Smoked Pork Shoulder

Smoked pork shoulder is tender, juicy, smoked meat perfection. Easy to prepare in a smoker or on your BBQ grill, this crowd-pleasing delectable smoked pork shoulder dry rub recipe will become a family favorite.

Suitable for Gluten-Free diets. Post includes Weight Watchers points.

Folks, you are gonna love this Smoked Pork Shoulder recipe! It’s a flavorful, versatile, and economical dish that’s super easy to prepare. Since the cooking process for pork butt is relatively hands-off, your main investment is time. And for that, you will be rewarded with succulent pieces of divine pork goodness that is perfect for sandwiches, nachos, and more.

What makes this smoked pork shoulder sooooo easy is that it can be prepared in the smoker or even on your BBQ grill. Yeap. Pork shoulder has just enough fat to maintain juiciness throughout the long cooking time, and you will be rewarded with fork-tender meat that’s bursting with a smoky flavor.

Related Recipe : Smoked Chicken Breast.

So whether you are feeding a crowd or plan to feed your family and make good use of the leftovers, pork butt is not only tasty but it’s simple to make and economical to boot!

Why You’ll Love It

1. Easy to make. Simply prep the pork and the smoker and then let time do all the work.
2. Super flavorful. Slow and indirect cooking allows the pork to develop deep, complex flavor. Plus you can tailor the flavor to suit your taste and change it up each time you make this.
3. So versatile. Shredded or chopped smoked pork can be used in soooo many different recipes and the leftovers freeze really well.

KITCHEN TOOLS, UTENSILS & APPLIANCES  NEEDED

• A smoker or bbq.
• Mixing bowls.
• Measuring cups and spoons.
• Cutting board.
• Meal prep bowls for storing.

I know you can almost smell the smoked meat already! So, gather your ingredients and get ready for me to show you…..

How To Make Smoked Pork Shoulder

1. Cover your pork with a half cup of dry rub, then refrigerate it overnight.
2. Preheat your smoker or grill to 225F / 107C.
3. Add wood chips to your smoker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. See the FAQ sections to learn how to set up your grill for indirect cooking.
4. Place the meat fatty side up into the smoker and close the lid.
5. Cook until the pork shoulder reaches an internal temperature of 185F – 195F / 85C – 90C.
6. Smoking time varies, but you should plan on about 90 minutes per pound.

Pit Boss Smoked Pork Shoulder

1. Preheat the Pit Boss pellet grill to 250 degrees F / 120 degrees C. 
2. Place an aluminum pan filled with water on the far side of the grill. Place the pork shoulder butt onto the grill grates with the far side facing down. 
3. Close the lid and let the pork smoke for about 3 hours spraying it with juice or marinade every 30 minutes. 
4. When the pork butt has reached 150 degrees F / 65 degrees C, remove from the smoker and wrap in foil. 
5. Return the foil wrapped pork to the smoker and heat to an internal temperature of 192 degrees F / 89 degrees C. 
6. Remove the foil and return the unwrapped meat to the pellet smoker.
7. Increase the temperature of the pellet grill to 275 degrees F / 135 degrees c and cook until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 203 degrees F  / 95 degrees C.
8. Allow the meat to rest for 20-30 minutes before shredding and serving. 

Recipe Tips

• Use indirect heat for the best cooking results.
• Add more soaked wood chips every 45 minutes or so to keep the smoke going.
• Place a water-filled disposable tray under the pork to catch any drippings and help to keep the meat moist.
• You may need to add additional water (or juice or beer) during the cooking process.
• Closely monitor your grill or smoker temperature. Consistent temperature is the key to tender pork.
• When done, be sure to let the meat rest. Wrapping the pork and letting it rest for at least 30 minutes and up to several hours after smoking will result in extra juicy and flavorful meat.

Meal Prep And Prep Ahead

Peeps, smoked pork is perfect for weekly meal prep or whenever you want to get a jump on mealtime and prep ahead.

Prep Ahead – Smoke the pork butt up to 24 hours in advance and keep the meat warm in a crockpot set on low. 

Store – The shredded meat can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for several days. Simply reheat the appropriate portion in the microwave.

Freeze – Follow the handy tips below for how to freeze this.

• Place the meat into quart-sized Ziploc freezer bags removing as much air as possible.
• Label the bags and then lay them flat in the freezer.
• Store in the freezer for up to 6 months.
• Reheat the pulled pork by microwaving for 1-2 minutes.

FAQs

Can I Prepare Smoked Pork Shoulder In Advance?

Yes, cooked pork shoulder keeps quite well. If you plan to use the meat within 24 hours after smoking, you can keep it warm in a crockpot set on its lowest setting.

The meat will keep in the fridge for several days and can be reheated in the microwave. For longer storage, freeze small servings of the pulled pork for up to 6 months.

Pork Shoulder Or Pork Butt? What Kind Of Meat Do I Need?

When you go to the store you may see pork meat labeled several different ways. Pork butt, pork shoulder, Boston butt, etc. These are all the same cut of meat and will yield the same results.

The key is to find a hefty piece of meat with a large fat cap on top. The fat adds lots of flavor and moisture. You can also find bone-in and boneless cuts. I prefer bone-in as I find it adds to the flavor. The bone will slide right out when the meat is fully cooked.

Do I Have To Have A Smoker To Make Smoked Pork Shoulder?

Smokers are convenient, but they are not necessary to enjoy smoky pulled pork. Using your grill is a great and less expensive alternative, but will require a few adjustments.

Your grill will need to be set up for indirect cooking. That means you want the meat placed to the side of the heat source, not directly over it. For gas grills, you will only light one side. For charcoal grills bank your coals to the opposite side of the grill that the meat will be placed on.

If using a grill, you will need to create a smoker tray to hold the wood chips. A small aluminum baking pan works great or you can layer several pieces of foil and shape them into a small tray. Place this directly over the flame or coals.

Flavor Variations

This smoked pork shoulder dry rub recipe is super easy to vary. Try some of these flavor suggestions;

• Swap out the dry rub – I like to whip up this homemade rub, but you can also make this using your favorite premade dry rub.
• Try different wood chips – apple, cherry, and pecan wood are my favorites.
• change up the sauce – try a sweeter BBQ sauce, tangy sauce, or for those that like to bring the heat, go for a spicy sauce.

Serving Suggestions

• Southern Squash Casserole.
• Easy Coleslaw.
• Instant Pot Collard Greens.

More Smoked and Pork Recipes

• Smoked Pork Tenderloin.
• Cinnamon Honey Glazed Picnic Ham.
• Hawaiian Instant Pot Pulled Pork.
• Smothered Pork Chops.
• Southern Fried Pork Chops and Gravy.
• Smoked Chicken Breast.
• Smoked Chicken Wings.

Weight Watchers Points

There are 4 Blue Plan SmartPoints in one serving of this.

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Print Recipe

5 from 4 votes

Smoked Pork Shoulder

Smoked pork shoulder is tender, flavorful, and easy to make.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time7 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Course: Main

Cuisine: American, Western

Diet: Gluten Free

Servings: 12

Calories: 249kcal

Author: Bintu Hardy

Ingredients

• ▢ 5 pounds boneless pork shoulder pork butt
• ▢ 1/2 cup dry rub

Instructions

• Slather the pork with the dry rub, then cover and refrigerate overnight, if possible.
• Preheat smoker to 225F / 107C, or set up a grill for indirect heat.
• Place pork in the smoker (with water tray underneath) fatty side up, close lid and adjust smoke vents.
• Cook the pork until it reaches an internal temperature of 185F – 195F / 85C – 90C. The actual time will depend on the consistency of heat and the size of the pork shoulder but plan to allow about 90 minutes per pound.
• When done, remove meat from smoker, cover in foil, and let rest for at least 30 minutes.
• Shred and then serve with BBQ sauce, if you prefer.

Pitt Boss Smoked Pork Shoulder

• Preheat the Pit Boss pellet grill to 250 degrees F / 120 degrees C. 
• Place an aluminum pan filled with water on the far side of the grill. 
• Place the pork shoulder butt on to the grill grates with the far side facing down. 
• Close the lid and let the pork smoke for about 3 hours spraying it with juice or marinade every 30 minutes. 
• When the pork butt has reached 150 degrees F / 65 degrees C, remove from the smoker and wrap in foil. 
• Return the foil wrapped pork to the smoker and heat to an internal temperature of 192 degrees F / 89 degrees C. 
• Remove the foil and return the unwrapped meat to the pellet smoker. Increase the temperature of the pellet grill to 275 degrees F / 135 degrees c and cook until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 203 degrees F  / 95 degrees C.
• Allow the meat to rest for 20-30 minutes before shredding and serving. 

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Mixing Bowl

Notes

• Use indirect heat for the best cooking results.
• Add more soaked wood chips every 45 minutes or so to keep the smoke going.
• Place a water-filled disposable tray under the pork to catch any drippings and help to keep the meat moist.
• You may need to add additional water (or juice or beer) during the cooking process.
• Closely monitor your grill or smoker temperature. Consistent temperature is the key to tender pork.
• When done, be sure to let the meat rest. Wrapping the pork and letting it rest for at least 30 minutes and up to several hours after smoking will result in extra juicy and flavorful meat.

There are 4 Blue Plan SmartPoints in a serving.

 

Nutrition

Calories: 249kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 43g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 113mg | Sodium: 103mg | Potassium: 734mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 77IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 3mg