing wine (I used stock and wine). Close the grill cover and stabilize the temperature around 300°F. Total cooking time will be 4 to 6 hours depending on the size of the roast and how often the grill cover is opened. The pork will be ready and falling off the bone tender when the internal temperature reaches 195°F. Remove the roast from the grill and wrap in aluminum for for 15 to 20 minutes.
  4. For the sauce: Remember mise en place! Heat 1 tablespoon of peanut oil in a large saucepan (or small wok) over high heat. Just when it begins to smoke, add the Szechuan peppercorns, ginger, garlic, and chile; stir fry for 30 seconds. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and that's it.
  5. For the crushed peanut topping: Crush the peanuts, brown sugar and 5-spice together in a mortar and pestle until crumbly... a mini-chop, food processor, or a zip-top bag and a skillet work just as well!
  6. Unwrap the pork and remove the the fat cap and any pieces of skin. Using your hands or a couple of forks, pull meat apart into strands ¼- to ⅛-inch wide and a couple inches long. Transfer pork and any juices to the saucepan and stir to combine. Now go build yourself some deliciousness!!
Recipe by Grilling Outdoor Recipes powered by Bull Outdoor Products at https://blog.bullbbq.com/pulled-pork-szechuan-style-no-bbq-sauce-needed/