This post contains Affiliate Links. Read my\u00a0full disclosure<\/a>\u00a0for more info.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Smoked pork butt<\/strong> is the king of backyard BBQ. This recipe walks you through how to create tender, juicy pulled pork with deep smoky flavor, a perfect bark, and melt-in-your-mouth texture. Whether you\u2019re using a pellet grill, offset smoker, or charcoal setup, this guide covers everything from prep to shredding. Smoked low and slow, pork shoulder is the way to go if you\u2019re looking for something that\u2019s easy to make and hits your tastebuds perfectly no matter how it\u2019s served.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n What\u2019s the most commonly ordered meal when you hit a barbeque restaurant? <\/span>You bet, the pulled pork. <\/span><\/i>What makes it so good?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0Quality Cut Matters.<\/b><\/p>\n Aside from a proper smoke time and temperature, <\/span><\/i>it\u2019s the fat.\u00a0<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n Consider purchasing your pork shoulder from your local butcher. <\/span>The fresher the better.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n When purchasing your pork shoulder, look for one that is pink in color and has some marbling (that marbling is the fat that gives the pork so much flavor). <\/span>Another purchasing tip: consider using a bone-in shoulder.<\/b> It\u2019ll give you the perfect \u201cfall off the bone\u201d roast you\u2019re looking for.<\/p>\n No, there isn\u2019t, both come from the shoulder of the pig\u2014<\/span>if your cut is labeled a pork butt, it\u2019s higher up on the foreleg. <\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The secret to making the best smoked pork shoulder is to keep it moist. <\/span>Dry pork ends up being tossed in barbeque sauces and doesn\u2019t get the attention it truly deserves.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n In order to create a moist smoked shoulder, <\/b>we recommend a\u00a0pork injection <\/a><\/b>using a meat injector<\/a>. <\/b>This is done the night prior to smoking. <\/span>It\u2019s easy to do, in fact, you can pick up a cheap injector at your local grocery store. <\/span><\/i>Just toss the injection ingredients together, inject it into the pork shoulder, and let it take in all the juices for the evening.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n After you\u2019ve let your pork shoulder sit overnight, you\u2019ll want to preheat your smoker. <\/span>Preheat your smoker to <\/span><\/i>225\u00b0F.<\/i><\/b> Smoking at the correct temperature gives the pork the best texture and the best flavor.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n While you wait for your smoker to preheat, rub down your pork butt with spices to really enhance the flavor.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Spice rubs are all the rage for meats that are smoked, grilled, roasted, etc. <\/span>But there\u2019s a secret to the perfect rub: <\/span><\/i>mustard.\u00a0<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n The acidity in the mustard will tenderize the meat.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n After you\u2019ve coated your pork shoulder in the mustard, you can add your favorite rub to all sides of the pork.<\/span> My favorite ingredients to add to a pork rub include:\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n Smoked pork shoulder requires patience. <\/b>Not because it\u2019s difficult to do, but because the smoking process can take anywhere between 15-20 hours.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n For every pound of meat, you\u2019ll want to leave in it the smoker for 120 minutes. The time may vary based on the consistency of your smoker and the size of the pork shoulder.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Once your pork shoulder has reached an internal temperature of 190-201\u00b0F, it\u2019s ready to be taken out of the smoker.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n But don\u2019t start shredding yet.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n To lock in all the flavors, wrap the pork butt in foil and let it rest for <\/span>at least an hour.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n Finally, you can begin shredding your pork butt has rested for at least 1 hour and is cool enough to handle.<\/p>\n I usually prefer to use my hands, but you can also use two forks to shred the meat apart. Make sure you remove any bones and excess fat from the pan and\u00a0add juices or additional seasoning for that extra added flavor.<\/p>\n You can always serve a traditional coleslaw, potato salad, or french fries, but the sky is the limit when it comes to the variety of BBQ side dishes<\/a> that could pair nicely with pulled pork sandwiches.<\/p>\n Interested in brining or injecting your pork shoulder? Check out my recipes: Pork Shoulder Brine<\/strong><\/a> and Pork Shoulder Injection<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n Prepare and season your pork shoulder a day before you are planning to smoke your pork shoulder.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Remove your roast from the packaging and wipe it down on all sides with paper towels, allow to rest for an hour. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Coat the entire exterior of the pork shoulder with the yellow mustard.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Season your pork shoulder on all sides, top, and bottom, with the spice rub.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Preheat your smoker to 225 degrees F for indirect smoking.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Place your seasoned pork butt on the smoker fat side up.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Close the lid and smoke the pork until it reaches an internal temperature of at least 195 degrees F. You can cook to 201 degrees F if you like softer pork. This process can take anywhere between 15-20 hours, depending on the consistency of heat in your smoker and the size of your pork shoulder.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Remove the pork shoulder from the smoker and wrap tightly in foil. Allow the roast to rest for at least an hour before shredding.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Pull apart the shoulder, discarding any chunks of fat or gristle. Sprinkle the roast with an additional tablespoon or so of the spice rub.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n If you wish to speed the cook process up, you can pull the pork butt at 165 and wrap it in foil and put it back on the smoker in order for it to cook faster and get through the stall.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Serving: <\/span>1<\/span>g<\/span><\/span> | <\/span>Calories: <\/span>4035<\/span>kcal<\/span><\/span> | <\/span>Carbohydrates: <\/span>168<\/span>g<\/span><\/span> | <\/span>Protein: <\/span>446<\/span>g<\/span><\/span> | <\/span>Fat: <\/span>168<\/span>g<\/span><\/span> | <\/span>Saturated Fat: <\/span>56<\/span>g<\/span><\/span> | <\/span>Polyunsaturated Fat: <\/span>21<\/span>g<\/span><\/span> | <\/span>Monounsaturated Fat: <\/span>75<\/span>g<\/span><\/span> | <\/span>Cholesterol: <\/span>1483<\/span>mg<\/span><\/span> | <\/span>Sodium: <\/span>17736<\/span>mg<\/span><\/span> | <\/span>Potassium: <\/span>9028<\/span>mg<\/span><\/span> | <\/span>Fiber: <\/span>16<\/span>g<\/span><\/span> | <\/span>Sugar: <\/span>136<\/span>g<\/span><\/span> | <\/span>Vitamin A: <\/span>14633<\/span>IU<\/span><\/span> | <\/span>Vitamin C: <\/span>23<\/span>mg<\/span><\/span> | <\/span>Calcium: <\/span>605<\/span>mg<\/span><\/span> | <\/span>Iron: <\/span>38<\/span>mg<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n This post contains Affiliate Links. Read my\u00a0full disclosure\u00a0for more info. Smoked pork butt is the king of backyard BBQ. This recipe walks you through how to create tender, juicy pulled pork with deep smoky flavor, a perfect bark, and melt-in-your-mouth texture. Whether you\u2019re using a pellet grill, offset smoker, or charcoal setup, this guide covers […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":331644,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[97619,97122,127295],"tags":[29263,281,810,13821,20937,13221,18578],"dealstore":[],"offerexpiration":[],"class_list":["post-331643","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bbq-recipes","category-pork","category-smoker-recipes","tag-butt","tag-easy","tag-juicy","tag-pork","tag-pulled","tag-smoked","tag-tender"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"smoked](\"https:\/\/pitnationbbq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/smoked-pulled-pork-recipe.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\nHow to Choose The Best Pork Shoulder for Smoking<\/h2>\n
![\"cooked](\"https:\/\/pitnationbbq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Smoked-Pork-Butt-Recipe-pitnationbbq.com-01.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n![\"Injecting](\"https:\/\/pitnationbbq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Smoked-Pork-Butt-Recipe-pitnationbbq.com-11.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nIs There a Difference Between a Pork Shoulder and a Pork Butt?<\/h2>\n
How to Make Smoked Pork Shoulder<\/h2>\n
![\"Ingredients](\"https:\/\/pitnationbbq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Smoked-Pork-Butt-Recipe-pitnationbbq.com-14.jpg\")
Pork Shoulder Temperature<\/h2>\n
A Pork Butt Recipe Secret: The Rub Down<\/h2>\n
![\"Pork](\"https:\/\/pitnationbbq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Smoked-Pork-Butt-Recipe-pitnationbbq.com-09.jpg\")
![\"Pouring](\"https:\/\/pitnationbbq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Smoked-Pork-Butt-Recipe-pitnationbbq.com-08.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nSmoked Pork Butt: Timing is Key<\/h2>\n
![\"Smoked](\"https:\/\/pitnationbbq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Smoked-Pork-Butt-Recipe-pitnationbbq.com-07.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n![\"Pork](\"https:\/\/pitnationbbq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Smoked-Pork-Butt-Recipe-pitnationbbq.com-06.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nWhen should you shred your Pulled Pork?<\/h2>\n
![\"Shredding](\"https:\/\/pitnationbbq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Smoked-Pork-Butt-Recipe-pitnationbbq.com-04.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Adding](\"https:\/\/pitnationbbq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Smoked-Pork-Butt-Recipe-pitnationbbq.com-03.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nWhat do you serve with Pulled Pork Sandwiches?<\/h2>\n
![\"Smoked](\"https:\/\/pitnationbbq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Smoked-Pork-Butt-Recipe-pitnationbbq.com-02.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n![\"cropped-Smoked-Pork-Butt-Recipe-pitnationbbq.com-01.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/pitnationbbq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/cropped-Smoked-Pork-Butt-Recipe-pitnationbbq.com-01-500x500.jpg\")
<\/div>\n\n
All you pitmasters need to check out my other recipes:<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"