How to make a Smoked Boston Butt Recipe tender, juicy, and tasty so that you have perfect barbecued pulled pork isn’t difficult if you know what you’re doing. We’re going to show you how to smoke the Boston Butt. How long to smoke the pork. What temperature the smoked Boston Butt is done. And we’re going to show you the techniques and recipes we use to give you the best pulled pork you’ve ever had! Guarantee!!
For this recipe, you will need: Boston Butt, apple juice, sugar, salt, water, apple vinegar, ketchup, dark brown sugar, yellow mustard, molasses, salt, red pepper flakes, hickory chunks, charcoal, and a grill with lid.
How long does it take to make the Smoked Boston Butt Recipe?
Our smoked pork shoulder technique takes two days. On average a pork butt will weigh between 6 to 10 pounds. Our Boston butt weighed 7 pounds.
What to expect with the pork:
- 30% loss in the form of shrinkage, bone, and fat.
- If it’s the only meat we serve, we plan on 1/2 pound per person. (Believe me, some adults will go back for seconds 😋)
Getting the Pork Butt Ready
Day One: Prepare the pork butt by trimming the excess fat and seasoning it.
- Slather mustard all over the butt.
- Inject the marinade in the Boston butt.
- Generously sprinkle the magical All Our Way rub all over the pork.
- Then Put the pork butt in a zip lock bag to rest overnight in the fridge.
Day Two: Take the pork out of the fridge and let it start to come to room temperature.
In the meantime, put hickory wood chunks in water. You don’t want them dry — they’ll burn instead of smoke.
If you prefer, use your favorite wood chunks that are appropriate for smoking meats.
Best wood for smoking meat
- oak
- maple
- pecan
- alder
- mesquite
- apple
- cherry
- hickory
Experiment and try different ones and see which one you like the best.
Smoking the Boston Butt
Prepare the Grill for Indirect Heat.
- Use two pans — one is a steam pan and one is a drip pan. Line the drip pan with aluminum foil.
- The drip pan is on the lower rack and the steam pan is on the upper rack over the coals. Naturally, the steam pan will have water in it and this will help regulate the heat.
- Fold a strip of aluminum foil and put it in between the grate. The foil acts as a curtain between the drip pan and the coals. It’s a barrier to prevent direct heat from touching the meat.
- Douse vegetable oil on 3 or 4 sheets of paper towels and put them on the bottom of the chimney and follow the natural starter technique we posted on starting the grill.This works much better than the wadded up newspaper.
Smoking Pork Butt on Grill Technique
Start cooking the Smoked Boston Butt Recipe.
- The grill temp should be at 250 F and we make sure it doesn’t get above 275 F.
- Put the charcoal below the steam pan and fill the steam pan halfway with water.
- Position the pork above the drip pan. The bottom air vents are half open.
- Immediately place the lid on the grill.
- Make sure that the top vent is half open and over the meat. This smoked pulled pork technique draws the smoke up and over the meat and it also controls the temperature.
- Maintain a constant temperature of 225 F to 250F and keep water in the steam pan.
- Add wet hickory chunks (or your wet wood chunks) as needed for the first two hours of cooking. It’s important not to over smoke. Our hickory measures 2×2 inch chunks and we use 2 at a time.
- How long does it take to make a pork butt? Plan on smoking the meat for 10 to 11 hours with a constant temperature of 225 F to 250 F.
It is a long slow process but one well worth the time to get a perfect smoked Boston Butt recipe.
The Pork is ready to become Pulled Pork
Finishing up The Boston Butt Recipe
The Smoked Boston Butt is ready to become Pulled Pork.
- The pork develops a nice bark. The bark is the seasoned crust which is the goal for all pit-masters. In fact, the crunchy crust is the first thing that competition judges reach for.
- At what temperature does the pork come off of the grill? When it reaches an internal temperature of 195 F. take it off the grill and wrap it in aluminum foil. Then let it rest for 30 minutes. This technique is the recipe for success.
- Now remove the blade bone. It should come out easily without any meat sticking to it. This is a sign that the pork was done just right.
- Use two forks to shred the meat. When we pull the pork, we make sure that the flavorful crusty bits are distributed throughout the pulled pork.
- We splash a little bit of beef broth on top of the shredded pork. This will keep the meat moist.
How to serve Smoked Pulled Pork
There are many wonderful ways to serve the smoked Boston Butt Recipe. At times we like it unadorned or with just a splash of All Our Way BBQ Sauce for Pulled Pork on a hamburger bun. A crunchy coleslaw on top of the pork is also delicious. We like the simple additions because we don’t want to mask the yummy smokey taste of the meat. Here are some more ideas for the smoked pulled pork:
- Pork Quesadillas — pork, roasted red peppers, caramelized onions seasoned with cumin and chili powder.
- Pizza – make it a barbecued pulled pork pizza.
- Pork Ragout over pasta.
- Enchiladas — oh!yum!
- Tacos
- Shepherds or Cottage pie.
There is no limit to the dishes you can make with Smoked Boston Butt Recipe. And if you keep a close eye on your store ads you can get some real bargains for Boston Butt.
We’ve included the recipe for the marinade that we used to inject the pork and the BBQ Sauce for the smoked meat.
If you have any questions about the pulled pork technique and recipes, we’ll be happy to answer them.
Tutti a tavola è pronto!
Un caro saluto e alla prossima.
YOU MAY NEED…
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Smoked Boston Butt Recipe Marinade and BBQ Sauce
The marinade is just right for injecting into the pork butt before smoking. This guarantees the meat is nice and juicy. The zingy barbecue sauce compliments the pulled pork rather than taking away from the delicious smokey flavor. This Smoked Boston Butt will yield the tastiest smoked pulled pork.
If you like this recipe, please consider giving it a five-star rating.
Smoked Boston Butt Recipe Marinade and BBQ Sauce
Ingredients
Meat
- 10 pound Boston Butt roast pork shoulder
- 1/2 cup yellow mustard
- 2 tablespoons Rub and Seasoning
MARINADE FOR PORK PUTT
- 3/4 CUP apple juice
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup salt
BBQ PULLED PORK SAUCE
- 1 cup apple vinegar
- 1 cup ketchup
- 3 Tbs dark brown sugar
- 1 Tbs yellow mustard
- 1 Tbs molasses
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 10 pound Boston Butt shoulder roast
- 1/2 cup yellow mustard
- 2 Tablespoons Rub and Seasoning
All Our Way Rub and Seasoning
- 4 tablespoons chili powder
- 4 teaspoons ground cumin
- 4 tablespoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 2 tablespoons dried oregano
Wood for Smoking
- 5 pounds wet wood for smoking soak in water before placing on charcoal.
Instructions
Meat Preparation
- Slather mustard all over the butt.
- Inject the marinade in the Boston Butt.
- Generously sprinkle All Our Way Rub all over the pork.
- Put in a plastic zip lock bag and refrigerate overnight.
- Take the bag out in the morning and let the pork start to warm up.
All Our Way Rub and Seasoning
- Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well with a whisk. Place in a large shaker container and store at room temperature.
MARINADE
- Mix thoroughly so that the sugar and salt are dissolved. Use to inject the pork shoulder.
BBQ PULLED PORK SAUCE
- Place all the ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly.
- The sauce will not be thick -- for pulled pork, the sauce should be on the thinner side.
Smoking the Boston Butt
- Prepare the Grill for indirect heat using two pans. One is a drip pan and one is the steam pan.
- Start the charcoal grill by dousing vegetable oil on 3-4 sheets of paper towels and putting them on the bottom of a chimney starter and light the towels. Follow the technique on our starting the grill post.
- The grill temperature should be 250F. and not exceed 275F.
- Position pork above the drip pan. The bottom air vents are half open.
- Immediately place the lid on the grill
- The top vent is half open and OVER the meat.
- Maintain constant temperature of 225-250 F. and keep water in the steam pan.
- Add wet hickory chunks as needed for the first two hours of cooking.
- Plan on smoking the meat for 10 to 11 hours.
- When the meat reaches an internal temperature of 195 ℉ remove from grill and wrap in aluminum foil.
- Let rest for 30 minutes.
- Remove the blade bone. Using two forks shred the meat.
- Splash a little bit of beef broth on top of the shredded pork. This will keep the meat moist.
- Use the meat for pulled pork sandwiches or for the many other suggestions we give in the Smoked Boston Butt Post.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
IF YOU LIKED SMOKED BOSTON BUTT RECIPE, YOU MAY ALSO LIKE…
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Jo says
May 26, 2019 at 11:26 pmNothing can beat juicy flavorful pulled pork stuffed in tacos or in buns. This is some serious BBQ food that definitely needs to be tried. Pinning it
Carol Borchardt says
May 26, 2019 at 9:01 pmSo, here in Memphis, we know a thing or two about barbecue and pulled pork. Dang it, you’re giving this town some serious competition with this recipe!
Amanda says
May 26, 2019 at 6:54 pmPulled pork is one of my favorites, especially during the summer months, so I’m super excited to make this all summer long. And I love how versatile it is. Thanks for sharing!
Analida Braeger says
May 26, 2019 at 6:44 pmI can almost smell it through the computer! I love pulled pork so much , and will use this recipe next time we smoke a butt ! thanks for sharing 🙂
Charity says
May 26, 2019 at 4:12 pmThis pork looks amazing! I’ve got a pork butt in the freezer so now I have #summergoals!
Lorie says
May 26, 2019 at 8:48 amEvery 4th of July my husband’s family cooks an entire pig—this reminded me of that. Can’t wait to make it on a smaller scale for our little fam!
Elena says
May 26, 2019 at 5:58 amThis looks so juicy! I can almost smell it thanks to your step-by-step instructions. Thank you for sharing!
Jennifer T Tammy says
May 24, 2019 at 1:33 pmThis sounds amazing. I’ve never heard of Smoked Boston Butt before, actually, I don’t think I’ve ever heard of a Pork Butt! Do they call it something different in different areas?
Marisa Franca says
May 24, 2019 at 2:53 pmHi Jennifer. Yes it does have several names. Pork shoulder, Pork roast, Fresh picnic. Boston Butt is pretty common. Where are you from?
Eva says
May 24, 2019 at 2:39 amThank you for such a descriptive post. I have no idea about smoking meats, it’s nothing I’m accustomed to doing. It was fascinating to read about the whole process and the end product looked so yummy it made me want to invest in learning these techniques!!
Marisa Franca says
May 24, 2019 at 8:31 amHello, Eva! The end result is certainly worth the process. The beauty of the meat is that you can make much more with it than the sandwich. I hope you give it a try.
Denise says
May 23, 2019 at 11:34 amPulled pork is one of my favorite meals. I love your step by step instructions, you make it look easy to do!
Jackie says
May 20, 2019 at 8:22 pmRecipes like this make me happy it’s summer time and smoking season! We love to make pulled pork and will try this recipe next.
Marisa Franca says
May 21, 2019 at 7:10 amHi, Jackie! You’ll really love it.
Lois Christensen says
May 20, 2019 at 3:32 pmThis looks perfect for the holiday weekend. Never thought of rubbing the meat with mustard! I’m sure it gives delicious flavor.
Marisa Franca says
May 21, 2019 at 7:11 amHello, Lois! Yes the mustard is great.
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy says
May 20, 2019 at 3:29 pmYup, you got me at pulled pork. What a great meal for BBQ parties this summer. I know these would be a hit with the guests for sure. I know there would be NO leftovers either.
Danielle says
May 20, 2019 at 12:31 pmI love it! It is quiet rare to find a good Bostoon Butt recipe so this is a great find! And the insights you give are so hepful – thank you for taking the time to come up with this post. So many details!
Veena Azmanov says
May 16, 2019 at 12:42 amDelicious and mouth melting and flavorful. Lovely ideas to trying new options. Thanks for your recipe.
Denise says
May 15, 2019 at 1:31 pmImpressive! I love your step by step instructions, you make it look easy to do! The final result looks absolutely amazing and delicious!
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy says
May 15, 2019 at 1:18 pmWell grilling season is here (even if the weather is NOT cooperating). This looks like a plan…and is a great way to feed a crowd at a BBQ party. I know my guests would love this pulled pork for sure.
Veena Azmanov says
April 10, 2018 at 10:07 amWow, this recipe really impresses! One of my favs! I can’t WAIT to try this, and I’m sure it is very tasty! Is good food and this looks like one of the BEST!!
Marisa Franca says
April 11, 2018 at 10:26 amThank you, Veena. Even though the recipe makes a lot — you can use the pulled pork in so many ways. xoxo
Eileen Kelly says
March 19, 2018 at 1:08 amI love smoked pork and your recipe is perfection. I love the marinade you inject into the pork. Your detailed instructions are absolutely awesome for making an awesome smoked pork. I think indirect heat is the best way to cook pork also. Pinning to make asap, our weather is warming so I am all about grilling.
maria says
March 17, 2018 at 11:28 amWow, it’s still morning here but I am salivating! Fantastic post… have pinned it for a reference. Thanks so much for sharing Marisa ♥
Jean | DelightfulRepast.com says
March 16, 2018 at 6:49 pmMarisa, I’m going to Pin this to make when we get around to replacing our grill. Sounds like perfection.
Karen (Back Road Journal) says
March 16, 2018 at 3:56 pmYour pulled pork looks absolutely fantastic.
Sues says
March 15, 2018 at 1:09 pmThis is such a helpful and informative post and makes me want to go clean all the snow off my grill soI can make pulled pork on it immediately!
Diane P. says
March 15, 2018 at 12:37 pmI make my pulled pork exactly the same way you do——and it is DELICIOUS! Now I’m going to have to make some pulled pork because my mouth is watering after reading your post, recipe, and looking at those marvelous pictures!!!
Jovina says
March 15, 2018 at 11:24 amThis looks delicious Marisa and such a great way to cook this pork cut. And you are right in saying that there are so many ways to use the cooked meat.
Dana DeVolk says
March 15, 2018 at 10:36 amMy mouth is watering, wow! Thanks for the recipe!
Ami@NaiveCookCooks says
July 1, 2014 at 12:15 pmThanks for such an educational post!!
Marisa Franca says
July 1, 2014 at 12:33 pmYou’re very welcome. Once you learn this technique — ribs are a breeze. Next on our meats will be our baby back ribs. Thank you for stopping by and leaving a comment — I hope you’ll come back again.