How To Smoke A Pork Butt
How to smoke a pork butt – A Step by Step Guide
If you’re looking to try your hand at smoking meat, a pork butt is a great place to start. It’s a forgiving cut that can handle a lot of smoke and slow cooking to produce juicy, flavorful meat. Follow these instructions on how to smoke a pork butt, that will come out juicy and tender everytime!
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The meat is incredibly tender and juicy, fall off the bone tender! The pork butt has a rich, smoky flavor that isn’t overpowering. I highly recommend giving this recipe a try. You will be smoking your pork butt on your Traeger grill or your favorite pellet smoker at 225 degrees Fahrenheit. I normally use apple or hickory pellets or wood chips. Use your favorite wood. You will get a stronger smoke flavor with mesquite. Plan on 1.5-2 hours per pound of pork. Generally, an 8-pound pork butt takes me about 12 hours to finish. I remove it from the smoker at 205 degrees Fahrenheit. Then place in a cooler with the lid closed for an hour or 2. So make sure you allow plenty of time for the whole process to create this masterpiece!
What is a Pork Butt?
Despite its name, a pork butt (or boston butt) isn’t actually from the rear end of the pig. It’s a cut of meat from the shoulder, which is why it’s sometimes also called a pork shoulder at your local grocery store. The pork butt is a well-marbled, relatively tough cut that benefits from low and slow cooking to break down the connective tissue and fat, resulting in tender, juicy meat. That’s why it’s the perfect cut for smoking and achieving the best pulled pork!
Preparing your Pork
Preparing a pork butt to smoke requires a bit of planning but the end result is worth it. First, you need to trim any excess fat and silver skin from the meat. I leave a thin layer of the fat layer that is on top. Using yellow mustard rub entire pork but. Rub the pork butt with a generous amount of your preferred spice rub or try out the one I’ve included below which I also use on my beer can chicken. Make sure to get the dry rub onto every surface of the meat for maximum flavor. After the meat is thoroughly rubbed, let it come to room temperature for about an hour before smoking. This will ensure even cooking. Once it’s ready, place the pork butt on your smoker and let it smoke until it reaches an internal temperature of 195-205°F. This will take several hours, so be patient! Once it’s done, remove it from the smoker, place in a cooler with the lid closed an hour or up to two hours.
The Stall
When smoking a pork butt, it’s crucial to keep in mind the “stall,” this takes place during the cooking process, where the internal temperature of the meat plateaus or even drops slightly. This usually happens when the meat reaches around 140 -160 degrees Fahrenheit. When the moisture in the meat starts to evaporate, which cools the surface of the meat. As a result, the temperature of the meat plateaus or even drops slightly. This can be frustrating for some, but it’s an essential part of the cooking process that can’t be rushed in this pork butt recipe.
To achieve that signature bark on your pork butt, you need to smoke it low and slow. The bark is the flavorful, caramelized crust that forms on the exterior of the meat, giving it that irresistible taste. Wrap the pork butt in butcher paper when your instant- read thermometer reads 140 -160 degrees Fahrenheit, this is a great way to help the meat retain moisture while still allowing for the bark to form. Some people wrap in aluminum foil, but the butcher paper allows the smoke to still penetrate the pork butt.
What Ingredients do I Need for This Smoked Pork Butt?
- 1 6-8 pound pork butt
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup smoked paprika
- 4 tsp salt
- 2 tsp dry mustard
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 2-3 Tbsp yellow mustard
Step by Step Smoking Instructions:
- Preheat your smoker to 225°F.
- Combine all of the dry ingredients in a bowl to make the rub.
- Trim any excess fat from the pork butt, leaving a thin layer.
- Rub the mustard all over the pork butt.
- Rub the pork butt all over with the pork rub, making sure to get into all the nooks and crannies.
- When the temperature of your smoker is 225 f, place the pork butt directly on the smoker, with the thick fat cap up. Insert the thermometer from your grill or use an instant-read thermometer
- Smoke the pork butt until it reaches 140 – 160 degrees Fahrenheit, remove from smoker and wrap in butcher paper. This is usually the stall period about 5 hours in. Return to the smoker and continue smoking until the internal temperature of the pork butt reaches 195-205°F.
- Once the pork butt is done, remove it from the smoker and and place in a cooler with the lid closed for up to 2 hours. Or let the meat rest at room temperature.
- Shred your pork butt with meat claws or 2 forks.
Storing and Freezing Smoked Pork Butt:
If you have leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. To freeze, wrap the meat tightly in plastic wrap and then in foil, and store in the freezer for up to six months. To reheat thaw the frozen pork overnight and place in slow cooker for a few hours to heat or heat covered tightly in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until heated to 160 degrees.
Serving the Shredded Pork
There are endless ways to enjoy smoked pork butt. Here are a few serving ideas to get you started:
- Shred the meat for pork sandwiches and serve with your favorite bbq sauce and slaw.
- Serve with baked beans, macaroni or potato salad for a classic barbecue meal.
- Use the meat in tacos, burritos, or quesadillas.
- Add the shredded meat to a baked potato or sweet potato for a hearty meal.
- Pulled Pork Pizza
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How to Smoke A Pork Butt
Ingredients
- 6-8 pound pork butt
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup smoked paprika
- 4 tsp salt
- 2 tsp dry mustard
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 3 Tbsp yellow mustard
Instructions
- Preheat your smoker to 225°F.
- Combine all of the dry ingredients in a bowl to make the rub.
- Trim any excess fat from the pork butt, leaving a thin layer.
- Rub the mustard all over the pork butt.
- Rub the pork butt all over with the pork rub, making sure to get into all the nooks and crannies.
- When the temperature of your smoker is 225 f, place the pork butt directly on the smoker, with the thick fat cap up. Insert the thermometer from your grill or use an instant-read thermometer
- Smoke the pork butt until it reaches 140 – 160 degrees Fahrenheit, remove from smoker and wrap in butcher paper. This is usually the stall period about 5 hours in. Return to the smoker and continue smoking until the internal temperature of the pork butt reaches 195-205°F.
- Once the pork butt is done, remove it from the smoker and and place in a cooler with the lid closed for up to 2 hours. Or let the meat rest at room temperature.
- Shred your pork butt with meat claws or 2 forks.