How to Smoke Pulled Pork

Pulled pork sandwich

Pulled pork is a classic Southern dish and has gained wide popularity in recent years. Today, pulled pork is served all over the county in versions ranging from traditional to exotic. The basic formula is very simple. Take a piece of pork butt, season it, and slow-cook it in an oven or smoker until it is fork tender. Traditional recipes include plenty of sweetness and heat, but backyard enthusiasts and professional chefs have created numerous variations. However it is flavored, the basic process of making pulled pork in a smoker remains very much the same.

Things You'll Need

• Bone-in pork butt, 7 to 10 lbs
• 1 cup of dry spice rub, or more if desired
• Plastic film wrap
• Large mixing bowl
• Wood chips
• Smoker, either electric or charcoal-fired kettle
• Lump charcoal, if using a kettle smoker
• Fire starter, if using a kettle smoker
• Meat thermometer
• Aluminum foil
• Kitchen gloves, or two forks

Instructions

1. Rub the pork butt thoroughly with the spice rub, massaging it into all cut surfaces. Rub extra seasoning into the areas around where the bone and muscles meet the fat cap. Do not trim the fat cap, as it protects the meat from drying out during cooking.

2. Wrap the pork with plastic film and place it in a bowl. Refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours or as long as 2 days. The longer the rub is left on, the more flavor will penetrate the pork.

3. Prepare the electric smoker, if using, according to the manufacturer's instructions. Place the pork on a middle rack and set the smoker's thermostat to 225 degrees F. Press start.

4. Light the charcoal smoker, if using, and ensure that the coals are burning freely. Place the pork in the middle of the rack and close the smoker. Adjust the draft until the temperature maintains a steady 225 degrees F.

5. Smoke until the pork shows an internal temperature of 200 degrees F. when tested with a meat thermometer (about 12 hours). Remove the pork from the smoker, wrap it in aluminum foil and allow it to rest for 30 minutes.

6. Remove any large pieces of fat from the pork. Separate the meat from the bone and remove the bone. Using gloved hands or two forks, shred the pork coarsely into strips. Serve hot on hamburger buns with your preferred sauce and sides.

Tips & Warnings

• Many pork enthusiasts recommend covering the butt with yellow mustard or a combination of yellow mustard and brown sugar, before adding the spice rub.

• The pork will be fully cooked at 185 degrees F. and will be fine when sliced, but the correct pulled-pork texture requires an internal temperature of 200 degrees.

References

• Big Green Egg: Competition-Style Pork Butt
• "On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen, Revised Second Edition"; Harold S. McGee; 2004
• Epicurious: Carolina Pulled Pork Sandwiches
• Food Network: Alton Brown's Pulled Pork