Smoked Boston Butt Recipe The Best Pulled Pork Techniques (2024)

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How to make a Smoked Boston Butt Recipe tender, juicy, and tasty so that you have perfect barbecued pulled pork isn't difficultif you know what you're doing. We're going to show you how to smoke theBoston Butt. How long to smoke the pork. What temperature the smoked Boston Butt is done. And we're going to show you thetechniques and recipeswe use to give you the best pulled pork you've ever had! Guarantee!!
For this recipe, you will need: Boston Butt, apple juice, sugar, salt, water, apple vinegar, ketchup, dark brown sugar, yellow mustard, molasses, salt, red pepper flakes, hickory chunks, charcoal, and a grill with lid.

Smoked Boston Butt Recipe The Best Pulled Pork Techniques (1)
Jump to:
  • How long does it take to make the Smoked Boston Butt Recipe?
  • Getting the Pork Butt Ready
  • Smoking the Boston Butt
  • Finishing up The Boston Butt Recipe
  • How to serve Smoked Pulled Pork
  • Smoked Boston Butt Recipe Marinade and BBQ Sauce
  • 📖 Recipe
  • 💬 Comments

How long does it take to make the Smoked Boston Butt Recipe?

Our smoked pork shoulder technique takes two days. On average a pork butt will weigh between 6 to 10 pounds. Our Boston butt weighed 7 pounds.

What to expect with the pork:

  • 30% loss in the form of shrinkage, bone, and fat.
  • If it's the only meat we serve, we plan on ½ pound per person. (Believe me, some adults will go back for seconds ????)

Getting the Pork Butt Ready

Day One: Prepare the pork butt by trimming the excess fat and seasoning it.

  1. Slather mustard all over the butt.
  2. Inject the marinade in the Boston butt.
  3. Generously sprinkle the magical All Our Way ruball over the pork.
  4. Then Put the pork butt in a zip lock bag to rest overnight in the fridge.

Day Two:Take the pork out of the fridge and let it start to come to room temperature.

In the meantime, put hickory wood chunks in water. You don't want them dry -- they'll burn instead of smoke.

If you prefer, use your favorite wood chunks that are appropriate for smoking meats.

Best wood for smoking meat

  • oak
  • maple
  • pecan
  • alder
  • mesquite
  • apple
  • cherry
  • hickory

Experiment and try different ones and see which one you like the best.

Smoked Boston Butt Recipe The Best Pulled Pork Techniques (2)

Smoking the Boston Butt

Prepare the Grill for Indirect Heat.

  1. Use two pans -- one is a steam pan and one is a drip pan. Line the drip pan with aluminum foil.
  2. The drip pan is on the lower rack and the steam pan is on the upper rack over the coals. Naturally, the steam pan will have water in it and this will help regulate the heat.
  3. Fold a strip of aluminum foilandput it in between the grate. The foil acts as a curtain between the drip pan and the coals. It's a barrier to prevent direct heat from touching the meat.
  4. Douse vegetable oil on 3 or 4 sheets of paper towels and put them on the bottom of the chimney and follow the natural starter technique we posted on starting the grill.This works much better than the wadded up newspaper.
Smoked Boston Butt Recipe The Best Pulled Pork Techniques (3)

Smoking Pork Butt on Grill Technique

Start cooking the Smoked Boston Butt Recipe.

  1. The grill temp should be at 250 F and we make sure it doesn't get above 275 F.
  2. Put the charcoal below the steam pan and fill the steam pan halfway with water.
  3. Position the pork above the drip pan. The bottom air vents are half open.
  4. Immediately place the lid on the grill.
  5. Make sure that the top vent is half open andover the meat. This smoked pulled pork technique draws the smoke up and over the meat and it also controls the temperature.
  6. Maintain a constant temperature of 225 F to 250F and keep water in the steam pan.
  7. Add wet hickory chunks (or your wet wood chunks) as needed for the first two hours of cooking. It's important not to over smoke. Our hickory measures 2x2 inch chunks and we use 2 at a time.
  8. How long does it take to make a pork butt? Plan on smoking the meat for 10 to 11 hours with a constant temperature of 225 F to 250 F.

It is a long slow process but one well worth the time to get a perfect smoked Boston Butt recipe.

Smoked Boston Butt Recipe The Best Pulled Pork Techniques (4)

The Pork is ready to become Pulled Pork

Finishing up The Boston Butt Recipe

The Smoked Boston Butt is ready to become Pulled Pork.

  • The pork develops a nice bark. The bark is the seasoned crust which is the goal for all pit-masters. In fact, the crunchy crust is the first thing that competition judges reach for.
  • At what temperature does the pork come off of the grill? When it reaches an internal temperature of195 F.take it off the grill and wrap it in aluminum foil. Then let it rest for 30 minutes. This technique is the recipe for success.
  • Now remove the blade bone. It should come out easily without any meat sticking to it. This is a sign that the pork was done just right.
  • Use two forks to shred the meat. When we pull the pork, we make sure that the flavorful crusty bits are distributed throughout the pulled pork.
  • We splash a little bit of beef broth on top of the shredded pork. This will keep the meat moist.
Smoked Boston Butt Recipe The Best Pulled Pork Techniques (5)

How to serve Smoked Pulled Pork

There are many wonderful ways to serve the smoked Boston Butt Recipe. At times we like it unadorned or with just a splash of All Our Way BBQ Sauce for Pulled Pork on a hamburger bun. A crunchy coleslaw on top of the pork is also delicious. We like the simple additions because we don't want to mask the yummy smokey taste of the meat. Here are some more ideas for the smoked pulled pork:

  • Pork Quesadillas -- pork, roasted red peppers, caramelized onions seasoned with cumin and chili powder.
  • Pizza - make it a barbecued pulled pork pizza.
  • Pork Ragout over pasta.
  • Enchiladas -- oh!yum!
  • Tacos -- delicious with a smoky flavor
  • Shepherds or Cottage pie.

There is no limit to the dishes you can make with Smoked Boston Butt Recipe. And if you keep a close eye on your store ads you can get some real bargains for Boston Butt.

We've included the recipe for the marinade that we used to inject the pork and the BBQ Sauce for the smoked meat.

Smoked Boston Butt Recipe The Best Pulled Pork Techniques (6)

If you have any questions about the pulled pork technique and recipes, we'll be happy to answer them.

Tutti a tavola è pronto!

Un caro saluto e alla prossima.

Smoked Boston Butt Recipe The Best Pulled Pork Techniques (7)

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Smoked Boston Butt Recipe Marinade and BBQ Sauce

The pork butt marinade is just right for injecting into the meat before smoking. This guarantees the pork is nice and juicy. The zingy barbecue sauce compliments the pulled pork rather than taking away from the delicious smokey flavor. This Smoked Boston Butt will yield the tastiest smoked pulled pork.

For a change, serve your pulled pork like they do in the Southeast, with Carolina BBQ Sauce. The mustardy sauce is tangy with just a bit of sweetness. It's perfect on pork and chicken.

And if you're searching for a delicious go-along with your pork sandwich, be sure to check out our Broccoli Slaw With Ramen Noodles recipe. It's a winner!

If you like this recipe, please consider giving it a five-star rating.

📖 Recipe

Smoked Boston Butt Recipe The Best Pulled Pork Techniques (8)

Smoked Boston Butt Recipe Marinade and BBQ Sauce

This marinade and BBQ sauce will compliment your delicious pulled pork without masking or beoverwhelming to the flavor of the meat.A step by step approach making it easy to make get outstanding results.

5 from 19 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 12 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 11 hours hours

resting time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 day day

Servings: 18 people

Calories: 652kcal

Author: Marisa Franca @ All Our Way

As An Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Ingredients

Meat

  • 10 pound Boston Butt roast pork shoulder
  • ½ cup yellow mustard
  • 2 tablespoons Rub and Seasoning

MARINADE FOR PORK PUTT

  • ¾ CUP apple juice
  • ½ cup water
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ¼ cup salt

BBQ PULLED PORK SAUCE

  • 1 cup apple vinegar
  • 1 cup ketchup
  • 3 Tbs dark brown sugar
  • 1 Tbs yellow mustard
  • 1 Tbs molasses
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 10 pound Boston Butt shoulder roast
  • ½ cup yellow mustard
  • 2 Tablespoons Rub and Seasoning

All Our Way Rub and Seasoning

  • 4 tablespoons chili powder
  • 4 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 4 tablespoons paprika
  • 2 teaspoons black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander
  • 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
  • 2 tablespoons garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
  • 2 tablespoons salt
  • 2 tablespoons dried oregano

Wood for Smoking

  • 5 pounds wet wood for smoking soak in water before placing on charcoal.

Instructions

Meat Preparation

  • Slather mustard all over the butt.

    Smoked Boston Butt Recipe The Best Pulled Pork Techniques (9)

  • Inject the marinade in the Boston Butt.

  • Generously sprinkle All Our Way Rub all over the pork.

  • Put in a plastic zip lock bag and refrigerate overnight.

  • Take the bag out in the morning and let the pork start to warm up.

All Our Way Rub and Seasoning

  • Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well with a whisk. Place in a large shaker container and store at room temperature.

MARINADE

  • Mix thoroughly so that the sugar and salt are dissolved. Use to inject the pork shoulder.

BBQ PULLED PORK SAUCE

  • Place all the ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly.

  • The sauce will not be thick -- for pulled pork, the sauce should be on the thinner side.

Smoking the Boston Butt

  • Prepare the Grill for indirect heat using two pans. One is a drip pan and one is the steam pan.

    Smoked Boston Butt Recipe The Best Pulled Pork Techniques (10)

  • Start the charcoal grill by dousing vegetable oil on 3-4 sheets of paper towels and putting them on the bottom of a chimney starter and light the towels. Follow the technique on our starting the grill post.

    Smoked Boston Butt Recipe The Best Pulled Pork Techniques (11)

  • The grill temperature should be 250F. and not exceed 275F.

  • Position pork above the drip pan. The bottom air vents are half open.

    Smoked Boston Butt Recipe The Best Pulled Pork Techniques (12)

  • Immediately place the lid on the grill

  • The top vent is half open and OVER the meat.

  • Maintain constant temperature of 225-250 F. and keep water in the steam pan.

  • Add wet hickory chunks as needed for the first two hours of cooking.

  • Plan on smoking the meat for 10 to 11 hours.

  • When the meat reaches an internal temperature of 195 ℉ remove from grill and wrap in aluminum foil.

    Smoked Boston Butt Recipe The Best Pulled Pork Techniques (13)

  • Let rest for 30 minutes.

  • Remove the blade bone. Using two forks shred the meat.

    Smoked Boston Butt Recipe The Best Pulled Pork Techniques (14)

  • Splash a little bit of beef broth on top of the shredded pork. This will keep the meat moist.

  • Use the meat for pulled pork sandwiches or for the many other suggestions we give in the Smoked Boston Butt Post.

Notes

Follow the step by step directionsin the post.

Nutrition

Calories: 652kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 79g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 254mg | Sodium: 3090mg | Potassium: 1609mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 1655IU | Vitamin C: 2.7mg | Calcium: 135mg | Iron: 7.7mg

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First Published: March 15 21,2016... Last Updated: May 14, 2019

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Smoked Boston Butt Recipe The Best Pulled Pork Techniques (2024)

FAQs

How long to smoke a 10 lb Boston butt at 225? ›

For the best results, plan for approximately 1.5 to 2 hours of smoking time per pound of pork shoulder at 225°F. For example, if you have a 10-pound pork shoulder, you can estimate the cook time to be around 15 to 20 hours.

Should you marinate pulled pork before smoking? ›

You want the butt to marinate for at least 4 hours. Take the butt out of the zip-lock bag and place on a working surface. Drain it completely and pat dry with paper towel and let it come up to room temp for about 30 – 45 minutes.

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

6) Keep It Low and Slow

Cooking temperature when smoking pork butt all depends on how much time you have to really work some love and smoke into that pork. If you have the time, 225°F is an excellent sweet spot for low-and-slow cooked pork butt.

How long to smoke 7lb pork shoulder at 250? ›

Season on all sides with the dry rub. Place the pork shoulder on the grill, fat side up, and cook on the smoke setting for 20 minutes. Turn heat to 250 degrees and smoke for 10-11 hours or until the internal temp reaches 195-205 degrees. The longer it cooks, the more tender and soft it will be.

When to wrap a pork butt? ›

Remove it from the smoker once it reaches an internal temperature of 165°. Wrap the pork shoulder in foil or butcher's paper and return it to the smoker and cook until it reaches an internal temperature of between 200° and 205°. Rest in the foil at room temperature before serving.

How to keep pulled pork moist while smoking? ›

Try brine: Choose a wet marinade rather than a dry one. Dry rubs may work fine but brine or a wet rub will add that extra moisture along with the flavor that will penetrate deep inside the meat. Keep a spray bottle handy: Keep spraying the meat during smoking or reheating to replace the lost moisture.

Why do you put vinegar in pulled pork? ›

This thin, vinegar-based finishing sauce, which differs from a BBQ sauce, is the secret ingredient to kick up my smoked pulled pork. After you've pulled your pork butt, drizzle over the meat and combine. The vinegar adds contrast to the smoky flavor and cuts through the fat in the meat.

Should you rub pulled pork overnight? ›

The first thing we do when preparing for the smoking process is to season and rub the pork a day in advance. We like to season using salt and pepper separate from the rub because it allows us to gauge exactly how much of each ingredient we are using.

Can you overcook pulled pork? ›

A small splash of good-quality liquid smoke (I like Wright's brand because it contains nothing but real smoke and water) simulates that true smoked flavor. By the way, just as it's possible to overcook beef in a beef stew, it's quite possible to overcook pulled pork.

Can you let pork shoulder rest overnight? ›

You cannot rest pork butt forever, or it will start to get cold. It's best to let the meat rest for 1-2 hour before you shred it. 5 hours is probably the longest you should rest pork butt for.

What is the best temp to remove pork shoulder from smoker? ›

To capture the most accurate temperature, you'll want to use a quality meat thermometer and remove the pork butt when it hits an internal temperature of around 195 degrees Fahrenheit.

How often should I spritz pulled pork? ›

If you choose to spritz the pork shoulder (optional): After 2 hours of smoking, pour the prepared spritzing mixture into the food-safe spray bottle, and spray every 30 to 45 minutes. Reserve about ¾ of a cup of the spritzing liquid and set it aside.

How long to smoke a 5lb Boston butt at 225? ›

5 pork butt (also called Boston butt, picnic, pork shoulder, etc.) will require about 14 hours of total cook time if you run your smoker low and slow at about 225°F (107°C).

What should I spritz my pork shoulder with? ›

Pulled Pork Spritz

Make sure you have a food safe spray bottle. Fill it with equal parts apple cider vinegar and apple juice (or simply apple cider vinegar and water, which is our preference to cut down on excess sweet). After three to four hours of smoke, spray with this spritz every 30 minutes until you wrap.

Should pulled pork be 190 or 200? ›

When you cook beyond 190, there is always the chance your meat will be overdone or taste too heavily of smoke. 205 represents the highest acceptable internal temperature for pulled pork.

How long to let pork shoulder rest after smoking? ›

A 2-4 Hour Rest Makes Brisket & Pork Butt Better

Briskets and pork butts are commonly cooked to internal temps as high as 205°F, which drives a lot of moisture out of the meat.

What temperature is best for pulled pork? ›

You could eat it at a lower temperature, but the magic number is between 200 and 205 degrees. This is the best temperature for pulling the pork apart. Take it out of the oven and let the pork rest. Just like when you cook a steak, you should let any meat rest so you don't lose the juices by cutting into it too early.

How long to smoke pork shoulder at 225 pit boss? ›

These woods impart delicious flavors to the pork shoulder while it smokes, enhancing the overall taste of the meat. How long should I smoke a pork shoulder on a Pit Boss? The ideal smoking time for a pork shoulder on a Pit Boss can range from 1.5 to 2 hours per pound of meat at a temperature of around 225-250°F.

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