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–+ servings

Smoked Pork Shoulder

Amanda Cooks & Styles
Here is a step by step guide to smoking a tender, crusty, and absolutely delicious pork shoulder on your pellet grill.
5 from 3 votes
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Prep Time 8 hours
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 16 hours
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 5 people

Ingredients
  

  • 3 lb Pork Shoulder boneless
  • 1 tbsp Yellow Mustard
  • 1 tbsp Butter
  • 2 tbsp Brown Sugar
  • 1 tbsp Honey

Apple Cider Vinegar Spray

  • ¼ cup Apple Cider Vinegar
  • ¼ cup Water

Pork Rub

  • 2 tsp Black Pepper
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
  • 1 tsp Onion Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
  • 1 teaspoon Chili Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Dry Mustard
  • 1 tsp Brown Sugar
  • ½ tsp Cayenne Powder

Instructions
 

  • You can count on the smoking process to take about 90-120 minutes per pound of meat.
  • Dry pork with paper towels. Rub all over with yellow mustard. Then, completely coat with seasoning blend. Cover and transfer to fridge overnight.
  • Pull seasoned pork out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before smoking.
  • Fill spray bottle with apple cider vinegar and water blend.
  • Prepare your smoker and set the temperature to 250 degrees. We are using a premium pellet blend of oak, hickory, maple and cherry.
  • Place meat in the center of the grill fat side up and close the lid. Once a bark is formed on the pork, spray with 50/50 apple cider vinegar and water blend every hour. Continue to smoke until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees.
  • Once the pork reaches 160 degrees internally, remove from smoker and turn up to 275 degrees. Place pork on a large piece of foil or butcher paper. Top with butter, honey and brown sugar. Wrap pork up tightly and transfer back to your smoker. Continue to smoke until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 200-203 degrees.
  • Finally, once the pork has reached 200-203 degrees internally, remove from the smoker. Add an additional wrap of foil or butcher paper to avoid a mess. Transfer to an empty cooler or wrap in a clean towel. Doing so will allow the pork to slowly cool down while maintaining tenderness. This will take about an hour.
  • Pull pork apart with tongs or forks and serve with your favorite sauces, side dishes and more! Enjoy!

Notes

  1. You can use any size pork shoulder, just be sure to cook to temperature and not to time. Follow directions for internal temperature doneness. Each pound of meat will take about 90-120 minutes to cook.
  2. Overnight seasoning is not required. You can skip putting the pork in the fridge overnight and begin to smoke directly after seasoning. 

Nutrition

Calories: 314kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 117mg | Sodium: 188mg | Potassium: 635mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 485IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 2mg
Keyword how to smoke pork roast, pellet smoking recipe, smoked pork butt, smoked pork shoulder, smoked pulled pork
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