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Pulled smoked pork shoulder

Juicy Smoked Pulled Pork

Stacey Mincoff
This smoky, juicy pulled pork in all it’s glory is great for big or small gatherings, is great for leftovers and freezes well. After trying several methods of smoking a pork shoulder, this is my new favorite.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 7 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 16 hours
Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 7 Cups

Equipment

  • 1 Electric Smoker
  • 1 Digital Thermometer

Ingredients
 
 

What you'll need:

  • Wood Chips for Smoking (I used cherry this time)
  • BBQ Sauce of Choice (optional)
  • 4 Pound Pork Shoulder (also known as pork butt)

Brine:

  • 1/4 Cups Kosher Salt
  • 1 Teaspoon Black Pepper ground
  • 1/4 Cup Brown Sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
  • 2 Cloves Fresh Garlic
  • 2 Teaspoons Garlic Powder
  • 3/4 Cups yellow onion chopped
  • 2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice about 1/2 of a lemon
  • 1/4 Cups Apple Cider Vinegar
  • Enough water to cover it all

Rub:

  • 2 1/4 Teaspoons Cumin
  • 2 1/4 Teaspoons Garlic Powder
  • 2 1/2 Teaspoons Oregano
  • 2 1/2 Teaspoons Cayenne Pepper
  • 1 Teaspoon Salt
  • 1 Teaspoon Black Pepper

Instructions
 

  • Mix all brine ingredients in a large bag, bowl or pot that will hold all ingredients including the pork. Add the pork cover with water, stir it up a bit, seal the container and refrigerate over night (or 6-8 hours).
    pork shoulder brind
  • Soak would chips for 1/2 - 1 hour.
    wood chips for smoking pork
  • While your wood chips are soaking, take the pork shoulder out of the fridge and bring it up to room temperature for about an hour.
    Pat the pork dry. Combine all rub ingredients, and rub all over pork shoulder. (You may have some extra – you can save it for later or add it to a pot of chili.)
    dry rub on pork shoulder
  • Place pork fat side up on rack in smoker, and place a heat proof temperature probe in to the center if the pork and close the door.
    Add wood chips to the smoking compartment and turn the smoker on.
    Set the temp at 250°F/120°C. Keep adding more chips each time you don’t see smoke coming out of the smoker. A small amount goes a long way. Smoke until internal temperature reaches 203°F.
    It will take at least 1.5 to 2.25 hours per pound.
    smoking pork shoulder
  • Remove from smoker and let rest until cool enough to handle, then start pulling it apart with two forks.
    Pulling smoked pork shoulder
  • Another option is to just slice and/or chop it up. Place it in an oven safe pan, add your favorite BBQ sauce, chicken stock and/or water, cover and heat in the oven at 250°F/120°C for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
    This last step is optional, but don’t add so much liquid that it’s too wet, it’s just to add some more flavor and a little extra moisture. You can totally skip it if you want. This is mostly if you're in a hurry and can't wait for the pork to finish cooking in the smoker.
  • This amazing smoked pulled pork is great for sandwiches, street tacos, tamales, enchiladas, and so much more.
    smoked pulled pork tacos
Keyword Slow Cooking, Smoked Pork Butt, summer
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