BBQ Pork Neck (Pulled Pork)

Name: Schweinehals BBQ
Total time: 12 h
Ingredients: 15 g Paprikapulver, edelsüß; 12 g Brauner Zucker; 10 g Salz (Meersalz); 6 g Schwarzer Pfeffer, grob; 5 g Knoblauchpulver; 5 g Zwiebelpulver; 2 g Cayennepfeffer; 3 g Kreuzkümmel, gemahlen

SmokingPorkHot SmokingHard12-16 hrs93-96°C110-125°CHickory + Apple

Pork neck is the classic cut for smoked pulled pork – well-marbled and ideal for long, low-and-slow cooking. A bold BBQ rub with paprika, sugar, and spices forms an aromatic crust (bark). After reaching the core temperature, the meat is pulled and served with BBQ sauce.

Ingredients(for 1 kg)

Sweet paprika powder15 g

Brown sugar12 g

Salt (sea salt)10 g

Black pepper, coarse6 g

Garlic powder5 g

Onion powder5 g

Cayenne pepper2 g

Cumin, ground3 g

Instructions

Applying the Rub

2–12 hours (resting time)

Thoroughly mix all rub ingredients. Thinly coat the pork neck with mustard or Worcestershire sauce as a binder, then generously apply the rub on all sides and massage in well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, ideally overnight.

Smoking (Low & Slow)

10–14 hours

Set the smoker to 110–125 °C with hickory and apple wood. Place the pork neck fat-side up. Smoke for the first 4–5 hours without opening. Afterwards, spritz every 45–60 minutes with an apple cider vinegar-water mixture (1:1). Wrap in butcher paper at the stall (72–75 °C) using the Texas Crutch method.

Finishing & Resting

1–2 hours (resting)

Smoke until core temperature reaches 93–96 °C – at this temperature the collagen fully breaks down and the meat is perfect for pulling. Remove from the smoker, keep wrapped in butcher paper, place in a cooler, and rest for 1–2 hours.

Pulling & Serving

15 minutes

Remove the meat from the wrapping and pull into fine shreds using two forks or meat claws. Remove any bones and larger fat pieces. Mix with your preferred BBQ sauce and serve immediately in burger buns, on fries, or with coleslaw.

Pro Tip

When the core temperature reaches approximately 72–75 °C, the meat may stall. Wrap in butcher paper (Texas Crutch) to push through this phase and raise the core temperature evenly.

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