This Smoked Pork Butt is smoked low and slow on the Traeger Pellet Grill. This recipe results in a smoky bark on the exterior, that is filled with flavor. Once the tender pork is pulled, you will also find a perfect smoke ring. Fire that smoker up and let's go!
Pulled pork sandwiches are definitely one of the perks of living in the South. Anytime you stop at a bbq restaurant, you can expect pulled pork with loads of options for bbq sauce. I love the vinegar based Eastern NC bbq sauce..YUM! Don't forget the pulled pork coleslaw either!
Pork butt isn't really a pig's butt. It's actually part of the pork shoulder, and also known as a Boston Butt. It's a really inexpensive cut of meat, that has a lot of fat marbled throughout and is great for cooking low and slow. I love pulled pork for parties because it's delicious and it feeds a ton of people for cheap!
For more recipes to feed a crowd, try my Hawaiian Macaroni Salad, Party Potatoes, and Baked Beans with Hamburger! These all make great side dishes to pair with pulled pork too!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe:
- It's super easy to prep and uses the smoker for most of the work
- This pork butt smokes to perfection until it develops the interior smoke ring and exterior bark that all pit masters strive for
- Pulled pork is a great recipe to start with if you're a beginner using the smoker
- This recipe feeds a crowd and they will be a happy one too
Big on Smoker Recipes? Don't forget to try this Traeger Smoked Turkey Breast, Boneless Skinless Smoked Chicken Thighs, Smoked Vegetables, Baked Potatoes on the Traeger, and Smoked Spiral Ham recipes!
Ingredients:
Bone in Pork Shoulder/ Boston Butt with Fat Cap- Bone in pork shoulder's are known to offer more flavor than boneless. You want to look for one that has the fat cap remaining. In this recipe, the fat cap gets scored and helps keep the moisture in the pork.
Dijon Mustard and Pork Butt Seasoning- Dijon mustard is coated all over the outside of the pork shoulder. This adds tanginess, but more importantly, it holds all of the seasoning on! The pork butt seasoning sticks perfectly to the dijon mustard spread and brings in all the spices and flavor to create that amazing bark.
Apple Cider Vinegar, Water and Hot Sauce- Create a spritz that is sprayed onto the meat in the smoker every hour or two to help break it down for a tender pork that falls apart.
Brown Sugar, Butter and BBQ Sauce- Added to the pork once it is cooked to a temperature of 165 to 175 degrees to bring in extra flavors and help finish off the bark.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions and Variations:
Yellow mustard can be substituted for the dijon mustard.
You can use any of your favorite pork rubs, or create your own! Most use a combination of garlic and onion powder mixed with paprika, chili powder and salt and pepper. Some have brown sugar as well. Keep in mind that we use brown sugar during the end of cooking, so you don't necessarily need it on the rub too.
For a sweeter tasting pulled pork, substitute the apple cider vinegar with apple juice and leave out the water in the spritz bottle.
Looking for an oven version? Try these Boneless Pork Ribs.
Check out this post on the Best Buns for Pulled Pork too or make a bbq plate and serve the pork with my Southern Cornbread Recipe.
How much Pulled Pork Per Person:
Knowing how big of a Boston Butt to smoke depends on how many people you are serving and how willing you are to wake up at the crack of dawn to get the pork butt in the smoker.
A general rule is ⅓ lb of pork per adult, so one pound feeds 3 people. The bigger the pork shoulder, the longer it will take to cook, so you need to account for that as well.
Love Pork Recipes? Try my Roasted Pork Tenderloin and Double Smoked Ham.
Pulled Pork Temperature:
When smoking any meats, you want to rely on internal temperature versus time cooked. It's 100% necessary to have a instant thermometer available. Pork Butt needs to cook until it reaches an internal temperature between 195-205 degrees. Personally, I like to pull my Boston Butt off the smoker once it reaches an internal temperature of 203 degrees.
The smoker temperature for pulled pork depends on preference, with average temperatures ranging from 225 to 300 degrees. I find the perfect smoker temperature for Pork Butt is 275 degrees, because this allows for a faster cook with a tender result and that exterior bark that I'm seeking.
If you're making an 8 lb pork butt, plan on at least 8 hours between prepping and smoking. If it's closer to 10-12 lbs, plan on 10-12 hours. This is just a range. It could be less or more time. It's all about internal temperature, and there are lots of factors that could affect this.
How to Make Smoked Pork Butt in the Traeger:
Here are the Step by Step Instructions for Smoked Pork Shoulder.
Step 1: Place the pork shoulder in the tin foil tray at room temperature for one hour. Season all sides with salt and pepper and place in the tray with the fat cap facing up. Using a sharp paring knife, score the fat cap in a grid shape, cutting only through the fat and not into the meat.
Step 2: Lather the dijon mustard onto all sides. Liberally season all sides with the pork rub. It should stick to the dijon mustard really well. Load the Traeger with pellets and heat to 275 degrees.
Step 3: Prepare a spray bottle with the apple cider vinegar, water and hot sauce. Shake to combine and set aside.
Step 4: Place the pork butt with tin, and fat cap facing up, onto the center of the 275 degree smoker. Close and smoke for 2 hours.
Step 5: Spray with apple cider spritz and check internal temperature. Continue checking internal temp and spraying every hour until the internal temperature reaches 165 to 175 degrees.
Step 6: Melt the butter over low heat on the stovetop. Brush on bbq sauce, and sprinkle over brown sugar and melted butter. Cover with foil and smoke until internal temperature reaches 203 degrees.
Step 7: Allow the pork butt to rest for an hour.
Step 8: Use your hands to remove the bone. Then, pull the meat apart into pulled pieces with both hands. Place the pulled pork back into the tin foil tray in all the juices for serving. Enjoy!
Expert Tips:
- Don't rush it! Allow the pork butt to sit out at room temperature for an hour before placing it into the smoker.
- Load up the pellets in the smoker before getting started, so you don't run out when smoking.
- Really load on the dijon mustard onto every surface to help the seasoning stick on.
- Rely on internal temperature and never cook time when using the smoker. To check the temperature, insert the thermometer into the center most point of the pork.
- Check temperature and spray quickly because the smoker loses heat quickly when the lid is open.
- Allow for an hour for the pork to rest before pulling apart. It's all about patience for this recipe!
For another pulled bbq recipe, try my Dutch Oven Pulled Chicken!
Recipe FAQs:
I love my pulled pork sandwiches fully loaded. I start with a hamburger or brioche bun, load it with pulled pork, then pour over a bit of Eastern NC vinegar bbq sauce and a bit of original bbq sauce. Then, slap on the pulled pork coleslaw and add the top bun!
You want to allow the pork to rest for an hour, then pull it apart with your hands when it is still hot. If the pork is cold, it will be really difficult to pull into pieces.
Store the leftover pulled pork in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
There are so many quick and easy recipes to make with leftover pork butt. Load up a sandwich or bbq plate with pulled pork coleslaw, serve over my white cheddar mac and cheese, or make pork tacos, quesadillas and these Redneck Egg Rolls!
More Main Course Recipes You Will Love:
If you tried this Pulled Pork Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you!
PrintRecipe
Smoked Pork Butt
- Total Time: 8.5 hours
- Yield: 20 servings 1x
Description
This Smoked Pork Butt is smoked to perfection on the Traeger Pellet Grill. This recipe results in a tender bark on the exterior, that is filled with flavor. Once the pork is pulled, you will also find a perfect smoke ring.
Ingredients
- 8-10 lb bone in pork shoulder (Boston Butt) with fat cap
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 tablespoons dijon mustard
- 4 tablespoons pork butt rub (I used Bad Byron's butt rub)
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) salted butter
- ½ cup bbq sauce (Choose a thicker original bbq sauce, rather than a vinegar based)
- For Spritz: ¾ cup apple cider vinegar, ½ cup water, and 2 teaspoons hot sauce (texas pete or cholula original)
- You also need a tin foil tray that fits the pork and a spray bottle
Instructions
- Place the pork shoulder in the tin foil tray at room temperature for one hour. Season all sides with salt and pepper and place with the fat cap facing up. Using a sharp paring knife, score the fat cap in a grid shape, cutting only through the fat and not into the meat.
- Lather the dijon mustard onto all sides. Liberally season all sides with the pork rub. It should stick to the dijon mustard really well. Load the Traeger with pellets and heat to 275 degrees.
- Prepare a spray bottle with the apple cider vinegar, water and hot sauce. Shake to combine and set aside.
- Place the pork butt with tin, and fat cap facing up, onto the center of the 275 degree smoker. Close and smoke for 2 hours.
- Spray with apple cider spritz and check internal temperature. Continue checking internal temp and spraying every hour until the internal temperature reaches 165 to 175 degrees.
- Melt the butter over low heat on the stovetop. Brush on bbq sauce, and sprinkle over brown sugar and butter. Cover with foil and smoke until internal temperature reaches 203 degrees.
- Allow the pork butt to rest for an hour.
- Use your hands to remove the bone. Then, pull the meat apart into pulled pieces with both hands. Place the pulled pork back into the tin foil tray in all the juices for serving. Enjoy!
Notes
- Don't rush it! Allow the pork butt to sit out at room temperature for an hour before placing it into the smoker.
- Load up the pellets in the smoker before getting started, so you don't run out when smoking.
- Really load on the dijon mustard onto every surface to help the seasoning stick on.
- Rely on internal temperature and never cook time when using the smoker. To check the temperature, insert the thermometer into the center most point of the pork.
- Check temperature and spray quickly because the smoker loses heat quickly when the lid is open.
- Allow for an hour for the pork to rest before pulling apart. It's all about patience for this recipe!
- Prep Time: 1.5 hours
- Cook Time: 7 hours
- Category: dinner
- Method: traeger pellet grill
- Cuisine: southern
Holly
This was AMAZING! First time I made a pork butt and it was way easier than I thought. Thank you!
Tara Smithson
Yay Holly! I'm glad you tried it. Thanks so much for the review.