Smoked Pulled Pork

Name: Smoked Pulled Pork
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 8 h
Total time: 8 h 45 min
Yield: 8 serving
Ingredients: 8.71 pounds pork shoulder butt; ½ cup brown sugar; ¼ cup kosher salt; 1.5 tablespoons garlic powder; ½ tablespoon black pepper

User Reviews

5.0

3 reviews

Excellent

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
8 hrs
Additional Time
30 mins
Total Time
8 hrs 45 mins
Servings
8
Calories
504 kcal
Course
Main Course
Cuisine
American

Smoked Pulled Pork

Leo Ortega

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Embrace of tender and juicy smoked pulled pork, each bite a symphony of rich, smoky flavors mingling with the subtle sweetness of slow cooked meat. This smoked pulled pork recipe is perfect for making pulled pork sandwiches, party gathering and meals. You won't be disappointed with this delicious smoked pulled pork recipe!

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Ingredients

Servings

8.71 pounds pork shoulder butt (Bone in)

Dry rub seasoning:

½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup kosher salt
1.5 tablespoons garlic powder
½ tablespoon black pepper

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Instructions

Turn on and preheat a smoker at 250 F. Make sure to refill wood pellets.
Put ½ cup of brown sugar, ¼ cup of kosher salt, 1.5 tablespoons of garlic powder, ½ tablespoon of black pepper into a container.
Mix the seasoning well.
Unwrap and rinse the pork shoulder butt (8.71 pounds.) Then, use paper towels to dry it.
After that, rub and put the seasoning around the pork shoulder butt. Make sure all sides are covered. (I used all the seasoning.) The best is to let it sit and wait for a few hours or overnight. If not, it is ok too.
When the smoker is ready and reaches 250 F, place a small metal container into the smoker and fill with water.
Place the seasoned pork shoulder butt into the smoker. Fill a spray bottle with water and squeeze it 10-15 times to spray water on the seasoned pork shoulder butt. Then, close the smoker and wait for 1 hour.
After 1 hour, open the smoker and squeeze 10-15 times to spray water on the seasoned pork shoulder butt. Close the smoker and wait for 1 hour.
I repeated step 7 by spraying water and smoking the pork for an hour. I did it 3 more times. Total I did 5 times. The cooking time depends on the size of the pork shoulder butt. Remember to refill water to the small container when the water is low.
After 5 times, I sprayed water one more time (squeeze it 10-15 times) before wrapping. Total 6 times of spraying water.
Lay 3 layers of heavy duty foil on the tray. Or, you can use an aluminum tray.
Take the smoked pork shoulder butt on the foil. Be careful the pork is hot! Use a tool to take it out.
Wrap the smoked pork with heavy duty foil.
Then, Place the wrapped smoked pork with foil into the smoker and smoke it for 3 hours. When the pork is done, take it out and let it rest for 30 minutes before opening it. Remember to use a towel or oven mitts when taking out the pork because it is hot.
After resting the pork, unwrap it and shred it. It is still hot, so you can wear gloves or use forks, meat claws.
You can enjoy smoked pork as a main dish or make pulled pork sandwiches with homemade dinner rolls.

Notes

Choose a pork shoulder, also known as pork butt or Boston butt, for the best results. It has the ideal balance of fat and meat. It keeps the pulled pork moist and flavorful during the long smoking process. I usually look for a bone-in pork shoulder butt on the package.
Some people like to trim excess fat from the surface of the pork shoulder because it is easier to absorb the marinate or the dry rub. However, I like to keep the fat on because it keeps the pork moist and tender during the long smoking process. I usually remove the fat when shredding and after cooking.
Apply a generous amount of dry rub to all sides of the pork shoulder. You can make your own rub using a combination of spices like paprika, brown sugar, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and cumin. You can use other herbs as you like. In this smoked pulled pork recipe, I like to keep it simple. Therefore, I used garlic powder, kosher salt, brown sugar and black pepper as a dry rub.
The best is to let the pork rest in the refrigerator for at least a few hours, or preferably overnight, to allow the flavors to penetrate the meat. If you don’t have time, you can put the dry rub and cook them directly.
It is important to turn on and preheat your smoker to a temperature of 250°F (121°C) before adding the pork. This can ensure the meat starts cooking immediately and absorbs the smoke evenly.
You can choose hickory, applewood, cherry, and oak wood pellet for pork. It creates smoke and enhances the flavor of the pulled pork.
Monitor the temperature of your smoker throughout the cooking process. To make sure the temperature is steady. Fluctuations in temperature can affect the cooking time and the final texture of the pulled pork. Add more wood pellets when cooking.
Smoke the pork shoulder low and slow for hours. The slow cooking process breaks down the connective tissues and renders the fat. It results in tender and juicy pulled pork.
Remember to spray some water every hour of smoking for the first 3-5 hours. Then, wrap the pork with heavy duty foil and continue to smoke the rest of the time or allow it to cook until it reaches an internal temperature of 195-205°F (90-96°C). For 8.71 pounds of pork shoulder butt, I smoked the first 5 hours and sprayed water every hour. Then, wrap the pork with foil and continue to smoke for 3 hours.
For the first few hours of smoking, I like to put a small container with water in the smoker besides spraying water every hour. This way can help keep the smoker moist and prevent the pork from being too dry from smoking. Add more water to the container when you need it. Once the pork is wrapped with foil, you don’t need to worry about refilling the water into the container.
Once the pork reaches the desired internal temperature, remove it from the smoker and let it rest for at least 30 minutes before pulling or shredding. This way can allow the juices to redistribute throughout the meat and ensure maximum flavor and moisture. Also, it will not burn your hands.
Use two forks or meat claws to shred the smoked pork shoulder into bite-sized pieces. Remove any large pieces of fat or gristle as you pull the meat. Be careful the pork is still hot, you can wear gloves as you shred the pork.

Nutrition Information

Show Details

Calories 504kcal (25%) Carbohydrates 15g (5%) Protein 59g (118%) Fat 22g (34%) Saturated Fat 7g (35%) Polyunsaturated Fat 2g Monounsaturated Fat 10g Cholesterol 202mg (67%) Sodium 3770mg (157%) Potassium 1069mg (31%) Fiber 0.2g (1%) Sugar 13g (26%) Vitamin A 20IU (0%) Vitamin C 2mg (2%) Calcium 59mg (6%) Iron 4mg (22%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 8Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 504 kcal

% Daily Value*

Calories	504kcal	25%
Carbohydrates	15g	5%
Protein	59g	118%
Fat	22g	34%
Saturated Fat	7g	35%
Polyunsaturated Fat	2g	12%
Monounsaturated Fat	10g	50%
Cholesterol	202mg	67%
Sodium	3770mg	157%
Potassium	1069mg	23%
Fiber	0.2g	1%
Sugar	13g	26%
Vitamin A	20IU	0%
Vitamin C	2mg	2%
Calcium	59mg	6%
Iron	4mg	22%