smoked pork shoulder

This smoked pulled pork is pork shoulder coated in a homemade spice rub, then smoked until tender. Serve your pulled pork butt as-is, or pile it into a roll to make pulled pork sandwiches!

Smoked Pulled Pork

pork shoulder

yellow mustard

BBQ spice rub

apple juice

BBQ sauce

Preheat an electric smoker to 235 degrees F. Load the smoker with apple wood, cherry wood or hickory chips.

Evenly apply a thin layer of yellow mustard to the pork.&nbsp;&nbsp; Then sprinkle the rub all over the meat.

Place the roast in a disposable foil pan or directly on the smoker rack.

Cook for 2 hours.&nbsp; After 2 hours, brush the apple juice over the pork once per hour.

At the 4 hour mark, check the temperature of the meat. When the internal temperature is at 160 degrees F, brush with remaining apple juice or any drippings that have accumulated if you're cooking your meat in a pan. It can take around 5 hours to reach this temperature.

Wrap the meat in peach butcher paper or foil. Increase the smoker temperature to 250 degrees F.

Smoke the meat for another 3-4 hours or until the internal temperature registers at least 195 degrees F. Cook the meat to 205 degrees F if you prefer softer pulled pork.

Remove the meat from the smoker and let stand wrapped for 10 minutes and unwrapped for 5 minutes.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Shred the meat. Toss with BBQ sauce, then serve.

Smoked Pork Shoulder is a classic summertime BBQ recipe. Come check out my tried and true method for making Traeger Smoked Pulled Pork along with my 9 pro tips for the best smoked pork – I’m including my favorite pork shoulder brine and pulled pork rub.

The Best Smoked Pork Shoulder

Water

Kosher Salt

Brown Sugar

Peppercorn

Apple Cider

Worcestershire Sauce

Apple Cider Vinegar

Pork roast

-1/2 cup Pork Rub

In container large enough to fit the pork...

In container large enough to fit the pork shoulder covered with the brine, combine the hot water,  salt, brown sugar, and peppercorn.

Stir the ingredients until completely dissolved.

Add the cold apple cider, cold water, Worcestershire...

Add the cold apple cider, cold water, Worcestershire sauce, and apple cider vinegar. Stir until combined.

Let sit at room temperature and trim any...

Let sit at room temperature and trim any excessive fat from the outside of the pork shoulder. Discard the excess fat.

Score the pork by cutting a 4 line...

Score the pork by cutting a 4 line by 4 line tic tac toe pattern on both sides of the pork.

Place the pork in the brine, cover, and...

Place the pork in the brine, cover, and refrigerate for 24 hours.

Remove the pork from the brine.

Discard the brine and rinse the pork all...

Discard the brine and rinse the pork all over with cool water. Pat dry.

Place the pork shoulder on a large baking...

Place the pork shoulder on a large baking sheet and pat dry with paper towel.

Rub the pork rub all over the meat...

Rub the pork rub all over the meat on all sides, using more if needed to evenly cover the meat, or if you prefer more.

Place the pork on the baking sheet in...

Place the pork on the baking sheet in the refrigerator and let chill for 2 hours or up to overnight.

Prepare your smoker to a low heat setting.

On our Traeger, we use the "smoke" setting...

On our Traeger, we use the "smoke" setting (around 150-160 degrees F) and we either use Oak, Hickory, Apple,  or a blend of pellets for our wood.

Transfer the pork to the smoker.

Insert the probe of a digital meat thermometer...

Insert the probe of a digital meat thermometer that is safe for BBQing into the thickest part of the meat - make sure to avoid large fat deposits and the bone as they will cook hotter than surrounding meat and give false high readings on the thermometer.

Smoke on 150-160 degrees F for 4 hours.

After 4 hours, Increase the temperature to 250...

After 4 hours, Increase the temperature to 250 degrees F and continue to cook until the the meat thermometer registers 210-215 degrees F. Approximately 4 - 6 hours

When the pork has reached 210-215, remove from...

When the pork has reached 210-215, remove from the smoker and transfer to a clean baking sheet.

Power down the smoker according to manufacturer instructions.

Allow the pork to cool for 30 -...

Allow the pork to cool for 30 - 60 minutes, or until cool enough to handle.

Shred with two large forks or a pair...

Shred with two large forks or a pair of shredder claws.

How to smoke pork butt (pork shoulder), and a recipe for incredible smoked pulled pork. 

Smoked Pulled Pork (Pork Shoulder, Pork Butt)

8-10 lb pork shoulder,

Dijon mustard

brown sugar

salt

chili powder

smoked paprika

dry mustard

cumin

cayenne

garlic powder

onion powder

apple cider vinegar

water

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix. Use about 1/4 cup of the rub and store the remainder in a mason jar for up to six months.

For the Pork Dry Rub

Combine the apple cider vinegar and water in a food safe spray bottle.

For the Spritz

The night before cooking, prepare pork. Remove excess fat cap, and any glands. Pat dry with paper towel and then place onto a baking sheet, and inject the meat. Discard any liquid that pools in the pan and then pat dry the pork again.

Apply mustard and then dry rub thoroughly. If you don’t have time to do the night before try to apply at least an hour before cooking. You’ll see the rub begin to liquefy as the moisture connects with the meat.

Preheat smoker to 250 degrees Fahrenheit. We use apple or cherry wood. Insert a thermometer if you have a remote probe, and leave in place.

Place the pork fat cap side up (if you left the cap on) and smoke for about three hours. You’ll see a bark begin to develop, if it hasn&#x27;t continue smoking one more hour. After you see a mahogany color and bark, spritz (or spray) every 30 minutes. After about five hours total, check the temperature. When the pork hits on or around 165 degrees Fahrenheit, it’s likely coming out of the stall and ready to wrap. This will change from meat to meat, you will see the temperature hover and only go up in a few degrees per hour. It pushes through the stall when you start to see the temperature increase in a much faster pace (between 165 to 175).

As you complete the stall, (remove the thermometer at this point if you have one) place the pork shoulder into a pan, add a small amount (two tablespoons) of your spritz into the pan and wrap in foil tightly. Put the thermometer back in place.

Continue cooking wrapped until the internal temperature is between 200 and 203. Use an instant read thermometer. It should slide right in as if it is room temperature butter.

Remove from smoker (leave wrapped). Place into a cooler (with NO ice) and let it rest for an hour. It will act as a warmer and keep the pork warm for hours, so if you are planning an event, better to be done early and let it sit.

After one hour, remove from cooler and begin pulling. Remove the bone (it will just slide right out clean), and then pull with your favorite tool or with your hands. It is likely there will be some cartilage or other fatty pieces, be sure to pull those out (it’s not a good texture).

You may also opt to add a few tablespoons of BBQ sauce to mix in as well, or just top your pulled pork sandwiches with it. See BBQ sauce in notes, and also a link below the video.

How to Smoke Pork Shoulder

If you want delicious Smoked Pork Shoulder but don&#039;t want to stay up all night tending to a fire this is the pulled pork recipe for you!

Smoked Pork Shoulder

lbs Pork Shoulder (8-10 average size)

BBQ Dry Rub

tbsp Yellow Mustard

Preheat Smoker to 200 Degrees F.

Brush a light coating of mustard on the pork shoulder then season liberally on all sides. then refridgerate until youre ready to smoke.

Places the pork shoulder on the smoker on the opposite side from the heat source of the smoker. Let the pork shoulder smoke over night for 6-8 hours. You can monitor the pork temp using a wifi thermeter probe or just check every 4 hours until morning.

Once the pork reaches and internal temp of 155-175 degrees F. you can wrap the pork shoulder in 2 layers of heavy duty aluminum foil.

Raise the temp of the pellet smoker to 225 degrees F. and continue cooking until you reach an internal temperature of around 200 degrees F.

Use the probe to check for tenddrness of the pork. It should goi in with almost no resistance. If it feels tight keep cooking.

Once tender open the foil up and let the pork breath for 10 minutes then wrap it back up and place in a dry cooler covered with a towel to rest for at least 1 hour (up to 5 hours)

After rested remove the pork from the cooler and shred

One of our most popular pork recipes. We take a bone-in pork shoulder roast and smoke it to perfection on a pellet grill.  Whether you have a Traeger, Pit Boss, or other pellet grill, this is the easiest way to make fantastic Carolina Style Pulled Pork.

Pulled Pork on a Pellet Grill

pork butt:

mustard

Garlic-Maple Pork Injection

SPG Rub

Honey BBQ Rub

Apple juice

Aluminum foil or peach butcher paper

Disposable aluminum pan (9" x 9")

Remove excess knobs of fat and reduce the fat cap to 1/4" thick.

Combine injection ingredients and slowly inject the pork roast with marinade. Wipe away any spillage with paper towels. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and place pork butt into the refrigerator for 4-12 hours.

After the pork has marinated, remove it from the fridge, and unwrap.

Optional step 1: Score the fat cap of your pork butt with a sharp knife.

Optional step 2: Apply a thin coating of mustard or mustard-Worcestershire sauce mixture to the pork roast.

Rub: Next, season pork with SPG rub first, then coat it with the Honey BBQ Rub. Let the meat stand at room temperature while you prepare your grill.

Preheat your pellet grill for 225 degrees F.

Plan on anywhere from 7-10 hours or roughly 1 hour per pound of meat. This is a very rough estimate, as each pork butt cooks differently. So, we advise going into this with an open mind. You might have the perfect pulled pork in 7 hours, or it might take 10 hours. The most important rule of good BBQ pork is not to rush the process.

Once your pellet grill reaches 225 degrees F, place the seasoned pork butt onto the grill, scored side up. Close the lid and cook for 4 hours until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.

Remove your pork butt from the pellet grill and place it into a disposable aluminum pan.

Increase the heat of your pellet smoker to 275 degrees F.

Add roughly 1/3 cup of apple juice to the pan. Wrap the pan tightly with foil and return it to the smoker.

Once the internal temperature of the meat reaches 195-205 degrees F, your pork butt is done.

Remove the covered smoked pork from your pellet grill. Leave it wrapped and cover it with dry kitchen towels to keep it warm. Let the pork rest for 45 minutes to 1 hour. If you need to rest it longer, leave it wrapped place it into a clean cooler for 2-3 hours. Insulate the with towels.

Once rested, unwrap the pork. If there is a lot of liquid in the pan, drain it into a bowl or liquid measuring cup. Reserve it. You will need the juices later on.

We recommend using heat resistant-food safe gloves for "pulling" the pork.

Remove the large bone from the pork butt and any large clumps of fat.

Break apart the meat, and hand pull the pork. Most of the roast will be incredibly tender and require little effort. You can also use the two-fork method if preferred.

Add remaining reserved juices as needed and serve immediately.

If serving for a long duration, consider placing your pulled pork in a warmer, with extra pulled pork jus.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

A pork shoulder or butt that is smoothered in yellow mustard then rubbed with a delicious homemade seasoning then smoked low and slow. Tender, fall about pork for pulled pork!

moked Pork Butt

8-10 lb pork butt (or shoulder, can be bone-in or boneless)

Tbsp prepared yellow mustard

c. Homemade Sweet & Smoky Rub

Preheat your pellet grill to 225 degrees F.&nbsp;

Remove 1 Tbsp Sweet &amp; Smoky Rub for later.

Take your pork shoulder roast and wipe it down with a paper towel. Make sure to clean off any small bone fragments and extra liquid.&nbsp;

Take your yellow mustard and cover pork shoulder roast with it. Then season your pork shoulder roast with the Sweet &amp; Smoky Rub. Make sure the entire pork shoulder roast is completely covered with seasoning.&nbsp;

Place the pork shoulder roast on pellet grill in the middle of the grate.&nbsp;

Close the lid and  smoke the pork until it reaches an internal temperature of 195 degrees F. You can smoke it until it reaches 201 degrees F if you like a softer pork.&nbsp; This will take between 15-20 hours depending on the size of your pork shoulder and the ability of your smoker to achieve a consistent temperature. Yes, it will take this long! I doubted it but it will!

Remove the&nbsp;pork shoulder roast from the smoker when it reaches desired temperature and wrap in tinfoil. Let rest for 1 hour. After 1 hour pull apart&nbsp;pork shoulder roast. Sprinkle the pulled pork with reserved Sweet &amp; Smoky Rub and toss to mix.&nbsp;

This smoked pork platter takes a bit of prep, but it's 100% worth it! Serve with pineapple, avocado, fried plantains, and mojo sauce.

Smoked Pork Platter with Mojo Sauce and Pineapple

black pepper

coconut sugar (optional)

paprika

oregano

chipotle powder

pork shoulder roast

wood chips

orange juice (about 2 oranges)

extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil

lime juice

garlic cloves, finely minced

extra virgin olive oil

yellow-green plantains

pineapple

avocados

The night prior to smoking, Remove pork shoulder from the fridge. Combine salt, black pepper, coconut sugar, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, mustard, oregano, and chipotle powder in a medium-sized bowl. Rub the spice mixture all over the pork shoulder, being sure to reach every nook and cranny. Wrap the pork shoulder in plastic wrap and return to the fridge overnight.

The next day, prepare the grill or smoker. Soak the wood chips for at least a half hour. If using a gas grill, add the soaked wood chips to a packet of aluminum foil and poke holes in the top. Put the aluminum foil packet under the grates on one side of the grill. Turn on that side of the grill, keeping the other side off. Heat the grill to approximately 250 degrees F. Unwrap the pork shoulder and place on the unheated side of the grill (opposite the wood chips) over a drip pan. Cook for at least 10 hours, maintaining the temperature around 250 degrees F. Resist the urge to open the cover and check on the pork until the 8-9 hour mark! Check the internal temperature of the pork with a thermometer. Once the internal temperature reaches 195-205 degrees, it’s done. Turn off the grill and let the pork shoulder rest for at least 10 minutes. Slice or shred the pork.

When the pork is close to done, prepare the mojo sauce and the rest of the platter. In a medium bowl, combine orange juice, olive oil, lime juice, garlic, and oregano. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Peel and slice the plantains. Add them to the skillet, cooking for 4-5 minutes on each side. Remove from the skillet and season with salt.

Core and slice the pineapple. Halve an avocado, remove the pit, and slice the avocado. Squeeze on some lime juice to prevent early browning.

Serve everything on a platter, arranging the plantains, pineapple slices, and avocado slices around the smoked park and a bowl of mojo sauce.

Thanks for the recipe. I love smoked pork. I will definitely try. Looks very tasty.

A smoked pork butt (smoked pork shoulder) is probably one of the most rewarding things to smoke. You get so much delicious pulled pork.

Smoked Pork Butt (Smoked Pork Shoulder)

Bone-In Pork Butt (also called Pork Shoulder)

Yellow mustard

Rump Shaker All-Purpose BBQ Rub,

Apple cider vinegar

Prep the smoker

Preheat smoker to 250°F. Most pellet grills don’t need it, but you can add a pan of water in the corner of the smoker to keep moisture inside.

Trim the pork butt

Trim any excess fat or loose ends of pork. You can remove the fat cap completely or trim it down to a thin 1/4” layer.

Slather with mustard

Rub a thin, even coating of yellow mustard on all sides of the pork.

Rub your butt

Combine dry rub ingredients and sprinkle a thick, even coating on pork butt on all sides. This can be done the night before by wrapping in plastic wrap and storing in the fridge until ready to smoke.

Let rub adhere to pork butt

Let the pork shoulder sit out on the counter for 1 hour to let the meat come to room temperature and the rub to adhere well. This will ensure a more even cook.

Let's get smoking

Add pork butt to smoker grate and smoke at 250°F until it hits an internal temperature of 165°F in the thickest part of the shoulder, approximately 4-6 hours.

Spritz the pork butt

Each hour after the first 3 hours, open up the smoker and spritz pork butt. Make sure your spray bottle is set to spray in a light, even mist and not a direct blast of the liquid. You just want to moisten the pork, not soak it.

Wrap the pork butt

When the pork reaches 165°F degrees in the thickest part, remove it from the smoker, lay it in the center of 2 pieces of heavy duty aluminum foil, spritz heavily one more time with the spray bottle, and then wrap the foil tightly around the pork. You could also put the pork butt in an aluminum pan and cover with aluminum foil.

Return the pork butt to the smoker

Return the wrapped pork butt to the smoker and smoke at 250°F for approximately 4 more hours. The smoked pork butt is done when the internal temperature is between 200°F-205°F and the meat thermometer slides in &amp; out like a knife slicing through room temperature butter - barely any resistance. I find that this usually occurs around 203°F, but all meat is different.

Remove pork butt and rest

Remove pork from smoker and keep pork wrapped while it rests for a minimum of 30 minutes and up to 2 hours. You can keep in warmer long bu placing it in an insulated cooler.

Separate the juices

Unwrap the foil and pour the juices into a gravy separator or bowl until you can see the fat separated from the jus. If you're not using a fat separator, carefully spoon off the fat from the top of the jus.

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Top 9 smoked pork shoulder recipes from across the web

The most viewed smoked pork shoulder recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Smoked Pulled Pork

The Best Smoked Pork Shoulder

Smoked Pulled Pork (Pork Shoulder, ...

Smoked Pork Shoulder

Pulled Pork on a Pellet Grill

moked Pork Butt

Smoked Pork Platter with Mojo Sauce...

Smoked Pork Butt (Smoked Pork Shoul...

Smoked Pork Shoulder

The most viewed smoked pork shoulder recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine