smoked pork butt

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.

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

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;

Discover the tips and techniques for create championship quality pork butt or pork shoulder from competition BBQ champion Tuffy Stone of Cool Smoke Barbecue. And watch the video here by Danielle &quot;Diva Q&quot; Bennett.

Award Winning Competition Pork Butt Recipe

turbinado sugar

kosher salt,

Smoked Chili Powder ((recipe below))

cumin,

cayenne pepper

black pepper

garlic

onion

Greek oregano

Butcher’s BBQ pork injection powder

xanthan gum

Cool Smoke Rub

Pork Injection

pork

apple juice,

Cool Smoke Barbecue Sauce

ketchup

dark brown sugar

white vinegar

molasses

Worcestershire sauce

Smoked Chili Powder ((recipe above))

sweet paprika

Prep. To prepare the Cool Smoke Rub, combine all of the ingredients in a medium bowl and mix all the ingredients together thoroughly. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place until ready to use.

For the smoked chili powder, combine all of the ingredients in a medium bowl and mix all the ingredients together thoroughly. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place until ready to use.

To create the pork injection, thoroughly whisk all the ingredients together in a medium bowl. The injection will keep in refrigerator for up to 5 days.

On a clean work surface, use a shaker to dust the pork shoulder evenly all over with the Cool Smoke Rub. Place the pork fat-cap down and fill a meat injector with the Pork Injection. Using 1 ounce (29.6 mL) of the liquid per injection, repeatedly inject the meat 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart over the surface of the pork. Refill the injector as needed. Refrigerate, uncovered, overnight.

Fire up. When you are ready to cook, heat the smoker to 300°F (148.9°C) pit temperature. Alternatively, heat the grill to 300°F (148.9°C), using the 2-zone setup, using five or six chunks of your favorite wood in addition to the charcoal or gas.

Cook. Place the pork shoulder in the smoker, or on the cool side of the grill, close the lid, and cook for 1 hour, then spray with apple juice to moisten. Cook for 3 hours more with the lid closed, spraying the shoulder every 30 minutes.

Cut two 18 x 24-inch (46 x 64 cm) pieces of heavy-duty aluminum foil and join them lengthwise by crimping the edges. Lay the resulting piece out flat on a clean work surface.

Remove the shoulder from the smoker or grill and wrap it tightly in the length of foil. Return it to the smoker or to the cool side of the grill. Cook for 2½ to 3½ hours more, checking the temperature after 2½ hours with a meat thermometer. The meat will be done when a thermometer placed in the thickest part of the shoulder reads an internal temperature of 195°F (90.6°C).

Prep again. Prepare the Cool Smoke Barbecue Sauce. In a 4-quart (.9 L) saucepan, whisk together all the ingredients with ¾ cup (177.4 mL) water. Bring to simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring continuously, for 20 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Set aside to cool completely. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use, up to 2 weeks. (Tips: For a sweeter version of this sauce, increase brown sugar or reduce amount of vinegar. The sauce is best if it sits overnight).

Remove the pork shoulder from the foil and brush with ½ cup (118.3 mL) of the Cool Smoke Barbecue Sauce. Return the pork, uncovered, to the smoker, or to the cool side of the grill, and cook for another 10 minutes to set the sauce. Remove from the heat and let the shoulder rest for 45 minutes.

Serve. Serve the pork sliced, chopped, or pulled, with the remaining Cool Smoke Barbecue Sauce on the side.This recipe is adapted with permission from “Cool Smoke: The Art of Great Barbecue” (May 2018, St. Martin’s Griffin Publishing) by Tuffy Stone.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUzxViPfNcY

Want to learn how to cook award-winning competition BBQ pork? Need to know all about the money muscle, smoked pork butt on the pellet grill, and competition pork trim jobs? We turn to our superstar pal, Diva Q: while conquering 20 Grand Championships, she's won 29 perfect "180" scores and over 400 BBQ awards. And today, the hardest-working woman in BBQ is teaching how to cook pork butt elbow-to-elbow with the champs! Listen in as she explains the secrets to trimming pork butts, whipping up sticky, scrumptious BBQ sauce, and why her first and only choice for competition is the Traeger pellet smoker. 

But don’t think you can just throw this slow-cooked pork in the cooking chamber with the best pork trim and a winning slather — you’ll need a little more than that to take home the blue ribbon. From starting to staging, Diva Q proudly explains everything you need to know about smoking competition-level pork for a smoking good time, stunningly good pork, and ascending the pork podium to start filling your very own trophy case.

Competition Pork Butt Recipe with Diva Q:
https://www.bbqguys.com/recipes/smoked-competition-pork-butt?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=org&utm_species=social-org-content&utm_term=post-recipes&utm_campaign=gsoc240&utm_content=porkbuttdivaq-20210702

How to Grill, Smoke, and Barbecue with BBQGuys:
https://www.bbqguys.com/grillabilities?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=org&utm_species=social-org-content&utm_term=post-tips&utm_campaign=gsoc240&utm_content=divaqmastergrillabilities-20210702

Shop Traeger Wood Fired Grills:
https://www.bbqguys.com/brands/traeger-pellet-grills?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=org&utm_species=social-org-product&utm_term=pur-brand&utm_campaign=gsoc240&utm_content=divaqtraeger-20210702


0:00 - Intro
0:33 - Competition Pork Butt Trimming
8:54 - Pork Butt Injection
11:47 - Rubbing the Pork Butt
13:18 - Smoking the Pork Butt on a Traeger
14:37 - Pork Butt Money Muscle Temp Check
15:38 - The Slather & Wrap
20:20 - The Waiting Game
20:58 - Wrapping and Resting a Pork Butt
28:10 - Building a BBQ Competition Winning Box for Pork Butt

Since its founding in 1998, BBQGuys® has helped more than 850,000 customers nationwide achieve their outdoor living dreams. The company based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, offers an industry-leading selection of grills, BBQ smokers, and outdoor living products, along with expert opinions and a free outdoor kitchen design service.

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Featuring: Diva Q, Danielle Bennett https://www.instagram.com/divaqbbq/
Director / Cinematographer / Producer: Paris Frederick
Producer/ Cinematographer : Sean Richardson
Audio Tech / P. A.: Christian Argamasilla
Script Supervisor: Tony Matassa

Smoked Competition Pork Butt | World Champion Diva Q | Traeger Grill | Master Grillability | BBQGuys

My Easy Smoked Pulled Pork Butt (smoked pork shoulder) is a great choice when you need to feed a hungry crowd.  Laced with flavorful fat and connective tissue, a pork butt cooked low and slow, produces melt-in-your-mouth pork with an incredibly tender texture and succulent flavor.

Easy Smoked Pulled Pork Butt

lbs pork butt

tbsp kosher salt (more

tsp cumin

paprika

tsp black pepper

tsp brown sugar (-optional)

Preheat the smoker to 250 degrees F.

Load the smoker tube with your favorite wood chunks or wood chips. I used applewood to smoke the pork butt. Hickory, pecan, maple, oak, and peach are also good choices.

Place the pork butt on a secure cutting board and using a sharp boning knife of chefs knife, trim any excess fat and skin off of pork butt.

Place the pork butt in a disposable aluminum pan and rub it down with extra virgin olive oil.

Rub the pork seasoning blend on all sides of pork roast. Let the roast sit for 30 minutes to give the pork dry rub time to penetrate the meat and marinate the pork shoulder. This also gives the roast time to come to room temperature before placing it in the smoker.

Place the seasoned pork butt on a smoker rack with a drip pan underneath.

Check the smoker and add more wood chips to smoker tube as needed, you should repeat this step at least twice before the pork reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees. The wood smoke is what helps to form a great bark.

When the roast has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. remove it from smoker.

Increase the smoker temperature to 275 degrees F. Place the smoked pulled pork butt into a foil pan and wrap with aluminum foil and return it to the smoker.*An important thing to remember is you are cooking to internal temperature of the meat not a certain amount of time. A large piece of meat can stall at one temperature at times just trust the process and let it keep cooking.

Place the pork butt into a foil pan and wrap with foil and return to smoker.

When the pork shoulder reaches an internal temperature of 200-205 degrees remove it from smoker and let rest for 30 -45 minutes in the pan with the juices.

Once cooled you can remove the bone and push the pork allowing it to separate into large pulled pork pieces which you can pull into small pieces and shreds with your hands or forks.

Plate and serve with my semi-homemade bbq sauce and rolls of your choice.For a true Southern experience, add coleslaw and pickle chips to the. sandwich.

This Smoked Pork Butt is going to turn into the most delicious Pulled Pork you&#39;ve ever had. Low and slow is the name of the game here!

Smoked Pork Butt

tbsp classic yellow mustard

dry rub for pork

Preheat your smoker to 225° F. Place a disposable aluminum tray of water under the grate.

Pat your Pork Butt dry with paper towels and spread classic yellow mustard all over the meat. Then, generously press any dry rub seasoning of your choice over all sides of the pork butt.

Place your fully seasoned pork butt directly on the smoker grate, fat side up and insert your smoker’s thermometer probe. Smoke for several hours until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 160° F. 

Once your Pork Butt reaches 160° F, wrap it in NON-COATED butcher paper and place back on smoker to continue smoking until the internal temperature reaches 203° F.

Once your Pork Butt reaches an internal temperature of 203° F (remember, this should have taken about 1 1/2 - 2 hours per pound of meat), remove from smoker and let rest for one hour (still wrapped).

Unwrap your Pork Butt and place in a large serving dish. Shred (or &quot;pull&quot;) your pork using heat-resistant grilling gloves, meat claws or a couple of forks.

Serve on buns with BBQ sauce and coleslaw.

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.

Pull the pork butt

Place the pork butt into a pan and shred into thin strands with your fingers, a pair of forks, tongs, or any other shredding utensil you prefer.

Pour the juices over the pulled pork butt

Pork the reserved jus into the pan and toss with the shredded pork.

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Top Tags

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