Total Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Cook Time: 10-12 hours
Servings: 6-10+ servings
Level of Difficulty: 3
(Levels 1-5, with 5 being the most difficult)
Recipe by Brandyn Baker @blackdog_bbq
Ingredients:
- 1 (8-10 lbs.) bone-in pork shoulder
- 1 C BBQ Rub + more to taste
- 1 (12 oz.) bag frozen dark cherries, thawed & halved
- ¾ C peached, diced
- ½ C hot pepper jelly
- 1 jalapeno, diced & deseeded
- 1 lime, zested & juiced
- 1/3 bunch cilantro
- 1/3 bunch chives
- Salt to taste
- 2 C pancake mix
- ½ C water
- ¼ C cormeal
- Oil as needed
For the Cherry Salsa:
- Add cherries and next 6 ingredients to a bowl. Mix until well combined. Season with salt to taste & refrigerate until ready to use.
For the Pulled Pork:
- Preheat grill or smoker to 275 degrees. Meanwhile, take out the pork shoulder and trim any excess fat. Next, scour the fat cap in a crosshatch pattern (this helps to increase the surface area, allowing better seasoning and the fat cap to crisp up a little more). Finally, season liberally with your favorite BBQ rub on all sides until well coated.
- Once the grill has reached the desired temperature, add the pork shoulder fat side up. After about 4-5 hours, start to check the pork shoulder. Once it registers, 170-175 degrees, remove it from the grill. Wrap the pork shoulder tightly in aluminum foil and place back on the grill to finish.
- Once the internal temperature reaches ~205 degrees and a thermometer slides in and out like butter (probe tender), remove the pork shoulder from the grill and shut down the grill.
- Allow it to rest until the internal temperature falls to ~140 degrees, then shred to desired consistency.
For the Pulled Pork Griddle Cakes:
- Preheat griddle to 325 degrees and season with oil as needed.
- Meanwhile, take 1 C (or a large handful) of pulled pork and chop finely.
- Place pancake mix, cornmeal, and water in a bowl and mix until combined (note: I add the cornmeal to add a little bit of crispiness to the pancakes. If you prefer a more traditional pancake, omit this ingredient). Fold in the finely chopped pork until evenly dispersed.
- Once the griddle is preheated, add the prepared pancake mix in ¼ C increments (this can be adjusted to preference). Once bubbles start to form on the top and the bottoms are golden brown, flip the pancakes. After a minute or two, start checking the tops of the flipped pancakes with your finger. Once the pancake springs back up once pressed in the center, they are done and can be taken off the griddle. Repeat this process with the remaining pancakes.
- Remove all finished pancakes from the griddle and shut off the heat source.
To Finish:
- Plate the pancakes with more pulled pork if desired and top with cherry salsa. Serve & enjoy!