A perfectly smoked and pulled pork butt is one of the most delicious treats a backyard grill master can create. When done right, pork butt cooked low and slow over smoking wood or charcoal becomes incredibly moist, fall-off-the-bone tender, and infused with a wonderful smoky flavor. While it takes patience and care, smoking a pork butt is easier than you might think. Follow this guide to learn the secrets of how to bbq a pork butt like a true pitmaster.
What You’ll Need to BBQ a Pork Butt
Smoking a pork butt requires just a few key pieces of equipment and ingredients. Having the right tools, meat, rub, and fuel will set you up for pork smoking success.
Meat and Preparation
- Pork Butt (also called Boston Butt) – Choose a bone-in or boneless pork butt or shoulder roast weighing 6-8 lbs. The bone adds flavor but boneless roasts are easier to carve.
- Meat injector – Injecting a pork butt with a marinade solution ensures extra moisture and flavor. Look for a commercial meat injector with metal needles.
- Pork rub – A good barbecue rub adds tons of flavor. Either make your own or use a store-bought rub. Apply it liberally over the entire pork butt 24 hours before cooking.
- Meat thermometer – An instant read thermometer ensures the pork reaches the ideal internal temperature of 200°F. A leave-in thermometer with a probe monitors temp without having to open the smoker.
Smoker and Fuel
- Charcoal smoker – A basic charcoal smoker gives you temperature control and the great flavor of charcoal. The offset design keeps heat indirect.
- Electric smoker – Set-it and forget-it convenience. Electric elements generate a consistent low temperature and smoke without having to add fuel.
- Wood chips or chunks – For great aroma and flavor, use wood like hickory, mesquite, apple, cherry, etc. Soak chips in water 30 minutes before using.
- Charcoal – Good quality lump charcoal burns slowly and evenly while adding a delicate charcoal flavor. Use it alone or with wood.
Extras
- Aluminum foil or butcher paper – Used to wrap the pork butt to help power through the stall period where cooking slows.
- Spray bottle with apple juice, cider, stock etc. – Helps keep the pork butt moist if spritzed on occasionally.
- Insulated barbecue gloves – Protect your hands when handling the hot meat.
- Cutting board and carving knife – Needed later to pull and chop the smoked pork.
How to Prepare a Pork Butt for Smoking
Preparing the meat is an important first step to ensure your pork butt turns out juicy, flavorful and smoked to perfection.
Trim off Excess Fat
Too much fat can hinder the smoke absorption and make your pork greasy. Trim off any large fatty areas, but leave at least 1⁄4 inch of fat to keep it moist.
Inject Marinade
Use an injection needle to pump the pork shoulder full of apple juice, stock or other liquid. Adding moisture deep into the meat guarantees it stays juicy when smoked for hours.
Apply a Dry Rub
A dry rub adds tons of flavor and forms a nice bark when smoked. Apply a thin coating over the entire pork butt and massage it in. Let it penetrate overnight.
Score the Fat Cap
Use a sharp knife to cut shallow slits in the fat cap. This helps the rub absorb better and allows heat to penetrate and melt the fat.
Bring Meat to Room Temp
Let the rubbed pork sit out for 30 minutes to an hour before smoking. This helps it cook faster and more evenly later.
Set up Your Smoker
While the meat rests, prep your smoker with fuel and get it heated to 235-255°F. Add wood for flavor. Then you’re ready to start smoking!
How Long to Smoke a Pork Butt
A full pork butt takes a good 12-15 hours at low heat to become perfectly tender. This allows time for the collagen to break down into succulent pulled pork.
Estimate 1.5 Hours Per Pound
As a general rule, plan on smoking a pork butt for about 1 1⁄2 hours per pound. A 6 lb butt takes around 9 hours, while a 10 lb roast needs 15 hours.
Smoke Until Internal Temp Hits 200°F
Regardless of weight, smoke the pork until the internal temp probes tender at 200-205°F. Use an instant read thermometer to monitor.
Expect a Stall Around 160°F
Don’t worry if the temp stalls and stops rising for a while around 160°F. This is the collagen breaking down. Just keep smoking until it passes this and continues to 200°F.
Let it Rest Before Pulling
Once it hits perfect tenderness at 200-205°F, remove it from the smoker. Let it rest wrapped in foil for at least 30 minutes before pulling.
Smoking a Pork Butt Step-By-Step
Follow this simple process to turn out amazing smoked pulled pork every time.
1. Prepare the Meat
Start 1-2 days before cooking. Trim, inject, rub down and let the pork marinate overnight in the fridge.
2. Preheat the Smoker
Get your smoker heated to 235°F-255°F using charcoal, wood, or electric. For charcoal, let it burn until the flames die down before cooking.
3. Place Pork in Smoker
Put the pork butt in your smoker and insert a probe thermometer into the thickest part. Maintain heat at 235-255°F.
4. Smoke for First 4 Hours
Let the pork smoke undisturbed for the first 3-4 hours. This initial time lets the smoke really get into the meat.
5. Spritz Every Hour
After the first few hours, start lightly spritzing the meat every hour with a squirt bottle of juice, stock etc. This keeps it from drying out.
6. Power Through the Stall
Don’t worry when the temperature stalls around 160°F. This means the collagen is breaking down. Just keep calm and smoke on.
7. Wrap at 165°F
When it passes 160°F, tightly wrap the pork in foil or paper to power it through the stall. This steam-cooks the meat.
8. Smoke Until 205°F Internal Temp
Keep cooking until the pork butt reaches 200-205°F internally. This signals it’s fall-apart tender and ready.
9. Rest and Pull
Remove pork from smoker, cover in foil and let rest 30 mins to 2 hours. This lets juices redistribute. Then pull into tasty smoked strands!
10. Chop and Serve
Chop or shred the pulled pork. Mix in barbecue sauce if desired. Pile high on buns, tacos or beans! Enjoy the fruits of your smoking labor.
Types of Smokers for Pork Butts
You can smoke a pork butt on just about any type of smoker. Each has pros and cons.
Charcoal Smoker
A standard bullet-style charcoal smoker is a classic option for smoking pork butts. You get great charcoal flavor and can add wood chunks or chips for more aroma. Charcoal takes more effort to maintain an even temperature. Offset charcoal smokers work similarly but keep heat indirect.
Electric Smoker
Electric smokers make it easy to hold a steady low temperature for hours with little monitoring. Instead of fuel, they use electric heating elements with a wood chip tray for smoke. While convenient, some dislike that they don’t impart a true charcoal or wood taste.
Pellet Smoker
Pellet smokers burn compressed hardwood pellets to generate both heat and smoke flavor automatically. Many come with digital controls and probes. Pellet grills like the Traeger are hugely popular for set-it-and-forget it smoking.
Kamado Grill/Smoker
Ceramic Kamado-style grills like the Big Green Egg excel at maintaining consistent low temps for smoking. They can use charcoal or wood chunks for great flavor. Their thick walls and design hold in moisture.
Propane Smoker
A propane smoker makes it easy to control the temperature during long smoking times. While convenient, propane adds no special flavor like charcoal. Use wood chunks/chips in a box to enhance smoke aroma and taste.
Best Pork Butt Wood Choices
The type of wood used while smoking has a big impact on the pork’s flavor. Fruit and nut woods add sweeter notes while oak and hickory provide richer depth.
Hickory
Classic strong, earthy, smokey flavor
Mesquite
Intense smoke taste with hints of herbs
Apple
Mildly sweet and fruity
Cherry
Slightly sweet with a subtle fruitness
Pecan
Mild and nutty with a touch of sweetness
Oak
Strong woodsy depth without overpowering
Maple
Adds a delicately sweet and woody aroma
For a balanced flavor profile, try mixing wood chips/chunks from one fruit wood like apple or cherry along with a nut wood like pecan or a heartier classic like oak or hickory.
How to Make a Dry Rub for Pork Butt
Dry rubs infuse incredible flavor into pork butt when smoked low and slow. While store-bought rubs work, making your own lets you customize the blend.
Base Ingredients
Use an equal mix of the following as a base:
- Brown sugar
- Smoked paprika
- Salt
- Pepper
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
Spice It Up
Then add any of these for more complexity:
- Chili powder
- Mustard powder
- Cayenne pepper
- ground cumin
- ground coriander
- ground ginger
Herbs & More
Finish it off with extra flavor from:
- Dried oregano
- thyme
- basil
- sage
- lemon zest
- orange zest
Mix the ingredients until thoroughly combined. Generously coat the pork butt 24 hours before smoking. Rub it directly on the meat, not just the surface for maximum flavor infusion.
How Long to Rest a Smoked Pork Butt
Letting the pork butt rest after smoking is arguably the most critical step. Resting allows the juices to reabsorb back into the meat.
Rest for at Least 30 Minutes
After smoking for 12+ hours, be patient and let the pork rest a minimum of 30 minutes before pulling. Resist immediately digging in!
1-2 Hours is Ideal
For best results, wait 1-2 hours before pulling and serving. This gives the pork a chance to cool down and the juices to redistribute evenly.
Keep it Wrapped While Hot
Maintain tenderness by leaving it wrapped in foil while hot. Unwrap just before pulling into strands.
Save the Smoking Juices!
The foil will contain delicious juices. Pour these over the pulled pork or use for sauce to keep all the moisture and flavor.
Don’t skip this last vital step. Resting ensures you end up with incredibly juicy and tender pulled pork that makes all those hours of low and slow smoking truly pay off.
How to Tell When Pork Butt is Done Smoking
With the right indicators, you’ll know precisely when your pork butt is smoked to perfection.
cooked to at Least 200°F Internally
Use an instant read thermometer to check the internal temp. Pork butts are ready when they reach 200-205°F.
Meat Feels Very Tender
Test tenderness by poking the pork with tongs or a fork. Properly smoked meat will be so tender it practically falls apart.
Bone Slides Right Out
Insert a knife into the joint and the bone should twist and slide out with little resistance if it’s ready.
Internal Meat Looks Shreddable
Poke into the thickest part of the pork. If you see moist, stringy bits starting to form, you’re good to go.
Nice Bark Has Formed
When smoked slowly, the outer surface should have transformed into a flavorful, dark, crusty bark.
When your pork butt exhibits these doneness signs, you can finally stop smoking and start enjoying incredible pulled pork!
Troubleshooting Smoked Pork Butt Problems
Even the most experienced smoker runs into the occasional issue. Here’s how to troubleshoot common problems with smoking pork butts.
Problem: Raw or Undercooked Meat
Solution: Continue cooking until the internal temp hits 200-205°F. Check your thermometer’s accuracy.
Problem: Dry, Tough Meat
Solution: Smoke at 235-255°F instead of too high a temp. Inject and spritz to add moisture. Make sure to rest before pulling.
Problem: Uneven Cooking
Solution: Maintain an even heat level in your smoker. Rotate meat if part is lagging. Cook until completely tender.
Problem: Bad Smoke Flavor
Solution: Use cured/aged wood. Avoid green wood for cleaner smoke.
Problem: No Smoke Ring
Solution: Make sure smoke can ventilate properly around the meat. Apply rub just before smoking.
Problem: Flare-Ups
Solution: For charcoal smokers, let flames die down before cooking. Keep grease cleaned out of smoker. Avoid too high a temp.
FAQs About Smoking Pork Butt
Still have some questions? These tips should help you out.
What’s the Difference Between a Pork Butt and Pork Shoulder?
Pork butt and pork shoulder both come from the upper portion of the front leg. Pork butt is the upper part of the shoulder. Pork shoulder is the lower portion. They contain the same mix of muscles so are interchangeable for smoking.
Is It Better to Smoke a Bone-In or Boneless Pork Butt?
The bone adds extra flavor as it smokes, but also lengthens cooking time. Boneless is faster and makes carving easier, but may sacrifice a little taste. Either works great, so choose based on your timeline and preferences.
Should You Brine Pork Butt Before Smoking?
Brining isn’t required since pork butt is naturally well-marbled with fat to keep it moist. Injecting with a marinade solution is an easier way to guarantee moisture and flavor. But brining 1-2 days before smoking can further tenderize and season the meat.
How Much Pulled Pork Does a Pork Butt Make?
Expect about 50% of the raw weight as usable pulled pork. A 10 lb pork butt yields around 5 lbs pulled meat. The rest is bone and excess fat. So a 6-8 lb butt feeds 8-12 people well. Bump up to a 10+ lb roast for big gatherings.
Can You Freeze and Reheat Pulled Pork?
Absolutely! Portion pulled pork into freezer bags or containers right after smoking. Reheat gently in the oven, slow cooker or microwave until heated through. Add barbecue sauce or broth if needed to prevent dryness.
Let’s Get Smoking!
Cooking tender, flavorful pulled pork butt may seem intimidating for beginners, but have patience and stick to these tips and you’ll be a smoking pro in no time.
The key is maintaining a consistent low temperature over many hours. Resist rushing it! Let the pork slowly absorb the aromatic smoke flavor as the collagen gently breaks down. Before you know it, you’ll have masterfully smoked meat that’s destined to be the star of the barbecue.
Now that you’re armed with expert knowledge on how to bbq a pork butt, it’s time to get smoking! Invite some hungry family and friends over and wow them with your impressive backyard barbecue mastery.