Smoked Pork Butt (Pulled Pork) — American BBQ Classic

The American BBQ classic — pork shoulder (here called "pork butt", confusingly — it's NOT the rear end, it's the front shoulder) slow-smoked at 107°C for 6+ hours. Apple wood smoke, a simple sweet + spicy rub, foil-wrap finish for max tenderness. Pulls apart with a fork. The ultimate camp showpiece for serious smokers. Plan ahead — this is a full-day cook. But the result is genuinely transcendent. Recipe Card Serves 4–6 Prep 15 min Cook 3–6 hrs Method Smoker Difficulty Medium Best for Camp specialist Photo by nobleseed nobleseed on Unsplash Smoked Pork Butt (Pork Shoulder) Serves: 8-12 (or makes amazing leftovers) · Prep: 10 minutes · Smoke: 6-6.5 hours total · Wood: apple chips · Equipment: smoker (offset, kettle, or pellet), heavy aluminium foil, meat thermometer Photo: Ricardo IV Tamayo / Unsplash Ingredients 3kg pork SHOULDER (also sold as "pork butt" — the cut is the upper foreleg, NOT the rear) ½ tsp salt ¼ cup brown sugar 2 tbsp chilli powder Apple wood chips (about 2 cups, soaked 30 min) Optional rub upgrades: 1 tbsp ground cumin (smoky depth) 1 tbsp paprika (sweet smoky base) 1 tbsp garlic powder 1 tbsp onion powder 1 tsp dry mustard 1 tsp cracked black pepper To serve: brioche buns, coleslaw, BBQ sauce, pickles, hot sauce. Classic pulled pork sandwiches. Method 1. Mix the rub. Combine salt, brown sugar + chilli powder (plus optional upgrades) in a small bowl. 2. Rub the pork. Pat the pork shoulder dry with paper towel. Rub the seasoning mix all over the meat — get it into every crevice. Some pitmasters add a thin coat of mustard first to help the rub stick (yellow mustard, doesn't taste of mustard once cooked). 3. Pre-heat smoker to 107°C (225°F). Add a handful of soaked apple wood chips. 4. Place pork in smoker. Fat-side UP if there's a fat cap (basts the meat as it cooks). Add fresh wood chips during the FIRST 3 HOURS only — that's enough smoke flavour. Beyond 3 hours = bitter, over-smoked. 5. Cook unwrapped for 5 hours. Maintain 107°C. The "stall" happens around 71°C internal — temperature plateaus for an hour or two as moisture evaporates from the meat. Don't panic; just wait it out. 6. Check internal temperature at 5-hour mark with a meat thermometer in the thickest part. Should be ~65°C. 7. Wrap in heavy foil ("Texas crutch") + return to smoker. Adds another 1-1.5 hours. 8. Cook until internal temp = 70-95°C. Most pulled-pork pitmasters target 92-95°C — the connective tissue completely breaks down + the meat falls apart with a fork. 70°C is the safe-eating minimum (firmer slicing texture). 9. Rest WRAPPED for 30-60 minutes. Critical step — juices redistribute, texture transforms. 10. Pull or slice. Two forks pull the meat apart along the grain. Discard any large pieces of fat. Mix with the juice from the foil + serve. Tips and variations Pork BUTT terminology — confusing. "Butt" = pork shoulder upper portion (yes, the front shoulder, not the rear). The actual rear is "ham". American naming weirdness Bone-in or boneless? Bone-in cooks slightly slower + the bone adds flavour. Boneless is easier to pull. Both work Apple wood is the classic — sweet + mild. Hickory works too (stronger, more savoury). Mesquite = too strong for pork Don't over-smoke. Limit smoke wood to first 3 hours. Beyond that = bitter creosote flavour The Texas crutch (foil wrap) speeds up the cook + retains moisture. Some pitmasters skip it for harder bark; most embrace it Cooking temperature variations: 95°C internal = pull-apart soft (ideal for pulled pork sandwiches); 70-75°C = firmer slicing texture; 65°C = minimum safe Brining first (8 hours in salt/sugar water) creates EVEN juicier result — worth doing if you have the time The bark (dark crust) is the prized exterior layer — full of flavour. Don't discard, mix it through the pulled meat Make pulled pork sandwiches: brioche bun + pulled pork + creamy coleslaw + BBQ sauce + pickles. Universal favourite Leftovers: keep 4 days in the fridge; freeze portions for months. Reheat with a splash of stock to keep moist Without a smoker: low-and-slow in a Dutch oven on the BBQ at 110°C; or a covered Weber kettle with charcoal pushed to one side + the meat opposite (indirect cooking) Our take The bucket-list smoker recipe. Pork shoulder is the most forgiving large cut for low-and-slow cooking — the fat + connective tissue make it nearly impossible to overcook (within reason). Once you've nailed pulled pork, you've nailed smoked meat. Best result: feed the camp at lunch on day 2 of a long trip — start the cook at breakfast on day 1, eat the famous pulled pork sandwich the next day. Serves 8+, leftovers feed everyone for another meal. The most generous + crowd-pleasing camp dinner you can make. Shop Smokers & BBQ Gear

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Smoked Pork Butt (Pulled Pork) — American BBQ Classic

Posted on April 26, 2026