With just a few simple steps and minimal ingredients, you’ll make irresistibly sweet, smoky melt-in-your mouth tender pulled pork at home that is perfect for entertaining. You will transform an inexpensive pork shoulder into the best pulled pork you’ve ever tasted with this foolproof recipe.
Pork shoulder is the perfect cut if you are a novice smoker – it’s affordable, nearly impossible to mess up, and you’ll be able to impress everyone on your first try. This recipe takes this large, tough cut and turns it into sweet, smoky, fall-apart heaven. Savory, smokey, and supremely satisfying.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- This is a tested, trusted and proven formula pork shoulder perfection.
- Flavor-packed – The dry rub helps form an incredible bark on the outside while the smoke penetrates into the meat and gently breaks down the fat and connective tissue fo melt-in-your-mouth tenderness.
- Budget-friendly – Pork shoulder can feed a crowd for just a few dollars per person. It’s one of the most economical yet rewarding cuts of meat available.
- Unlimited Uses – There are endless ways to utilize it. From pulled pork sandwiches to pizza.
What You’ll Need
Ingredients
Tools & Equipment
Check out all my most recommended smoker accessories or jump down to the recipe card for all the specifics and instructions.
How to Smoke a Pork Shoulder (Pork Butt)
Step-by-Step to smoking a pork shoulder or pork butt. Start the day before you plan on cooking it for the best results.
1. Prep the Pork Shoulder
Trim excess fat to 1/4″ thickness and score the fat cap in a crosshatch pattern with a sharp knife while the pork is cold.
2. Season the Pork Shoulder
Season at least 1 hour before (24 hrs best). Kosher salt (use 1 tsp Diamond kosher or 1/2 tsp Morton’s per lb of meat) and a dry rub over the entire surface, then refrigerate uncovered.
*if your dry rub contains salt, omit salting separately.
Remove it from the refrigerator 1 hour prior to cooking and insert a remote probe thermometer into the thickest part of the meat.
3. Setup and Preheat Your Smoker
Prep your smoker for indirect heat smoking.
Use apple or cherry wood for smoke and pre-heat to 250° F (121° C) with a water drip pan in place.
4. Smoke the Pork Shoulder
Place the pork shoulder in the smoker over the drip pan.
Smoke until the internal temperature reaches 195° to 205° F, which will take approximately 90 minutes per pound.
5. Rest It
Rest for at least 1 hour (longer is better).
Wrap it in foil and place in a cooler to keep it warm.
If resting for more than 2 hours, also place clean towels around the pork to provide even more insulation in the cooler so it stays hot.
6. Shred it
Unwrap and remove the bone (if it has one) and shred with your favorite shredding tool, pulling across the grain to maintain texture.
It’s much easier to shred the whole thing while it’s still warm rather than after it cools.
Place the pork shoulder in the smoker over the drip pan.
Smoke until the internal temperature reaches 195° to 205° F, which will take approximately 90 minutes per pound.
7. Serve & Enjoy
Optionally combine 1 to 2 cups of BBQ sauce or to taste if desired. Keep warm and serve.
Tip: Elevate the pulled pork by crisping it up in a hot cast iron skillet before serving.
Recipe Quick Reference Info
- Prep time: about 10 minutes.
- Seasoning time: 1 to 24 hours.
- Smoker temp: 250° F.
- Cook time: Approximately 80 to 90 minutes per pound.
- Pull temp: 195 to 205° F internal.
- Wood: Apple or cherry.
Recipe Variations
- Use a slather (aka binder) – A slather is a liquid added to the meat before the rub to help it stick to the surface of the meat. You can use mustard, neutral oil, mayo or even just water. It’s usually not necessary I don’t personally use a slather for pork shoulder, but some people like to.
- Spritz – Optionally spray a spritz in a spray bottle onto the surface of the pork as it smokes to help attract more smoke and keep it from drying out. You can use apple juice or cider vinegar + water as the spritz liquid.
- Wrap – If you are concerned about the pork shoulder drying out or you want to speed up the cooking time, you can wrap it in butcher paper or aluminum foil when the bark is formed and it reaches an internal temp of 165-170° F.
- Finish it in the oven – If you run out of fuel for your smoker, or need to speed up the process, you can wrap and finish cooking the pork shoulder in a 275 to 300° F oven.
- Sliceable smoked pork – If you prefer to slice the smoked pork instead of shred it, remove it from the smoker when it reaches 165° F, as you would for a roast pork shoulder.
- Sous Vide Pork Shoulder – To make it even more tender and hands-off, you can first sous vide the pork shoulder before finishing it in the smoker.
- Make pulled pork in the slow cooker – The pork shoulder can also be cooked in a slow cooker for the easiest pulled pork, though it won’t be as flavorful.
- Make pulled pork in the oven – If you don’t have access to a smoker, pulled pork can also be made in the oven just as easily and with great results. You can even add some liquid smoke or smoked salt to get some smoke flavor.
Top Tips & Tricks for Success
- Cook to temperature, not by time: Time is just an estimate (and generally inaccurate), whereas the temperature is exact to your situation.
- Use a remote probe thermometer: This will make the cook stress-free. It will allow you to remotely monitor the temperature of both your smoker and the meat so you don’t have to continuously check it. Learn more about the best meat thermometers.
- Plan ahead and start early: Long smokes often take longer than expected. It’s done when it’s done, so start early (you can even start smoking it the night before).
- Keep the smoker lid closed (as much as possible): Every time you lift the lid, heat escapes and a consistent temperature is important for the best results.
- Speed up the cook (when needed): Some situations require you to speed up the cook. Wrap the meat once the bark is formed and it reaches an internal temp around 165° F. Then either increase the smoker temperature to 275° F or place in the same temperature oven until the desired finished temp is reached.
- Be prepared for the stall – The “stall” is totally normal and happens when the pork shoulder’s internal temperature hits 150-170°F, it may pause or even drop as moisture evaporates and cools the meat for up to a few hours. To help push through the stall, wrap the pork shoulder once a nice bark forms at 165°F to speed up cooking.
- Don’t skip the rest! – Rest for at least 1 hour wrapped in foil in a cooler to allow meat to relax and the juices to redistribute before pulling and serving. You can hold it in a cooler for many hours as long as the internal temp of the meat remains above 140° F.
Choosing the Right Pork Shoulder or Pork Butt
Pork shoulder comes from the front shoulder of the pig and is divided into two cuts – the upper Boston butt (or pork butt) and the lower picnic shoulder. The Boston butt, also called a pork butt, comes from the upper part of the shoulder, while the picnic shoulder comes from the lower portion. The pork butt tends to have more fat marbling throughout, which makes it more tender and flavorful. The picnic shoulder is leaner with less fat.
Both cuts will work great for pulled pork with the right technique. Bone-in shoulders hold their shape better during smoking, but boneless cooks a bit faster.
Look for well-marbled pork butt or picnic shoulder without “enhanced” (injected) ingredients. Heritage breed pork like Berkshire or Duroc offers premium quality and flavor.
Buy from a local butcher for the freshest, highest-quality pork. Online retailers like Snake River Farms or Crowd Cow also have high-end heritage pork. Costco is a great budget-friendly option that is often my go-to. Aim for 6-8 lbs cut for making pulled pork.
How to Store the Leftovers
Store leftover smoked pork shoulder in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Freeze for up to 6 months. To freeze, shred the pork before freezing and place the desired portion size in either individual vacuum seal bags or freezer ziplock bags. Remove as much air as possible and seal. Label the bags with the date and contents.
Reheating Leftover Smoked Pork
There are a few ways to reheat leftover smoked pork, each with its advantages.
Skillet – For crispy results, use a hot cast iron skillet over medium heat. No oil is necessary.
Sous Vide – Reheat the vacuum-sealed pulled pork in a 140° water bath for about an hour.
Simmer with BBQ sauce on the stove or in a crockpot.
In the smoker or the oven in a pan until it reaches 140°
Microwave – Last resort but it does work works. Add a little sauce to keep the pork from drying out and heat for a few minutes until it reaches about 150* F.
Ideas for Using the Leftovers
The recipe ideas for leftover pulled pork are virtually endless. Serve it on Hawaiian buns with creamy slaw as pulled pork sandwiches. Use it in delicious crispy carnitas tacos with avocado-lime crema and quick pickled onions. Use it to make a comforting ragu, add it to delicate omelets for breakfast, make a BBQ Pulled Pork Pizza, add it to salads, omelets, or crunchy nachos. Just about anything goes and the leftover pulled pork is even better than the first time you eat it.
Recipe FAQs
The cook time for pork shoulder is around 90 minutes per pound in a 250° F smoker.
A 4-pound pork shoulder will take approximately 6 hours.
A 9-pound pork shoulder will take approximately 13 1/2 hours.
Sweet fruit woods like apple and cherry are perfect for pork. Oak, pecan and maple are great as well. Avoid stronger flavored woods like mesquite, as they can overpower the sweet flavor of the pork.
Experiment and try mixing a few different types of wood to develop your own personal blend. I like to use apple and post oak. Learn more about the best woods for smoking.
No, there is usually no need to wrap pork shoulder until it is time to rest it. Because of how forgiving a pork shoulder is, wrapping it is generally not necessary. I prefer to develop extra bark and not wrap it and have always had fantastic results.
You might choose to wrap your pork shoulder around 165° F if you are concerned about it drying out or if you need to speed up the cook.
The general rule of thumb is to plan for about 3/4 pound (12 ounces) of raw, boneless pork shoulder per person to give enough for 1/2 pound (8 oz) of cooked meat to serve for each person.
This accounts for trimming some fat and the cooking process, which will cause weight loss due to moisture evaporation and rendering of fat. However, if you anticipate leftovers or have hearty eaters, you might consider leaning towards the higher end of this range or even 1 pound per person.
What to Serve it With
Pulled pork goes so well with all the classic barbecue sides.
- Creamy Coleslaw
- BBQ Baked Beans or Smoked Baked Beans
- Sweet & Tangy BBQ Sauce
- Classic Potato Salad
- Bread & Butter Pickles
- Macaroni Salad
And if you love pulled pork, you will have to give BBQ pulled chicken a try.
More Delicious Smoker Recipes
Smoked Pork Shoulder (Pork Butt)
Ingredients
- 6 to 10 lb Pork Shoulder or Boston Butt
- 3 tbsp Diamond Kosher Salt
Dry Rub
- 1/8 cup Smoked Paprika
- 2 tbsp Packed Dark Brown Sugar
- 1 tbsp Dark Chili Powder
- 1 tbsp Cumin
- 1/2 tbsp Dried Oregano
- 1/2 tbsp Granulated Sugar
- 1/2 tbsp Ground Black Pepper
- 1/2 tbsp Celery Seeds
Instructions
Prep the Pork Shoulder
- Trim off excess fat using a sharp knife. Score the fat side with a 1" crosshatch pattern, being careful not to slice into the flesh.
- Make the dry rub by combing all the dry rub ingredients in a shaker or small bowl.
- Season the entire pork shoulder with about 2 tablespoons (1 teaspoon of Diamond kosher salt (or 1/2 tsp Morton Kosher salt) per pound of meat and sprinkle a liberal amount of the rub all over the pork. Refrigerate uncovered for 12 to 24 hours if possible.
Smoke the Pork Shoulder
- Remove the pork shoulder from the refrigerator at least 1 hour prior to cooking it. Insert a remote probe thermometer into the thickest part.
- Setup the smoker according to the manufacturer's instructions for indirect heat cooking and bring the temperature up to 250° F.
- Place the pork in the smoker on the grate and smoke for about 90 minutes per pound, or until the internal temperature reaches 195-205° F. Continuously monitor the temperature with a probe thermometer.
Rest and Shred
- Remove the pork shoulder from the smoker and wrap it tightly with aluminum foil or butcher paper and place it in an insulated cooler to rest for at least 1 hour, or up to 4 hour.
- Shred the pork using or a large fork or BBQ meat forks, pulling across the strands to maintain the texture. Optionally combine with BBQ sauce. Serve and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- This recipe will work for both small and large pork shoulders. Larger roasts will just take longer.
- Important: If your dry rub already contains salt, then be cautious about adding too much more. If it’s not in the rub, then it should be added separately.
- Applying salt and a dry rub ahead of time is optional, but highly recommended. If you can’t season the day before, season it at least 1 hour before.
- Apple or Cherry wood is best for smoking pork. Use 3 to 4 wood chunks for a charcoal smoker.
- Cook time: Approximately 90 minutes per pound at 250° F
Smoked my pork sirloin until it reached 191 degrees had to pull it off smoker let sit wrapped in foil on counter until morning before refrigerating should it still be ok to eat?
Hey Gray,
That’s a tricky one and depends on a lot of factors. To be safe, it would have to fully be re-heated to 165 degrees F. Hope it works out delicious for you.
OMG. Followed the directions to a tee. Had about a 3 hr stall at 160, but just let it go. Pulled her off at 195 and directly to the cooler. Had a little trouble getting her off the grill as she was falling apart. That was the hardest part letting her rest. She smelled so dang good. Unbelievable. Everybody Loved it. I do cook for a couple of my elderly neighbors and nothing but rave reviews. This is a keeper.. Thank You..
So great to hear, Bill!!! That darn stall. It still gets me every time. Haha
Totally agree that the rest is so hard. I always want to sneak in and pull off a piece.
Happy smoking!
I used the thermometer on the lid of my Weber to monitor the temp. It read 250 degrees consistently. The big mistake was not relying on my own sense of doneness and the recommended time per pound mentioned above. Using a Thermapen was a big mistake. It consistently read 160 degrees and I kept going to try to raise it to 195. In the end, my shoulder was a touch overdone for my liking. Luckily, I brined it and that made the meat tender despite the dryness.
Hi Cid,
I’m sorry to hear the pork shoulder didn’t turn out perfect for you.
Which Weber smoker do you have?
Have you tested with another thermometer to verify that your smoker’s thermometer is correct?
The BEST pulled pork I’ve ever made! Smoked a 3lb bone-in shoulder over a mix of cherry and apple, at 245 degrees, in my new Traeger grill. Took A LOT longer than 90 mins/lb (almost 8 hours) to reach an internal temp of 203 – double verified internal and ambient temp via MEATER probe and Traeger’s built in one – but man oh man was it worth it! When I pulled the meat after resting it was perfectly done, nice and juicy inside with the most gorgeous crust! Such delicious flavor I’d be happy to eat on its own, but can’t wait to serve the family tomorrow with a smidgen of a sweet-heat sauce and a side of spicy, vinegary greens! Mmmm-hmm!
Hi Susie,
So so great to hear it was the best pulled pork you have ever made. It does always take longer than you think it will. Why the heck is that? haha
Hope the family loved it as much as you did. Cheers!
Hi! This sounds so delicious! Going to try to smoke pork butt for the first time for an upcoming party. I have apple wood chunks, approximately how many do you put in when you start smoking? And how often do you replenish the wood chunks? Do I need to have smoke for the full 14ish hours? I definitely have not perfected my smoke technique yet and I think I may be making my meat too smokey by putting in too much wood for too long. Any tips are much appreciated!!
Hey Amber! I’m super excited for you. It’s going to be great!
I usually use between 4 to 6 wood chunks. I never replenish the wood chunks when I am smoking with the Big Green Egg. The chunks added at the beginning will last a while and give the meat plenty of smoke flavor.
You don’t have to smoke it for 14 hours, but you really should bring the internal temperature to 200 to 205 degrees F. You do have a few options if you want to cook it for less time. 1) you can cut the pork shoulder into smaller pieces 2. Smoke it, then wrap and finish in the oven.
Let me know if you have any other questions.
Cheers,
Justin
Hi Justin,
Can you use bone-in pork butt for this?
Hi Cali,
Yes, you definitely can use bone-in pork butt for this recipe.
Thank you! Trying it out today!!
It is my husband’s first time smoking a pork butt, we followed all the directions, but on the rub we cut back on the cumin(glad we did)…ill prob cut back just a little more next time… but honestly this is THE BEST pulled pork ive ever tasted!! I am dieting and struggling not to eat it ALL. Thank you soo much!!!
So glad to hear it, Crystal! You are funny. I have the same problem. I can eat it every day for a week without even realizing it.
I agree with you about the Cumin, actually. I don’t even add any to the rub when I make it now. Maybe I should just remove it from the recipe. Thanks for stopping by!
Cheers,
Justin
Great looking BBQ and Great looking outer bark for an old school Carolina wood-burning BBQ guy!
I’m fixing to try this recipe it’s been awhile since I smoked anyting kind of lost touch after my father-in-law died he was MasterChef on smoking he told me a lot of stuff hopefully this works out for me I’ll let you know thank you
Hey John,
I hope it turns out great for you and brings back wonderful memories. Cheers!
I just want to say thank you for this awesome article and recipe! It has helped me navigate through my very first bbq with my Weber smoker. Right now the kids are playing, wife is relaxing and the smoker is working its magic at a smooth 250 degrees! Life is good. I can’t wait to try out the pork shoulder! Thanks again- Cheers!!!!
Hi Daniel,
That’s so great to hear! Thanks for sharing. I would love to hear how it comes out. Have a great weekend and happy smoking.
I just added the dry rub to my meat. I will put it in the smoker in about 24 hours or so for the 4th of July. I’m excited to see how this one come out.
Hey Nakia,
I hope it turned out wonderful to make a special 4th of July!
This was delicious. My tasters said it was the best thing I have smoked for them! One issue I had was that the pork wasn’t pull-able. I think it has to do with not having a temperature gauge and using the built in one and having to rush the cooking at the end when my pork was well below temp. That said, I sliced it thin and it was still really tender and delicious.
Justin how long for (2) 12 pound pork butts? I have a party to cook them for.
Hey Todd! Can I get an invite to the party? It’s going to be so delicious 😉
I’d say it’s going to take about 12 to 15 hours, but there are a lot of variables. It’s good to know about how long it will take, but it’s really about the finish temperature that determines when it’s done and not the time.
It’s mostly going to depend on the thickness of the pork butt more than just the weight. The thicker they are, the more time it will take.
It also depends on the size of your smoker. You want to give each pork butt plenty of room for the air to flow around the surface of each and not crowd them.
Some more tips:
– I would highly recommend starting the smoke the night before since it will always take longer than you expect and you want to give plenty of time to rest the meat. I just did two 7 pound butts and started them at 11pm and took them off at 11am. I let it rest for 2 hours wrapped in butcher paper and in a cooler before shredding it for the party at 2. Came out perfect.
– If you use the Termoworks Smoke (talked about above in the post), you will be able to monitor everything remotely and it makes it so easy.
– Definitely give plenty of time to bring the meat to room temperature before placing in the smoker.
Let me know if you have any other questions.
Cheers!
Only question I have before I rate this (haven’t tried it yet because it’s not done). Does the cooler need to have ice in it or am I just placing it in a cooler?
Hey Dan! No ice in the cooler. The cooler is just used as an insulator. Let me know how it turns out and if you have any other questions.
This was a super easy recipe to follow! It was our first time and completely agree not science but an art but we did our own seasoning that was close and it turned out well how do I say, we couldn’t stop eating it …absolutely no sauce needed!! And I am a sauce fanatic!!!!!! Amazing!!!!!
So so happy to hear that it turned out amazing and that you made some small changes to make it for your taste. Now I’m totally craving it again and I totally agree about the can’t stop eating part. If you leave it on the table, it will disappear. 🙂
Can I do this in the oven at same temp or what do you recommend?
Hey Alma,
You definitely can do it at the same temperature in your oven. Keep in mind that a ton of flavor is added when it is cooked in the smoker, so you might want to finish it with a glaze. You can also crank up the oven at the end (to around 500 degrees F) to brown the pork shoulder. The time that will take really depends on your oven. It could be 5 minutes or 20 minutes.
I hope this helps. Happy pork roasting.
Best smoked butt recipe ever. Thank you so much
Awesome! So happy to hear that it came out wonderful for you. 🙂
This was the best pulled pork I have tasted in a long tine, and was an easy and simple process and recipe! This was my first attempt at one! I shared it with my family and they loved it as well! Thanks Justin.
Hey David! I’m so happy it turned out so great. It’s definitely one of my favorites and you sure can make a big crowd happy with some smoked pulled pork.
This has been my go to recipe for pulled pork keep an ey on your internal temperature patients is key during the walk they talk about let it go to 198 let rest 40-45 min you will not be disappointed
So glad to hear it, Paul! I just made 20 more pounds of the stuff last week. Always comes out amazing. Definitely keep an eye on the internal temp. I love using a Thermoworks Smoke two channel thermometer. You can remotely monitor the internal temp from anywhere. Makes it so much easier.
Happy smoking!
Justin
Great looking skin on that smoked pork shoulder, nice job.
Thanks, Lisa. It did come out super good. I hope you give it a try. 🙂
Excellent recipe! I could easily have this every day for lunch. Also agree about the probe thermometer, not having to open the smoker to get a read would be great.
Thanks Marcin. Glad it worked out for you, and if you do decide to have it for lunch every day, I wouldn’t mind an invite. 🙂
Sounds great until you advise to wrap it. That softens the wonderful bark you can only get from smoking meat.
Hi Colton,
It keeps it nice and moist. I’ve never had a problem with the bark not being absolutely beyond wonderful with this method. 🙂
Turned out wonderful very easy to follow.
Awesome to hear, Tina! Thanks for letting me know. 🙂
Mouth watering!!! This meal is one of my favorites and leaves me plenty of leftovers for more mouth watering meals in various combinations throughout the week 🙂
Yay! Glad it’s one of your favorites. I agree, it’s so good!
Well here goes. I’ve got a couple of great places locally to get pulled pork and it’s almost always my wife’s favorite when we go for BBQ. I’ve got a 7.25 lb pork shoulder butt. I followed the rub recipe to the T. It’s 12:30 am on Friday, August 16, 2019, and the butt is in the fridge with rub all over it. I’m going to get my smoker going at about 8 am and I am going to give this a good 8 hours maybe 9 because it does have a small bone in it. I can’t wait to try it. I’ll be back here tomorrow to let you know how it turned out and if I can post a pic, I’ll do that also. Thanks for what sounds like a great recipe.
Hey Daniel,
So excited to hear how it turns out. Just give it all the time it needs to reach the finished internal temp. It is worth the wait if it takes longer.