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African Food Recipe

Smoked Pulled Pork – Immaculate Bites

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Tender, fall-off-the-bone, smoked pulled pork is definitely a comfort food classic for family cookouts! A bold mix of herbs and spices adds flavor, while smoking it makes it ideal for barbecues, game days, and picnics.

 

We enjoyed a wonderful family reunion last week. Relatives came from all over, and we had a blast. Laughing over old stories and eating to our heart’s content was just what the doctor ordered! And no one could stop talking about how good the pulled pork turned out.

Most of us just ate it as is alongside whatever was on our plate. But the kids piled it on the hamburger buns, smothered it with homemade BBQ sauce, and made it disappear.

Shredded pork butt fresh from the smoker for a family cookout.

Which Cut Is Best for Pulled Pork?

I usually pick up a couple of pork shoulders (Boston butt) when they’re on sale and stick them in my smoker. One for now and the other one for the freezer. It’s the upper part of the shoulder with a better fat-to-meat ratio. However, the picnic roast (lower part of the shoulder), though it has less fat and more skin, will still work fine. And bone-in will give you the best flavor on either one.

How to Smoke Pulled Pork

Make the rub, season the roast, stick it in the pellet grill, then add liquid and cover.
  1. Make the rub, prep the roast, season it, and smoke it until it has a good bark (crust).
Finish smoking, rest, and shred.
  1. Add moisture, cover, and smoke until fall-off-the-bone tender. You could also finish this in a low oven if you want to. Shred and enjoy.
Pulled pork ready to enjoy with a deliciously smoky twist.

Recipe Notes

  • Mix the mustard with a small spoonful of horseradish for more flavor.
  • Let the roast come to room temperature for about an hour before smoking for even cooking.
  • Letting the meat rest for 1-2 hours (minimum 30 minutes) before pulling to give the juices time to reabsorb into the meat. Besides, if it’s too hot, it will burn your fingers. On the other hand, shredding cold pork is harder, so just after it’s done resting is the sweet spot for pulling.
Making a pulled pork sandwich for the family BBQ.

Make-Ahead and Leftover Makeovers

Season the roast the day before, so it can marinate in the fridge. Then take it out 30-60 minutes before smoking so it can warm up slightly for more even cooking. Smoked pulled pork will last for 2-3 days in the fridge or in the freezer for 3-4 months.

Sandwiches, tacos, quesadillas, nachos, and loaded baked potatoes are all wonderful ways to use leftover pulled pork.

Traditional barbecue menus include coleslaw, mac and cheese, potato salad, baked beans, and cornbread. For a Latin twist, serve it with Mexican rice and refried beans.

More Smokin-Hot Recipes to Try

By Imma

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook: 10 hours

Resting Time: 3 hours

Total: 13 hours 10 minutes

American

  • Combine the ground black pepper, garlic and onion powder, thyme, oregano, sugar, chili powder, cayenne, smoked paprika, and cumin in a bowl, and set aside.

  • Place the pork roast on a large cutting board, fat cap side up. The fat layer covering the roast can vary in thickness, so trim the excess, leaving an ⅛-¼ inch layer on the outside to protect the meat as it cooks. Pat dry with paper towels.

  • Slather a thin, even coating of mustard on all sides so the seasonings stick to the pork.

  • Generously salt, then rub the entire roast with the dry rub, pressing it down to make it stick until every inch is covered with seasonings.

  • Place in an aluminum foil or stainless steel roasting pan and let it marinate, covered, for an hour or up to 24 hours in the refrigerator.

  • About an hour before smoking, take the roast out of the fridge to let it warm up slightly. Preheat the smoker or pellet grill to 250℉ (120℃).

  • Place the roast, fat-side up, directly on the smoker grates, and insert a probe into the thickest part to monitor the temperature (or check occasionally with an instant-read or digital thermometer).

  • Smoke it for 5-6 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 165-175℉ (75-80℃) and it has a good bark (that delicious crust that forms when the meat protein reacts with the smoke and spice rub).

  • Place the pork roast, fat side up, in an aluminum foil or stainless steel pan. Add the pineapple juice, hot sauce, the rest of the pork rub, and sliced onions.

  • Tightly cover with heavy-duty aluminum foil, put it back into the smoker, and continue smoking until the internal temperature reaches around 205℉ (96℃). You won’t feel any resistance when you insert the thermometer or probe. Total smoking time takes about 10 hours, depending on the size of the roast.

  • Remove the roast from the smoker and let it rest for an hour or two for juicier results. If needed, keep it warm in a Styrofoam cooler without ice for 3-4 hours before shredding.

  • Drain the liquid from the pork, separate the fat from the juice, shred the pork, then mix the juices back in before serving.

  • Feel free to replace the homemade rub with a store-bought version for quick seasoning.
  • Spritzing the meat with water or apple cider just after the crust forms keeps it moist and enhances its flavor. Once every half-hour until the roast reaches an internal temperature of 165℉ (75℃) works fine.
  • Smoking time runs at around 1½-2 hours per pound at 250℉ (120℃).
  • Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary immensely based on the products used in the recipe.

Serving: 100g| Calories: 228kcal (11%)| Carbohydrates: 6g (2%)| Protein: 29g (58%)| Fat: 9g (14%)| Saturated Fat: 3g (19%)| Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g| Monounsaturated Fat: 4g| Trans Fat: 0.1g| Cholesterol: 91mg (30%)| Sodium: 562mg (24%)| Potassium: 610mg (17%)| Fiber: 1g (4%)| Sugar: 3g (3%)| Vitamin A: 868IU (17%)| Vitamin C: 3mg (4%)| Calcium: 54mg (5%)| Iron: 3mg (17%)

Course: Main

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free

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