Pulled Pork
A pork shoulder gets rubbed in a sweet-and-spicy dry rub, then smoked low and slow over indirect heat until the fat renders completely and the meat shreds effortlessly. Tossed in a tangy vinegar-based sauce, this is true low-and-slow barbecue for sandwiches, tacos, or straight off the fork.
By YumYum Editorial · BBQ & Grilling
Prep: 20 min · Cook: 9 min · Total: 29 min · Serves 10
Ingredients
- 1 bone-in pork shoulder (pork butt), 7-8 lbs
- 3 tbsp yellow mustard, for binder
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 2 tbsp brown sugar (for sauce)
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- to taste Hamburger buns and coleslaw, for serving
Instructions
- Trim the pork shoulder of any thick, hard fat caps down to about 1/4 inch, leaving enough to baste the meat as it renders.
- Coat the pork all over with a thin layer of mustard as a binder (it cooks off and adds no flavor, just helps the rub stick).
- Combine brown sugar, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne. Rub generously all over the pork, patting it into every surface.
- Preheat a smoker to 225-250°F using a fruit or hickory wood for smoke.
- Place the pork fat-side up and smoke, maintaining consistent temperature, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F, about 5-6 hours — this is the "stall" stage.
- Wrap the pork tightly in butcher paper or foil and continue cooking until internal temperature reaches 203-205°F, another 3-4 hours, when a probe slides in with no resistance.
- Rest the wrapped pork in a cooler (no ice) for at least 30-45 minutes to redistribute juices before shredding.
- Shred the pork with two forks, discarding excess fat and the bone. Whisk together apple cider vinegar, ketchup, brown sugar, and red pepper flakes, and toss through the shredded meat.
- Pile onto buns with coleslaw, or serve alongside baked beans and pickles.