Pork shoulders are a great cut of meat for making delicious, tender barbecue. With some simple preparation and the right cooking technique, you can make mouthwatering pulled pork or smoked pork shoulder with crispy, bark-like edges. Follow these tips and techniques for making incredible barbecue pork at home.
Ingredients and Supplies Needed
To make great BBQ pork, you will need:
- A boneless pork shoulder roast (also called pork butt or Boston butt). Get one that is about 5-8 pounds.
- Dry rub – Make your own or use a store-bought blend.
- BBQ sauce or mop sauce.
- Wood chips or chunks for smoking – Mesquite, hickory, oak, etc.
- Charcoal or gas grill or smoker.
- Meat thermometer.
- Aluminum foil.
Pork Shoulder
The best cut to use for pulled pork is a bone-in or boneless pork shoulder, also known as a Boston butt or pork butt. The shoulder sits above the front legs on the pig, so it gets a lot of exercise, making the meat very marbled with fat and collagen. This makes pork shoulder perfect for low and slow cooking like barbecue, since the fat and connective tissues break down into succulent, tender meat. Look for a boneless shoulder roast around 5-8 pounds. You can use bone-in, but boneless will cook a little faster.
Dry Rub
A dry rub adds flavor to the pork as it cooks. You can buy pre-made BBQ rubs or make your own. Good rubs contain salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, and other spices. Rub the mix all over the pork at least 30 minutes or up to overnight before cooking. The salt and sugar will start to break down the meat tissues.
BBQ Sauce or Mop
To keep the pork moist and add more flavor during cooking, you’ll mop or baste it with a flavorful sauce. You can use bottled barbecue sauce thinned with vinegar, broth or water for mopping, or make your own sauce. A basic mop sauce contains vinegar, oil, spices and some tomato sauce or ketchup.
Smoking Wood
For optimal smoke flavor, use wood chips, chunks or logs when cooking the pork. Good smoking woods for pork include hickory, oak, mesquite, apple, pecan, or cherry. About 1-2 cups of chips or 2-3 chunks is sufficient for a pork shoulder.
Grill or Smoker
The best way to cook barbecue pork is on a charcoal or gas grill or a smoker set up for indirect cooking. You want to cook low and slow at 225-275°F. A standard kettle grill can work by arranging coals on one side and putting pork on the other. Smokers allow adding wood for flavor.
Meat Thermometer
An instant read thermometer helps check doneness without overcooking the pork. Insert it into the thickest part of the meat, away from any bones. Remove pork from the grill when it reaches 195-205°F internally. At this temp, it will be fall-apart tender.
Foil
You’ll want heavy duty aluminum foil to wrap the pork in for part of the cooking time. This retains moisture and speeds up cooking. Make sure the foil is sturdy enough to hold the pork without tearing.
Preparing the Pork Shoulder
Before cooking up your BBQ pulled pork masterpiece, you must first trim and prepare the shoulder roast:
Trim Off Excess Fat
Pork shoulder has a thick outer fat cap. While some fat adds flavor and moisture, too much can make the meat greasy. Trim off any overhanging fat around the edges. Remove the fat cap on top, but leave about 1/4 to 1/2 inch.
Inject Flavor (Optional)
For extra juicy and flavorful pulled pork, you can inject a marinade deep into the meat. Use an injection needle to fill the shoulder with a thin, vinegar-based marinade. This distributes seasoning and moisture throughout the roast.
Apply a Dry Rub
Coat the entire trimmed pork shoulder with a dry spice rub. You can make your own or use a store-bought one marketed for pork. Rub the spices all over and under the meat, covering completely. Let sit for 30-60 minutes to allow the salt and sugar to penetrate the meat. For more flavor, you can rub the night before and let sit in the fridge.
Let Meat Come to Room Temp
Always let your pork roast come up to room temperature before cooking, about 30-60 minutes. Don’t put cold meat straight on the grill. Letting it warm up a bit allows for more even cooking.
Now the pork shoulder prep is complete and it’s ready to go on the smoker or grill!
How to Cook BBQ Pork Shoulder
Low and slow cooking is key to tender, pull-apart pork shoulder. Follow these methods for incredible barbecue every time.
Method 1: Smoking
For the best flavor, smoke the pork shoulder in a charcoal or electric smoker:
- Set up smoker for indirect cooking at 225-275°F, with a water pan or wood chunks/chips loaded.
- Place seasoned pork fatty side up on grate over unlit side.
- Maintain even low temperature and add more charcoal and wood chunks as needed to keep smoke going.
- Cook until internal temp reaches 195-205°F, about 1 hour 15 min per pound.
- Spritz with apple cider vinegar or apply mop sauce every hour during first half of cook time.
- Wrap in foil when bark forms and meat reaches 160°F, about 4-6 hours in.
- When done, remove and let rest 30 minutes before pulling.
Smoking low and slow breaks down the pork’s fat and connective tissues so it pulls apart easily into tender, juicy meat infused with smoky flavor.
Method 2: On a Charcoal Grill
You can also cook delicious smoked pork shoulder on a standard kettle grill using indirect heat:
- Pile charcoal on one side of grill, leaving other side empty.
- Place a drip pan in the area with no coals. Fill with water or apple cider vinegar.
- Put seasoned pork roast fatty side up on grate over drip pan/no coals section.
- Maintain grill temp of 225-250°F by adjusting top and bottom vents. Add a handful of smoking wood chips every 30 minutes.
- Cook until pork internal temp reaches 195-205°F. Add more charcoal as needed to keep heat steady.
- When done, remove and let rest for 30 minutes before pulling.
With indirect cooking on a kettle grill, you get smoked barbecue pork without a fancy smoker!
Method 3: “Hot and Fast” Cooking
If you’re short on time, you can cook the pork shoulder hotter but for less time. Increase heat to 300°F+ on a smoker/grill and cook until done. It will only take about 1 hour per pound, versus 1.5 hours with low and slow cooking. The pork will still be moist and delicious!
Don’t Forget to Rest!
Always let pork rest about 20-30 minutes after cooking and before pulling or slicing, otherwise it will dry out. The internal temp will continue rising 5-10 degrees. Tent foil over it to keep warm. Then dig in!
How to Make Pulled Pork
Now that the pork is smoked, it’s time to “pull” it into delicious barbecue!
Follow these easy steps for amazing pulled pork every time:
Step 1: Transfer Pork to Cutting Board
Carefully remove the smoked pork roast from the smoker or grill and place on a large cutting board. Be sure to save any juices that accumulate in the foil.
Step 2: Pull on Chunks of Meat
Using two forks, shred and pull the pork shoulder apart into smaller chunks of juicy meat. It should come apart easily if cooked correctly.
Step 3: Chop and Mix
Chop the pulled meat into smaller pieces if desired. You can leave some chunks or shred it all uniformly. Mix the shredded pork together on the cutting board.
Step 4: Moisten with Sauce
Add some of the reserved pan juices or barbecue sauce to the pulled pork to moisten it. Just drizzle and toss lightly to coat. Add more if needed.
Step 5: Serve and Enjoy!
Pile the delicious, smoky pulled pork onto buns, tacos or bread. Or just eat it with a fork! Garnish with extra BBQ sauce on the side. Savor the fruits of your barbecue labor.
Now you know how to smoke and pull pork for incredible home-cooked barbecue any time! Adjust the seasoning or sauce to your preferences. Enjoy exploring different rubs, wood smoke flavors and mop sauces.
FAQs About Making BBQ Pork
What is the best cut for pulled pork?
The best cut is pork shoulder, also called Boston butt or pork butt. It has the right amount of fat and connective tissue to break down into succulent pulled pork during long smoking times. The abundant marbling makes it perfect for low and slow barbecue cooking.
What size pork roast should I get?
Look for a boneless pork shoulder in the 5-8 pound range. Anything larger may be difficult to fit on some grills. Going too small means you won’t have as many delicious leftovers. The general rule of thumb is to allow 1/2 pound of uncooked pork per person.
How long does it take to smoke a pork shoulder?
With “low and slow” cooking between 225-275°F, plan on about 1.5 hours per pound. So a 5-pound roast will take around 7-8 hours, and a 7-pounder will need 10-11 hours. You can reduce time to 1 hour per pound with a hot and fast method around 300°F.
When should I wrap the pork in foil?
If smoking low and slow, wrap the pork once it reaches an internal temperature of 160°F, about 4-6 hours into cooking. This helps power through the stall phase. Unwrap for the last hour if you want to re-crisp the bark.
How do I get a nice bark on the pork?
To achieve a dark crust or bark on the outside edges, don’t wrap the roast right away. Let it smoke uncovered until it reaches about 160°F before foiling, to allow the bark to set. Rubbing it with spices also builds bark.
Can I speed up the cooking time?
Yes! You can reduce smoking time to about 1 hour per pound by cooking at 300-325°F vs. low and slow temps. The pork won’t have quite as much smoke flavor, but still turns out moist and delicious. Injecting the meat with a marinade helps too.
What temperature should I cook the pork to?
Cook until the internal temperature in the thickest part of the roast reaches 195-205°F. This extended time breaks down the collagen for tender, pull-apart meat. Don’t worry if it goes a bit over 205°F!
Tips for Perfect BBQ Pulled Pork
- Choose a bone-in or boneless pork shoulder roast about 5-8 lbs.
- Trim off excess outer fat, but leave about 1⁄4 inch.
- Apply a flavorful dry rub all over and let sit 30+ minutes.
- Use indirect heat on a grill or smoker at 225-275°F.
- Maintain steady low temperature throughout the long cooking time.
- Use smoking woods like hickory, mesquite or apple for flavor.
- Spritz with a mop sauce or apple juice every hour for the first half.
- Wrap in foil at 160°F internal temp to power through the stall.
- Cook until internal temp reaches 195-205°F for tender meat.
- Let rest 30 minutes before pulling for juicy pork.
- Pull pork with forks and incorporate juices and sauce.
- Moisten pulled pork with reserved pan drippings and barbecue sauce.
- Serve on buns with extra sauce or eat as is. Enjoy!
Common Problems and Solutions
Smoking pork shoulder may take time, but follow these troubleshooting tips for guaranteed success.
Problem: Pork comes out tough and dry
- Solution: The shoulder was undercooked. Always cook to 195-205°F internal temperature for tender, juicy meat.
Problem: Pork has burnt, bitter taste
- Solution: Coals got too hot, burning the outside. Maintain even 225-275°F heat. Move farther from coals.
Problem: Pork is not getting smoky flavor
- Solution: Make sure to add soaked wood chips or chunks throughout the cook time to generate steady smoke.
Problem: Cooking takes much longer than expected
- Solution: A stall around 160°F can slow things down as collagen melts. Wrap in foil to push through. Allow 1-1.5 hours per pound.
Problem: Rub won’t stick before cooking
- Solution: Wet meat won’t take a rub. Pat pork dry first and let sit out 30 minutes before applying rub.
Problem: Pork doesn’t pull apart cleanly
- Solution: Cut any remaining connective tissue between meat chunks. If undercooked, continue heating in foil until tender.
Don’t worry, even beginners can master how to make amazing pulled pork with the right technique! Follow these tips and enjoy lip-smackin’ barbecue.
Conclusion
Smoked pulled pork makes for incredible barbecue that will impress any crowd. The pork shoulder is perfectly suited for low, slow cooking methods that break down the fat and collagen into succulent, juicy meat that pulls apart easily. Combining simple seasoning and constant low heat results in next-level flavor you can’t get quickly with high heat. With the right preparation and cooking technique, your homemade BBQ pork will rival any barbecue joint. Get creative with your own spice rubs and signature mop sauces. Mastering pulled pork is a rite of passage for any backyard smoker or grill master.