Simple Smoked Pork Butt
Tender, fall-apart smoked pork butt with a flavorful bark and smoky-sweet notes, requiring just salt, smoke, and time. No wrapping, spritzing or checking needed!
Servings 14 people
Ingredients
- 7-8 lb pork butt
- 2-3 tablespoons kosher salt
- 2-3 tablespoons dry rub or black pepper
Instructions
- Prep the Meat. Pat the pork butt dry with paper towels and trim off any loose pieces of meat. Keep the fat cap intact, but score it in a crosshatch pattern in the fat cap, through the fat but not the flesh. This will help render the fat and allow the seasoning to penetrate.
- Season. At least one hour before cooking, season with a generous coating of kosher salt (if your dry rub doesn’t contain salt). Follow with a dusting of your favorite dry rub or simply coarse black pepper. For best results, season up to 24 hours ahead (dry brine) and let it rest uncovered in the refrigerator. Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour while you setup your smoker.
- Prepare Smoker. Preheat your smoker to 250°F and set up for indirect heat cooking. Place a drip pan under the cooking area to catch any fat drippings. Add your wood chunks, chips, or pellets – apple or cherry wood pairs perfectly with pork.
- Smoke. Place the seasoned pork butt in the smoker and insert a thermometer probe into the thickest part of the meat. Let it smoke undisturbed until it reaches an internal temperature of 203°F-205° F, or until it is “probe tender” (10-14 hours).
- Rest. Once the pork reaches the pull temperature, wrap it tightly in butcher paper or aluminum foil. Place it in a cooler so it stays warm and let it rest for at least 1 hour, though 2-3 hours is even better.
- Shred. While the meat is still warm, pull it apart either by hand (with nitrile gloves) or using shredding forks. Mix the flavorful outer bark pieces throughout the tender interior meat for the best flavor in every bite. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- No need to wrap or spritz during the cook.
- Expect a stall around 155-160°F where the temperature pauses climbing.
- Verify temps by spot-checking with an instant-read probe thermometer.
- Start early - cooking time varies significantly and it will almost always take longer than expected.
- Finish in the oven- If you run out of fuel or it's taking too long, wrap the pork butt and finish cooking in a 300°F oven.
