Smoked Pork Butt

A smoked pork butt resting on a rimmed baking sheet before pulling the meat.

You don’t have to be on the BBQ circuit to make an incredible smoked pork butt for pulled pork sandwiches. I’ll show you how to make a smoked pork shoulder on a pellet grill (with instructions for a gas and charcoal grill). Although making this smoked pulled pork recipe takes time and patience, the results are worth it. Carolina pulled pork is an easy, economical way to feed a crowd, too.

This post contains affiliate links which means that if you make a purchase, you’ll pay no more for your item and I receive a commission, to buy another pork shoulder and share more recipes with you.

A whole picnic shoulder on a baking sheet with a container of pork butt rub.

If you’ve ever tried real pitmaster bbq, you know what the fuss is about—lovingly tended with a blackened smoke-kissed exterior, pinkish-red smoke ring and meat so juicy and tender it falls apart just from looking at it.

The holy trinity of BBQ includes beef brisket, smoked ribs, and slow-cooked smoked pork butt.

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The key to making a truly tender, juicy smoked picnic shoulder is a constant low temperature to fuel the smoke and a slow cook (you can’t rush this).

Today we’re making a smoked pulled pork recipe on a pellet grill (we’ve also smoked pork shoulder using charcoal and gas grill – so I’ve included those instructions as well).

Why this recipe works:

  • It uses a simple, delicious BBQ rub that rests overnight on the pork butt.
  • It’s not rushed; the smoked pork shoulder cooks low and slow for about 12 hours with time to rest for the juices to settle.
  • The low and slow cooking method achieves a meltingly tender bark and gorgeous pink smoke ring, so you know its legit.
  • As the pork shoulder smokes, we baste it with a vinegar-based Carolina mop sauce.

Ingredients:

  • Bone-in Pork Shoulder (a.k.a Boston butt or pork butt)
  • BBQ Rub – you can use a store-bought pork butt rub or make my easy recipe with everyday ingredients like paprika, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder and cayenne pepper.
  • Brown Sugar
  • Kosher Salt – I use Diamond Crystal, which is less salty by volume than Morton’s Kosher salt.
  • Black Pepper – Preferably freshly ground.
  • Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
  • Apple Cider Vinegar (you’ll need ACV for both the mop sauce and the vinegar sauce for the smoked pulled pork, so get a large jar).
  • Jalapeno – You can use serrano or other spicy peppers.
  • Onion – I used yellow onion, but you can also use white or red.
  • Ketchup – We like Heinz.
  • Hot Sauce – like Tabasco, Crystal’s or your favorite brand.
Coating the bone in pork shoulder with basic bbq rub.

Equipment you’ll need:

  • Pellet Smoker (Traeger, RecTeq, Camp Chef, Weber, Z Grills) (you can also make this on a gas or charcoal grill, even a water smoker). Ours is a RecTeq – and it’s so reliable that the smoker’s temperature never varied after we’d set it. Highly recommend.
  • Wood Pellets to smoke the pork butt. (We used a combination of white and red oak with hickory).
  • BBQ Bucket and Mop for basting the pork butt
  • Heat Resistant BBQ gloves (for handling hot pork shoulder)
  • Meat Shredder Claws (for pulling the smoked pork)
  • Instant Read Thermometer – Most pellet smokers will come with a built-in probe thermometer to help you monitor the internal temperature of the meat. However, if you’re making this on a gas or charcoal grill, I recommend the Thermoworks Thermapen One (this is my affiliate link).

(Note: if you’re smoking the pork shoulder on a gas or charcoal grill or smoker – use regular wood chips that have been soaked in water in a wood chip soaker for an hour and put them in a smoking box, changing out regularly as they burn.)

We’ve made smoked pork shoulder recipes on charcoal and gas grills and have had excellent results (I’ve included those instructions in the recipe card). The challenge with those methods, however, is maintaining a constant temperature. It takes constant tending and adjusting, so it’s a more hands-on process.

Making a smoked pork butt on the pellet grill is much simpler than using a charcoal or gas grill because the temperature is maintained without fluctuation or constant monitoring. The pellet grill does all the work, and you get all the rewards.

Ingredients for the mop sauce.

Directions:

  1. Rub the pork butt with BBQ rub and pat into the meat, so that it’s well coated on all sides. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
  2. Fill the hopper with wood pellets (we used a mixture of red and white oak and hickory). Preheat the pellet grill to 225° F.
  3. Smoke the pork picnic – Place the seasoned pork shoulder in the center of the grill and insert the thermometer so that you can keep track of the temperature’s progress.
  4. Mop the meat – Smoke the pork butt for 3-4 hours, then begin basting the meat with the mop sauce every 1½ -2 hours.
  5. Smoke some more – Continue smoking until the thermometer registers 203°F.
  6. Rest the pork butt – Use heatproof gloves to transfer the smoked pork butt to a rimmed baking sheet and let the meat rest for 30-45 minutes.
  7. Pull the smoked pork – Shred the pork shoulder using meat claws or two oversized forks.
  8. Sauce the smoked pulled pork – Drizzle about ¼-½ cup of Carolina-style vinegar sauce for pulled pork over the meat and toss to combine.
  9. Build pulled pork sandwiches – Serve on soft sandwich rolls with cole slaw and extra Carolina-style vinegar sauce for the pulled pork.

You won’t need to mop the meat for several hours after it goes on the pellet grill, so you can wait a few hours to make the vinegar sauce for the pulled pork.

Making the mop sauce:

  • In a medium bowl, combine the brown sugar, kosher salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, apple cider vinegar, jalapenos and onion.
  • Stir until the sugar and kosher salt are dissolved.

The mop sauce adds acidity and flavor to the smoked picnic shoulder and helps to keep the meat moist. However, it doesn’t need constant mopping. Refrain from continuously opening and closing the lid. Otherwise, you’ll lose the steady, constant heat and smoke the pork butt requires.

Mopping the smoked pork butt with vinegar mop sauce.

If you’re new to smoking pork shoulder, I want to caution you about “the stall”.

The stall happens when smoking a large cut of meat, such as a brisket, ribs or pork butt. It’s a period (anywhere from 45 minutes to multiple hours — 4 or more) where the internal temperature of the meat doesn’t increase and in some cases, actually falls. This usually happens in the 150° to 170° range.

I’m sure more than one person has had a mini meltdown stressing over why the pork butt’s internal temperature isn’t rising. Stay calm about it. Just be mindful that it will happen and can last a while.

About the stall:

  • The pork butt’s internal temp will rise to a certain level and then hold that temperature without going up at the same steady rate it previously was.
  • The stall can last from 45 minutes to 4 hours or more.
  • The cooking stalls because of evaporative cooling; as the meat heats, it releases moisture, and the liquid cools the pork shoulder, which causes the surface temperature to drop, and the meat stops cooking or significantly slows.
  • The temperature will rise again only when the liquid has evaporated.
checking the internal temperature of the smoked picnic shoulder.

Pro-Tips:

Refrain from peeking. The more you open the lid, the more heat will escape, and the longer the smoked pulled pork will take to reach the 200° mark. In 12 hours, I think we opened the lid about five times for mopping.

Once the pork has reached the optimum temperature, the flesh will be fall-apart tender; take care when transferring the meat to a rimmed baking sheet, as it can break apart.

The easiest way to move the smoked pork butt from the pellet grill is with your hands. Be sure to have heat-resistant grill mitts for transferring the smoked pork butt recipe after it’s finished cooking; it will be hot.

Mopping the pork shoulder as it smokes.

Variations:

  • My grill master likes to add ½ a beer to the mop sauce (the other half is for his enjoyment).
  • Once the pulled pork internal temp reaches 165° F on a meat thermometer, the pork is cooked to a food-safe temperature. If you prefer sliced pork shoulder to smoked pulled pork, remove it from the heat at this temp and let the meat rest for 30 minutes before thinly slicing. It won’t be tender enough for smoked pulled pork at this internal temp, but the thin slices make an excellent sandwich or main course with Italian salsa verde.
  • Many folks swear by coating the pork shoulder in yellow mustard before adding the pork butt rub. I haven’t tried this, but it sounds delicious.
Smoked pork shoulder after pulling it from the pellet grill.

FAQ’s

How long does it take to smoke a pork butt?

Depending on the size of your pork shoulder, and the grill’s temperature, the process can take anywhere from 6-12 hours or more. For this smoked pulled pork recipe, we used an 8½ pound Boston butt and smoked it at 225°F. It took all of 12 hours.

Is it better to smoke a pork shoulder at 225 or 250?

You can effectively smoke pork shoulder at 225°-275°. The higher the temperature, the less cooking time may be required, but it can also lead to more evaporation and (slightly) less juicy flesh.

Do you have to wrap a pork butt?

Many people will pull the smoked pork shoulder and wrap it in heavy-duty foil or butcher paper at some point after the stall, which will speed up the cooking but hold in the moisture.

The downside is that it is effectively steaming the meat and softening the bark.

Peach butcher paper (without wax) is the best of both worlds, keeping moisture in, allowing steam to escape, and protecting the bark.

Note: we had butcher paper at the ready for this smoked picnic shoulder but ended up not wrapping the meat.

Resting the meat on a rimmed baking sheet.

Reheating and storage:

  • To reheat leftovers, loosely seal the smoked pulled pork in aluminum foil and heat in a low 250°F oven. You can also reheat the pulled pork butt on the pellet grill (with wood pellets in the hopper for additional wood-smoke flavor) set to 250°. Heat until the pork is warmed through.
  • Store leftovers of the smoked pulled pork recipe in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
  • Freeze leftovers well-wrapped in freezer paper for 2-3 months—Defrost before reheating.
I am using meat shredder "claws" to pull the smoked pork recipe.

How to serve smoked pork shoulder:

The traditional way to serve Carolina pulled pork is piled on a soft bun with a drizzle of vinegar sauce and a scoop of coleslaw.

Topping smoky pulled pork with barbecue sauce isn’t the traditional North Carolina way, but it’s your ‘cue. Do what you like! Our favorites include this sweet Hawaiian BBQ sauce and spicy Jim Beam BBQ sauce. You can also add a few dashes of Tabasco or other hot sauce.

A sheet pan of smoked pulled pork.

What our tasters said:

“It’s so tender and juicy! Excellent!” – Ana

“This is SO GOOD! I love the smoke flavor and the meat is so tender.” – Dana

“I think this is the best I’ve ever had — if I say so myself.” — Scott (the Grillmaster)

Carolina-style vinegar sauce for pulled pork in a white bowl.

Vinegar sauce for pulled pork

The vinegar sauce is similar to the mop sauce with an apple cider vinegar base, a bit of brown sugar, salt and pepper with hot sauce and crushed red pepper.

The bracing acidity of the sauce is the perfect foil for the richness of the smoked picnic. It takes approximately 2 minutes to whip up, so don’t skip it.

Serving the smoked pulled pork in a bowl.

What goes with smoked pulled pork?

You can serve smoked pulled pork piled on a soft bun (or not) with Carolina vinegar sauce.Southern sides like baked beans, corn on the cob, coleslaw, potato salad or pasta salad and a wedge of cornbread.

My husband's smoked pulled pork sandwich on a plate with corn on the cob and coleslaw.

Traditional Southern side dishes:

A pulled pork sandwich with chips and extra vinegar sauce.

Aside from the Carolina vinegar sauce, I also like to serve pulled smoked pork butt recipes with fresh side dishes that can cut through the meat’s richness.

Here are a few more side dish ideas:

A messy pulled pork sandwich piled with coleslaw.

More smoked pork shoulder recipes you’ll love for sandwiches:

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Smoked pulled pork on a bun with coleslaw.
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5 from 7 votes

Smoked Pork Butt

Smoked pork butt on a pellet grill is easy, and this smoked pork shoulder recipe is juicy, flavorful and unctuous. Use a simple BBQ seasoning to rub the pork butt and mop the meat with a tangy vinegar sauce, perfect for pulled pork.
Author: Lisa Lotts
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword boston butt, pork shoulder
Dietary Restrictions Dairy-Free, Egg Free, Gluten-Free, keto, Low-Carb, Paleo
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 1 day
Servings 16

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:

INGREDIENTS:

FOR SMOKED PORK BUTT:

  • 8 pound pork shoulder roast bone-in if you can
  • ⅓-½ cup BBQ rub

MOP SAUCE:

  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 cup cider vinegar
  • 1 jalapeño peppers thinly sliced
  • 1 small onion thinly sliced

CAROLINA-STYLE VINEGAR SAUCE FOR PULLED PORK:

  • 2 cups cider vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons ketchup
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 4 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon hot sauce
  • 1-2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1-2 teaspoon black pepper

TO SERVE:

  • Hamburger buns or sandwich rolls
  • extra Carolina-style vinegar sauce recipe above
  • coleslaw

DIRECTIONS:

SEASON THE PORK SHOULDER:

  • Sprinkle the pork shoulder liberally on all sides with rub, patting and rubbing it in with your fingers. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight for maximum flavor penetration.

FOR THE PELLET GRILL:

  • Fill the hopper with wood pellets (you’ll typically go through one pound of pellets per hour, and for a large pork shoulder it can take 12 hours to smoke, so 12 pounds of pellets.
  • Preheat the smoker to 225°F.

SMOKED PORK BUTT ON A CHARCOAL GRILL:

  • Soak wood chips for at least an hour.
  • Light charcoal in a chimney starter. Rake coals to two piles at opposite sides of the grill using a long handled tool, like a garden hoe. Place a drip pan in the center. Indirect grilling is usually done at a medium heat. To adjust the temperature, partially open the vents on the bottom. (Closed vents will extinguish the fire, open will fan the flame.)
  • Adjust vents on top of the grill to half open. The same rule for closed and open vents applies. When adjusted properly, the grill will be between 325 and 350 degrees. Toss the drained wood chips onto the coals (about half a cup on each side of the grill). The smoke should start almost immediately. Replenish wood chips about every hour or so to continue the smoke.

SMOKED PORK SHOULDER ON A GAS GRILL:

  • Soak wood chips for at least an hour.
  • Indirect grilling is easy on a gas grill but requires at least two burners. If your grill comes with a slide-out smoker box, fill it with soaked wood chips. You will run a high heat under the chips to generate smoke, while moderating your heat elsewhere on the grill for the required low and slow cooking.
  • When the wood chips begins to smoke, place the food over the unlit burner to start the cooking process.

FOR THE MOP SAUCE:

  • Combine all the ingredients in a non-reactive glass or plastic bowl and stir until the salt and brown sugar dissolve.

TO SMOKE PORK BUTT ON A PELLET GRILL:

  • If your smoker comes with a thermometer, insert it into the center of the butt (without touching the bone). This will help you gauge the temperature and know when to pull it off the smoker.
  • Place the seasoned pork shoulder in the center of the pellet grill and cook with the lid closed for about 12 hours. After the meat has been on the smoker for about 3-4 hours, baste it with the mop sauce every 1½ hours.
  • It’s normal for the pork shoulder to hit a “stall” where the internal temperature doesn’t increase. The stall can last 45 minutes or up to 4 or 5 hours. Don’t panic. It will work through the stall; you need to be patient.

TO SMOKE PORK SHOULDER ON GAS OR CHARCOAL GRILL:

  • Place pork fat side down in the center of the hot grate away from the heat source — remember it’s the indirect heat that cooks the meat. Otherwise, you’d be grilling.
  • Cover the grill and cook the pork until the internal temperature reaches 203° on an instant-read thermometer. This can take 10-14 hours or more (depending on the stall time).
  • After the meat has been on the smoker for about 3-4 hours, baste it with the mop sauce every 1½ hours.
  • For a charcoal grill: Add 12 fresh coals and half a cup of wood chips every hour. Begin checking the internal temperature with an instant-read thermometer at about the 6-hour mark and continue checking every hour or so until you reach about 200°-205°F.
  • For a gas grill: replenish with a new smoker pouch when the smoke diminishes. After the first hour, baste the pork butt with the mop sauce, and repeat hourly. Begin checking the internal temperature with an instant-read thermometer at about the 6-hour mark and continue checking every hour or so until you reach about 200°-205°F.

REST THE MEAT:

  • Once the temperature reaches 203°F, use your grill gloves to carefully transfer the smoked pork shoulder to a rimmed baking sheet. Set aside for 30 to 45 minutes so that the meat can rest.

ASSEMBLE THE CAROLINA VINEGAR SAUCE:

  • In a medium bowl, combine the vinegar, brown sugar, kosher salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper flakes and hot sauce. Whisk until the sugar and salt are dissolved.

PULLING THE SMOKED PORK BUTT:

  • Depending on how fatty your pork shoulder is, you can remove some skin and fat and set it aside to add some back to the smoked pulled pork later. The bark and fat will add richness and a smoky flavor.
  • Pull the pork into shreds and pieces with the meat shredders. Add pieces of skin and fat back into the meat to suit your tastes.
  • Dress the smoked pulled pork with ¼-½ cup of the Carolina-style vinegar sauce and toss with tongs to combine evenly.

TO SERVE:

  • Pile pork on a soft bun and top with a spoonful of coleslaw and extra vinegar sauce if desired. Enjoy!

NOTES:

Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

NUTRITION:

Calories: 234.46kcal | Carbohydrates: 5.35g | Protein: 27.37g | Fat: 10.05g | Saturated Fat: 3.48g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.12g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4.5g | Cholesterol: 92.69mg | Sodium: 1177.24mg | Potassium: 547.13mg | Fiber: 0.47g | Sugar: 3.36g | Vitamin A: 147.49IU | Vitamin C: 3.55mg | Calcium: 43.63mg | Iron: 2.42mg

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25 Comments

  1. Do you think this recipe would work in the slow cooker ? Thanks!

    1. Yes, of course. It won’t take on that lovely smoke flavor however.

  2. 5 stars
    I love meals like this that are meant for a big group! It might be a time commitment but it’s well worth it!
    And if I had room for a smoker, I’d totally get one and try smoking fish!

    1. I have a killer smoked fish dip on this site!

  3. 5 stars
    So a Carolina Pulled Pork BBQ sandwich piled high with creamy, tangy, hopefully even a little spicy slaw is the ONE and the only ONE thing I miss from my meat eating days. And you’re right, it is a commitment and should be done right, low, slow, and with a big group of people. And of course those libations you mentioned 😉

  4. 5 stars
    Now that is a sandwich befitting of a Labor Day get together. You’re right that it’s a commitment, but totally worth it!

  5. 5 stars
    We’re Northerners, so we don’t get much bbq here, and now I wish we did! Because your Carolina pulled pork looks amazing and I would definitely be happy with a sandwich with that and a pile of coleslaw on top.

  6. Gah! This looks shredded port looks incredible. This is probably one of my favorite summertime meals. My husband LOVES to use his little smoker box on the grill, it adds such great flavor. I’m excited to try this recipe, thanks!

  7. Thanks for the step by step instructions, very helpful.

  8. Mark, CompassandFork says:

    I visit the US every so often and I always make a point of cooking pulled pork at my friend’s place. I love it and your version looks really inviting.

    1. I’m glad you like it – this is the real deal!

    1. We ate the leftovers last night – so tasty!

  9. This looks AMAZING! I just moved from Texas to Europe and have been dying to cook up some good southern BBQ. I’ll have to give this a go!

    1. Wow! Texas to Europe is a big change! What made you move?

  10. hotpinkshrink says:

    Wowzers! That look yummy! ::drool::

  11. Rebecca Hubbell says:

    My husband and I have been wanting to build/get a smoker for a while now and it’s dishes like this that are the very reason for that “want”. This looks incredible and you just can’t beat the flavor of slow cooked meat!

    1. Rebecca, you are so right! Slow cooked meat (in this case smoked at about 225? for 6 hours) is the best. Do yourself a favor — get a smoker!