My Top Picks Grill Smoker

Pork Butt/Shoulder: Smoked Pulled Pork (Pellet Grill or Smoker)

Source: Hey Grill Hey Website

This is a simple smoked pulled pork recipe with stands of tender pork and melt-in-your-mouth flavor!
Eat as is or with BBQ Sauce.
Use some of this leftover pork without BBQ sauce in my Salsa Pulled Pork Soup

Ingredients

  • 8-10 lb. bone-in pork butt/shoulder roast
  • 2-3 Tbls. yellow mustard
  • 1/4 c. sweet dry rub (set aside 1 tablespoon for later use)

Sweet Dry Rub

  • 1/4 c. dark brown sugar
  • 1 Tbls. coarse sea salt
  • 2 t. black pepper
  • 2 t. smoked paprika
  • 2 t. garlic powder
  • 2 t. onion powder
  • 1 t. dry ground mustard
  • 1/2 t. cayenne pepper

Instructions

SWEET DRY RUB: Combine all the ingredients for the rub in a small bowl. Stir well to combine, using a fork to break up any clumps. Set aside or put in an air-tight container.

Preheat Smoker: Preheat smoker to 200 degrees for indirect smoking. Use Apple or Hickory pellets.

Put a pan of water (I use an old loaf pan) in the cooking chamber, alongside the pork, to stabilize the temperature, block direct heat/flames, provide a moist cooking environment, get a better smoke flavor and helps to create a smoke ring.

Prep Pork: Remove pork roast from packaging and wipe it down on all sides with paper towels.

Slather with Mustard: Coat the entire exterior of the pork with yellow mustard. The mustard acts as a binder for the dry rub and adds to the overall flavor when done.

Season with Sweet Dry Rub: Starting with the sides first, season sides, top and bottom with the Sweet Dry Rub. Be sure the pork is liberally coated all over.

Smoke Pork: Place seasoned roast on smoker (directly on grate or in a foil pan), blade bone to the back, fat side up, preferably in the middle of the grate avoiding any direct hot spots. Close lid and smoke at 200 degrees, until temperature reaches the stall point (between 155 – 165 degrees). Check after 4 to 5 hours.

TIP: After 90 minutes of cooking on smoker, spritz with an apple cider vinegar & water solution (equal parts of each) so roast doesn’t dry out while smoking. Spritz 1-2 more times throughout the smoking process, but don’t open the lid too many times, or you will lose heat.

At the stall point, or when pork is at about 157 degrees, increase temperature to 225 degrees and continue smoking until internal temperature of the pork reaches 201 degrees. (FYI - it took us about 14-1/2 hours total to smoke plus rest time).

Wrap and Rest: Remove pork from smoker, do one last spritz of apple cider vinegar water and wrap tightly in 2 layers of heavy duty foil. Allow the pork to rest for at least 1 hours, ideally 2-3 hours

Shred and Serve: Open the foil and discard the blade bone (should just slide out easily). Pull apart the shoulder using meat shredder claws, discarding any chunks of fat or gristle. Sprinkle with reserved 1 tablespoon of sweet dry rub. Serve and enjoy.

Enjoy as is or serve with my homemade Best BBQ Sauce

NOTE: TO REHEAT: Wrap leftover shredded pork in foil and warm heat in oven at 200 or 225 degrees until warmed through (about 30-45 minutes, or longer if needed. Depends on how much you are reheating). That will keep the pork nice and moist.