Step-by-Step Pulled Pork — Weekend Cookout

This summer, Food Network’s Grilling Central is packed with recipes for the entire family’s taste buds, boasting the best in burgers, dogs, chicken and more all season long. But with so many recipes, where do you start? Each weekend, FN Dish is giving you a complete menu that is stress-free, and the star of this weekend’s spread is tender, juicy pulled pork sandwiches.
The sweet, smoky flavor, the fall-apart-tender meat and the tangy, sticky sauce — you’ve surely enjoyed traditional barbecued pulled pork sandwiches at restaurants, but thanks to the Neelys’ recipe and step-by-step photos from Food Network Magazine, you can now re-create that tried-and-true taste at home. One 10- to 12-pound pork shoulder will make up to 12 sandwiches, so this top-rated recipe is perhaps the ultimate big-batch dish to feed a crowd; plus, the Neelys’ signature barbecue sauce is more smoky than it is spicy, so it’s a sandwich fit for kids and grownups alike.

Pat and Gina rely on a few key steps to turn out their five-star pork, the first being a simple spice rub of paprika, sugar and onion powder. Before it hits the grill, the meat marinates in this mixture, which acts as the first of many layers of flavor on the pork. Combine the bold flavor from rub with the Neelys’ second and third secrets of success — their hickory wood chips and homemade barbecue sauce, respectively — and the result will be a deliciously classic rendition of a summertime staple. Browse these photos to see Pat and Gina make their recipe at home.