Pulled pork is the American South's greatest contribution to barbecue — a whole Boston butt smoked for 12–16 hours until the connective tissue dissolves and the meat falls into tender shreds.
Serves 10–12 peoplePrep 20 minCook 15 hr
What to ask for
This recipe calls for Boston butt. Can't get it where you are?
Ingredients & method
Ingredients
Bone-in Boston butt (pork shoulder), 4–5 kg
3 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp black pepper
1 tbsp coarse salt
1 tsp cayenne
Apple wood or hickory chunks for smoking
Burger buns and coleslaw to serve
Method
1Combine all the dry rub spices. Score the fat cap in a crosshatch pattern. Rub the spice mixture all over the pork. Refrigerate uncovered overnight.
2Set up your smoker at 110–115 °C with apple wood or hickory. Place pork fat-cap up.
3Smoke for 6–8 hours, spritzing with apple cider vinegar every hour after the first 3. Expect a temperature stall around 70 °C — maintain patience.
4When the bark is set and the internal temperature stalls, wrap in butcher paper and continue cooking to 95 °C internal — another 4–6 hours.
5Rest wrapped in a cooler for 1–2 hours. Pull the meat apart by hand into strands, discarding the bone and any large fat pieces. Season with more rub or a splash of apple cider vinegar.
Cook this well
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Shred eight pounds of shoulder without burning your hands
