Smoked Pork Butt

5 from 7 votes

A pork shoulder or butt that is smoothered in yellow mustard then rubbed with a delicious homemade seasoning then smoked low and slow. Tender, fall about pork for pulled pork!

Prep Time15

Cook Time17

Total Time17 15

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Smoked Pork Butt, Smoked Pork Shoulder, Smoked Pulled Pork

Servings:

Calories: 229kcal

Author: Julie Evink

Ingredients

8-10 lb pork butt or shoulder, can be bone-in or boneless
3 Tbsp prepared yellow mustard
1/2 c. Homemade Sweet & Smoky Rub

Instructions

Preheat your pellet grill to 225 degrees F.
Remove 1 Tbsp Sweet & Smoky Rub for later.
Take your pork shoulder roast and wipe it down with a paper towel. Make sure to clean off any small bone fragments and extra liquid.
Take your yellow mustard and cover pork shoulder roast with it. Then season your pork shoulder roast with the Sweet & Smoky Rub. Make sure the entire pork shoulder roast is completely covered with seasoning.
Place the pork shoulder roast on pellet grill in the middle of the grate.
Close the lid and smoke the pork until it reaches an internal temperature of 195 degrees F. You can smoke it until it reaches 201 degrees F if you like a softer pork. This will take between 15-20 hours depending on the size of your pork shoulder and the ability of your smoker to achieve a consistent temperature. Yes, it will take this long! I doubted it but it will!
Remove the pork shoulder roast from the smoker when it reaches desired temperature and wrap in tinfoil. Let rest for 1 hour. After 1 hour pull apart pork shoulder roast. Sprinkle the pulled pork with reserved Sweet & Smoky Rub and toss to mix.

Notes

I love using these to help pull the pork apart!

My temperature stalled is that normal?

Yes this happens. At one point your temperature won’t rise or will very slowly. This is normal and happens as the collagen in the meat breaks down. Just let it smoke and the temperature will rise again.

I don’t like mustard do I need to use it?

I promise you won’t taste it! If you do want to substitute something you could rub it with oil before rubbing the seasoning on.

What type of wood should I use in the smoker?

Pork and fruit pair very well together so a cherry or apple wood chip is delicious. Another go to is the competition blend, pecan or oak chip. Try them all and see which one you like!

What temperature is smoked pulled pork done?

You’ll want to smoke the pork until the internal temperature range is 195 to 201 degrees. You want to cook by temperature not time!

It got done early, what should I do now?

Many people will put the pulled pork in a large cooler in the foil and then put towels in the cooler. This helps keep it warm. Another option is to pull the pork apart and put it in the slow cooker on warm with the juices until ready to serve.

What’s the difference between a butt and pork shoulder?

Both of the cuts come from the same part of the pig, but there are a few differences. A butt is usually meatier and has more marbling than the shoulder. The pork butt sits higher and towards the back area where the pork shoulder is further down and towards the top of the leg. The shoulder is usually easier to find than a pork butt in a grocery store.

Storage Tips

Leftovers should be placed in an airtight containers and store in the refrigerator for up to four days. You can also freeze it for up to three months.

Nutrition