How to smoke a pork shoulder roast

This smoked pulled pork recipe is the correct way to smoke a pork shoulder with professional results — from the cider brine and sugar rub to the rave reviews you will receive. Smoke is the key to breaking down the fat, which adds flavor and moisture to the meat. Place in a bun with your favorite BBQ sauce.

Additional Time:

12 hrs 30 mins

Total Time:

20 hrs 40 mins

Jump to Nutrition Facts

Ingredients

1 (8 pound) pork shoulder roast
1 quart apple cider, or as needed

BBQ Rub:

5 tablespoons white sugar
5 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon garlic powder
3 cups hickory chips, or more as needed, soaked in water
1 onion, chopped

Directions

Place pork shoulder in a large pot and add enough apple cider to cover. Combine white sugar, brown sugar, salt, paprika, onion powder, black pepper, and garlic powder in a bowl. Mix 1/4 cup of sugar rub into cider; reserve remaining rub. Cover the pot and refrigerate for 12 hours.
Preheat the smoker to 210 degrees F (99 degrees C). Add enough wood chips to the smoker.
Pour cider brine into the water pan of the smoker; add onion and 1/4 cup more sugar rub.
Spread remaining sugar rub over pork shoulder. Transfer pork to the center of the smoker.
Smoke pork until very tender or until it reaches an internal temperature of 200 degrees F (95 degrees C), about 8 hours. Monitor hickory chips and liquid, adding more as needed.
Transfer pork to a large platter and cool for 30 minutes before shredding with forks.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

442	Calories
32g	Fat
15g	Carbs
24g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 20
Calories 442
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 32g	41%
Saturated Fat 11g	56%
Cholesterol 104mg	35%
Sodium 2691mg	117%
Total Carbohydrate 15g	6%
Dietary Fiber 1g	2%
Total Sugars 13g
Protein 24g
Vitamin C 1mg	6%
Calcium 34mg	3%
Iron 3mg	17%
Potassium 434mg	9%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.

Simple steps, minimal ingredients, and irresistible mouth-watering results. Your easy guide to the seriously best-pulled pork you have ever tasted! You won't be able to stop going back for more.

New to smoking? Pork Shoulder (or pork butt) is the absolute best piece of meat to learn with. Not only is it affordable, but it's super easy to make amazing, and difficult to mess up. That is a winning combination!

You are about to transform a large, normally tough, inexpensive cut of pork into a wood-smoked wonder of sweet, flavorful and tender pulled pork. While it's a long process in terms of time, it's only a few simple steps and is almost completely hands-off.

The flavorful dry rub helps produce a savory-sweet bark on the outside while the salt penetrates all the way through the meat, bringing out all that amazing pork flavor and tenderness. Smoking low and slow breaks down the fat for melt-in-your-mouth smoky tenderness.

A few things to know before we begin: You got this! Just follow the process. Be sure to read through the entire recipe before you start. It might feel a bit overwhelming, but when it's done and everyone is saying "wow, this is absolutely amazing!" it's going to have felt so worth it.

Ingredients You'll Need

A pork shoulder or pork butt: either bone-in or boneless in any size will work great. The cook time will be longer for bone-in.
Diamond Kosher salt (or your preferred salt).
Dry rub (or spices to make your own).

Tools & Equipment

Sharp knife for trimming the fat.
Smoker: a charcoal smoker like a Big Green Egg, a pellet smoker like a Traeger or any other smoker will work.
Fuel: either charcoal & wood chunks (3 to 4 is good) for a charcoal smoker or pellets for a pellet smoker.
Meat thermometer: A two-channel remote thermometer for remotely monitoring the internal temperature and an instant-read probe thermometer for spot-checking.
Drip pan: I prefer disposable aluminum drip pans for easy clean-up.
Aluminum foil or butcher paper (for wrapping the pork shoulder to rest).
Shredding tool: Pulling claws, an ice chipper or nitrile gloves over cotton gloves for shredding the pork.

Pork Shoulder Basics

A whole pork shoulder is a primal cut from the shoulder region of the pig that is then separated into two parts. These two cuts become the upper and lower portions of the shoulder. There is the pork butt, aka Boston butt, which is still from the front shoulder of the pig. Then there is the lower portion that is called the picnic roast or picnic ham (not the ham that we know as cured and smoked though). Yep, the naming is quite confusing.

Pork Shoulder vs Pork Butt

The pork butt (from the upper portion) has more fat marbling, which can make it more tender than the picnic shoulder roast (lower portion).

Picnic shoulder roast will sometimes be sold with the skin on, which you will want to remove as it gets tough when cooked at low temperatures and won't allow the smoke flavor to penetrate into the meat (it is thick skin after all!).

Bone-In vs Boneless

Either bone-in or boneless will work just fine for smoking. The advantage of bone-in is that it is nicely held together since it has not been cut up to remove the bone, thus keeps its shape better. The presence of the bone won't add any flavor, but the even shape will allow the meat to cook a bit more evenly.

If your pork butt or shoulder came with a bone, just leave it in. It will be super easy to just pull right out once the meat is fully cooked.

The advantage of boneless is that it's all meat and you aren't paying for bone. It will also cook slightly more quickly, but a little less evenly.

Buying a Butt or Pork Shoulder

Buying quality pork does make a difference. This is a big piece of meat that you are spending an entire day cooking, likely sharing with lots of people and enjoying for a week. You want it to be great. Starting with high-quality ingredients is the best way to get great results.

Look for a well-marbled cut from the upper shoulder (Boston butt) if you can find it, but either part is going to work.

Avoid pork products that have been "enhanced." This means that the meat has been injected with a solution and pumped full of water along with other ingredients that will change the texture and it will taste salty. Those ingredients will be listed on a nutrition label on the package. Just avoid enhanced pork.

If you really want quality and want to splurge a little, look for a premium heritage breed pork. These will usually be either Duroc or Berkshire, but there are others as well. Yes, these are a lot more expensive but noticeably better.

Where to Source It:

Your Local Butcher: Buying from your local butcher not only supports local, but you will likely get better quality and can find heritage-breed pork. A lot of the time we don't need a huge 8+ pound portion, and that's the great thing about buying from the local butcher is they have smaller size cuts (or can cut to a size you want).
Snake River Farms: Berkshire (Kurobuta) pork shoulder.
Crowd Cow: bone-in or boneless heritage or pasture-raised pork shoulder.
Costco: One of the best spots to buy good quality pork shoulders that are at the lowest prices you will find.

How to Smoke a Pork Shoulder - Step by Step

It's all in the formula. Season early + Smoke at 250° F until the internal temperature reaches between 195° F 205° F and then rest for an hour before shredding.

1. Prep the Pork Shoulder

Trim the excess fat and score the fat cap in a crosshatch pattern.

Season 12 to 24 hours in advance if possible with Kosher salt and a dry rub over the entire surface, then refrigerate uncovered.

Remove from the refrigerator 1 hour prior to cooking and Insert a remote probe thermometer into the thickest part of the meat.

2. Setup the Smoker

Prep your smoker for indirect heat smoking and pre-heat to 250° F (121° C) with a water drip pan in place.

3. Smoke the Pork Shoulder

Place the pork shoulder in the smoker over the drip pan.

Smoke until the internal temperature reaches 195° to 205° F, which will take approximately 90 minutes per pound.

4. Rest It

Once out of the smoker, tightly wrap the pork shoulder in aluminum foil or butcher paper and place in a cooler (preferably) or on a cutting board to rest for 1 hour.

5. Shred

Unwrap and remove the bone (if it has one) and shred with your favorite shredding tool, pulling across the strands to maintain the texture. It's much easier to shred the whole thing while it's still warm

Serve and enjoy!

Jump down to the full recipe card for all the details.

Top Tips & Tricks for Success

Cook by temperature, not by time: Time is just an estimate, whereas the temperature is exact.
Use a remote probe thermometer: This just makes everything easier and stress-free. It allows you to remotely monitor the temperature of your smoker and the meat so you don't have to continuously check it.
Keep the smoker lid closed (as much as possible): Every time you lift the lid, heat escapes and a consistent temperature is important for the best results.
Plan ahead and start early: Long smokes often take longer than expected. It's done when it's done, so start early (you can even start smoking it the night before).
Speed up the cook (when needed): Some situations require you to speed up the cook. Wrap the meat once the bark is formed and it reaches an internal temp around 165° F. Then either increase the smoker temperature to 275° F or place in the same temperature oven until the desired finished temp is reached.

Prepping the Pork Shoulder

There's nothing really technical about prepping a pork shoulder for smoking, but a few simple things do make a difference. It's really just about trimming some fat (which is totally optional) and seasoning with plenty of salt for seasoning and a dry rub for extra flavor.

Trimming: While the pork is cold, use a very sharp knife to trim excess fat and any hanging pieces that can burn during the cook. Trim the fat cap down to about ¼" thick, if needed. Score the fat cap by cutting 1" slices in a crosshatch pattern, being careful not to slice into the flesh. This will help hold the spice rub and promote crispy rendered fat that is oh-so-delicious and great for presentation.

Seasoning: Season early if possible (24 hours ahead is great). This will allow the salt to penetrate all the way through, bringing out tons of flavor and helping to tenderize the meat. If you can't season that far ahead, just be sure to do it at least an hour before the cook.

It's all about the salt! Salt is super important. It's the only ingredient (besides the smoke) that will actually penetrate all the way through the meat to add flavor.

Important: If your dry rub already contains salt, then be cautious about adding too much more. If it's not in the rub, then it should be added separately.

Use 1 teaspoon of Diamond kosher salt per pound or ½ teaspoon of Morton kosher salt per pound of pork shoulder.

The dry rub ingredients in this recipe consist of smoked paprika, dark chili powder, cumin, dark brown sugar, dried oregano, granulated sugar, ground black pepper and celery seeds. It isn't spicy, but it adds a beautiful color and helps create a delicious "bark," which is the super flavorful crust on the outside of the meat. If you want to make it a little spicier, you can add cayenne or use a spicy sauce when serving.

Temper the Meat Before Smoking

Tempering is the process of allowing the temperature of the meat to rise closer to room temperature before cooking it. This will allow the meat to cook more evenly and will reduce the overall cook time. Remove the meat from the refrigerator and let it sit on the counter for 1 hour (or even 2) before placing it in the smoker.

The starting temperature of the meat is one of the big variables that change the cook time from what a recipe might list, to what your situation is. If the meat starts off cold right from the refrigerator (around 34° F), then it's going to take extra time for it to come up to temperature in the smoker.

The Importance of a Drip Pan (With Water)

A drip pan with water helps create a humid environment inside the smoker. It is important for keeping the meat moist, promoting smoke penetration, and for catching the drippings, to help keep your smoker clean and prevent flare-ups.

Start with warm water and fill the drip pan up about halfway. Warm water will keep the smoker from cooling down as it warms the water up. Keep your eye on the water level throughout the cook and add more when it gets low, which can happen during long cooks.

Be Prepared for the Stall

The stall is when the internal temperature of meat reaches somewhere between 150° and 170° F, then suddenly ceases to rise and can sometimes even drop in temperature. It can seem like an eternity and can go on for hours at a time.

Just don't worry. Nothing is wrong. This is just the "stall" happening. The scientific reason for this is fairly complicated to explain, but basically, the meat is sweating and is losing moisture as it cooks, which cools itself down. Once this moisture has evaporated, the internal temperature of the meat will resume climbing again and it's a big sigh of relief.

To help push through the stall, you can wrap the meat once a nice bark forms and it has absorbed a lot of smoke, which will be around 165° F internal. Wrapping is something I will do for brisket, but usually not for pork shoulder.

After the Cook

Once the pork is smoked and has reached an internal temperature between 195-205°F (the higher, the more tender it will be), it's time to rest it, shred it and serve it.

The Rest

The rest is a crucial step, and should not be skipped. Rest the smoked pork shoulder for at least 1 hour, but longer is fine too. I recommend wrapping it with foil and storing it in an insulated cooler lined with a towel.

In a time crunch, I would rather take the meat out of the smoker a few degrees before it's ready rather than skip the rest time. If you are in a rush and need to serve it ASAP, rest it tented with aluminum foil with a few vent holes on a large cutting board.

Shredding for Pulled Pork

Now comes the fun part! Shredding (or pulling the meat apart) is much easier to do when the meat is warm, yet cooled down enough to handle without burning your hands.

There are a number of tools that make shredding easier. From meat claws to using an ice chipper to a simple large fork. If your pork is super tender, then you can even shred it by hand. A pair of cotton gloves covered with nitrile gloves is a great way to shred the pork without burning your hands while keeping your hands and gloves clean.

Use your tool of choice and shred along the grain to maintain that amazing texture.

Saucing is optional, but definitely not required since this pulled pork will already be so juicy and flavorful, there's just something about a little sweet & tangy BBQ sauce mixed in that kicks it up another level. You will need around 1 to 2 cups of sauce for the whole shoulder.

Error on the side of under-saucing rather than oversaucing, as people can always add more if they prefer. Combine the shredded pork with sauce in a large bowl, pot or crockpot on low to keep it warm for serving.

Best Ways to Utilize The Meat

The uses for this smoked pork butt are pretty much endless. Serve it on Hawaiian buns with creamy slaw as pulled pork sandwiches. Use it in delicious crispy carnitas tacos with avocado-lime crema and quick pickled onions. Use it to make a comforting ragu, add it to delicate omelets for breakfast, on pizza, salads, or crunchy nachos. Just about anything goes and the leftovers are almost better than the first time you eat it.

Storing and Reheating

Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Freeze for up to 6 months. To freeze, shred the pork before freezing and place the desired portion size in either individual vacuum seal bags or use freezer-safe bags. Remove as much air as possible and seal. Label the bags with the date and contents.

Reheating Methods:

Skillet - For crispy results, use a hot cast iron skillet over medium heat. No oil is necessary.
Sous Vide - Reheat the vacuum-sealed pulled pork in a 140° water bath for about an hour.
Simmer with BBQ sauce on the stove or in a crockpot.
In the smoker or the oven in a pan until it reaches 140°
Microwave - last resort but it works.

FAQs

How long to smoke a pork shoulder or pork butt?

The cook time for pork shoulder is around 90 minutes per pound in a 250° F smoker.
A 4-pound pork shoulder will take approximately 6 hours.
A 9-pound pork shoulder will take approximately 13 ½ hours.

What's the best wood for smoking pork?

Sweet fruit woods like apple and cherry are perfect for pork. Oak, hickory and maple are also wonderful as well. Avoid stronger flavored woods like mesquite, as they can overpower the sweet flavor of the pork.

Experiment and try mixing a few different types of wood to develop your own personal blend. I like to use apple and post oak.

Do I need to spritz during the cook?

No, you do not need to spritz the pork shoulder if you have a drip pan with water in the smoker. A spritz is a liquid that is sprayed onto the meat in intervals of about every 30 minutes to an hour after the first few hours in the smoker. The spritz is to replace moisture and attract smoke to the surface of the meat.

The downside to spritzing is that you are frequently opening the smoker lid, which fluctuates the temperature, and it will also cause the cook to take longer.

Do I need to wrap the pork shoulder?

Because of how forgiving a pork shoulder is, wrapping it is generally not necessary. I prefer to develop extra bark and don't wrap it and have amazing results.

You might choose to wrap your pork shoulder around 165° F internal if you are concerned about it drying out or if you need to speed up the cook.

Serve it Up With

Creamy Coleslaw
BBQ Baked Beans
Sweet & Tangy BBQ Sauce
Classic Potato Salad

More Delicious Smoker Recipes

Smoked Brisket
Smoked Pork Ribs
Smoked Pork Belly
Simple Smoked Salmon

View all BBQ and Grilling Recipes

6 to 10 lb Pork Shoulder or Boston Butt
2 tablespoon Diamond Kosher Salt

Dry Rub

⅛ cup Paprika
2 tablespoon Packed Dark Brown Sugar
1 tablespoon Dark Chili Powder
1 tablespoon Cumin
½ tablespoon Dried Oregano
½ tablespoon Granulated Sugar
½ tablespoon Ground Black Pepper
½ tablespoon Celery Seeds

Prep the Pork Shoulder

Trim off excess fat using a sharp knife. Score the fat side in a 1" crosshatch pattern, being careful not to cut the flesh.
Make the dry rub by combine all the dry rub ingredients in a shaker or small bowl.
Season the pork shoulder with about 1 teaspoon of Diamond kosher salt (or ½ teaspoon Morton Kosher salt) per pound of meat and sprinkle a liberal amount of the rub all over the pork. Refrigerate uncovered for 12 to 24 hours if possible.

Smoke the Pork Shoulder

Remove the pork shoulder from the refrigerator at least 1 hour prior to cooking it. Insert a remote probe thermometer into the thickest part.
Setup the smoker according to the manufacturer's instructions for indirect heat cooking and bring the temperature up to 250° F setup. Place a water-filled aluminum drip pan under the grates to catch drippings.
Place the pork in the smoker on the grate above the drip pan and smoke for about 90 minutes per pound, or until the internal temperature reaches 195-205° F. Continuously monitor the temperature with a probe thermometer.

Rest and Shred

Remove the pork shoulder from the smoker and wrap with aluminum foil or butcher paper and place in a cooler to rest for at least 1 hour.
Shred the pork using or a large fork or BBQ meat forks, pulling across the strands to maintain the texture. Serve and enjoy!

This recipe will work for both small and large pork shoulders. Larger roasts will just take longer.
If the dry rub you are using already contains salt, then be cautious about adding more.
Applying salt and a dry rub ahead of time is optional, but highly recommended. If you can't season the day before, season it at least 1 hour before.
Apple or Cherry wood is best for smoking pork. Use 3 to 4 wood chunks for a charcoal smoker.
Cook time: Approximately 90 minutes per pound at 250° F

This recipe was originally published on 04/25/2018 but has been updated in January 2022 with new useful information and instructions.

How long does it take to smoke a pork shoulder at 225?

Well, then, how long does it take to smoke a pork shoulder at 225? At 225, figure roughly 2 hours per pound of meat, so the same piece of smoked pork shoulder takes from 12- 16 hours at 225.

How do you keep a pork shoulder moist when smoking?

Try brine: Choose a wet marinade rather than a dry one. Dry rubs may work fine but brine or a wet rub will add that extra moisture along with the flavor that will penetrate deep inside the meat. Keep a spray bottle handy: Keep spraying the meat during smoking or reheating to replace the lost moisture.

Do you cover pork shoulder when smoking?

It is always encouraged to wrap your pork shoulder at some point in the smoking process. Many BBQ pitmasters believe that you should wrap it in foil or peach paper once it hits an internal temperature of 165°.

How long does pork shoulder take to smoke per pound?

Smoking time averages 90 minutes per pound, depending on the level of doneness desired. If you're going to slice it, cook to 185˚. If you're going to pull the pork smoke it longer, until it reaches 205°.