For generations, great barbecue has been defined by patience, smoke, and a careful respect for tradition. But in today’s fast-paced world, not everyone has 14 hours to tend a smoker.

That’s where the microwave comes in.

In this series, Low and Slow, we explore how careful microwave technique can produce barbecue that is nearly indistinguishable from something you would immediately throw away.

Tender Apple Cider Pork Shoulder

Ingredients

1 8-10 pound pork shoulder

1 roll of paper towels (optional but recommended for safety reasons)

Ignorami Pork Shoulder Rub

2 cups apple cider vinegar

Ignorami Tangy BBQ Sauce (for serving)

Steps

  1. Trim excess fat from the pork shoulder. Because microwaves cook from the inside out, excess fat can render unevenly and create what pitmasters refer to as “pocket grease.”
  2. Set your microwave to low power, and place the pork butt directly on the microwave tray. Start the microwave for an hour (and again, on LOW; this is important for tender meat!) 
  3. For many microwaves, an entire pork shoulder will be heavy enough to prevent the tray from rotating, which can cause uneven cooking. At the end of the first hour, using oven mitts, you'll want to rotate the pork shoulder exactly 20 degrees clockwise to ensure even microwave exposure. Use a paper towel to soak up any juices that have spilled onto the microwave tray!
  4. Repeat step 3 at least 8 times, until the pork has an internal temperature of 150 degrees.
  5. Take the pork out, and place it in an aluminum pan. Add the apple cider vinegar, and place the pan back in the microwave on LOW power for another hour.
  6. After an hour, check the temperature; we're trying to get it up to 200 degrees now. If it's not there, rotate the pan exactly 20 degrees clockwise and put it back in for an hour.
  7. Repeat step 6 until it's at temp, or until you can easily get through the grey parts of the meat with a fork! At this stage, the meat should have developed a grey exterior known among microwave enthusiasts as “indoor bark.”
  8. Once it's at temp, we add the Ignorami Pork Shoulder Rub. We do this at the end because the microwave will often burn any rub put on the outside of the meat earlier in the cook. 
  9. Shred the meat using forks or something similar; you may notice some parts of the meat that are grey, brown, or still pink; this is completely normal. Mix the shredded meat together thoroughly to distribute these color variations more evenly throughout the dish.
  10. Add Ignorami Tangy BBQ Sauce and serve on buns, over rice, or directly from the microwave tray while it's still warm. 

Chef’s Note: Cooking times may vary depending on microwave wattage and the structural integrity of your kitchen. Legally speaking, we recommend you don't put aluminum in your microwave.