Recipe · Main
Smoked Pork Shoulder (Pulled Pork)
An 8-pound pork shoulder for pulled pork. Forgiving, beginner-friendly, and feeds 12 people from a single cook. Pellet grill or kamado.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 600 min
- Total
- 620 min
- Serves
- 12
Grills.co Editorial · Updated January 14, 2026
Ingredients
- 1 bone-in pork shoulder (Boston butt), 7–9 lb
- 1/4 cup kosher salt
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 tbsp coarse black pepper
- 2 tbsp paprika
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 2 tsp dried mustard
- Yellow mustard as a binder
- Apple juice or cider for spritzing (optional)
Method
- 1
Trim excess fat from the cap, leaving about 1/4 inch.
- 2
Mix all dry ingredients into a rub. Coat the shoulder lightly with mustard, then apply the rub generously on all sides.
- 3
Preheat the smoker to 225°F using hickory, pecan, or apple wood.
- 4
Place the shoulder fat-side up. Insert a probe in the thickest part, away from the bone.
- 5
Smoke until internal temperature hits 165°F (typically 6–7 hours). Optionally spritz with apple juice once an hour after the first three hours.
- 6
Wrap tightly in foil or butcher paper. Return to the smoker.
- 7
Continue cooking until internal temperature hits 203°F AND the bone slides cleanly out of the meat. Probe should feel like sliding into room-temperature butter.
- 8
Rest wrapped in a dry cooler for at least 1 hour.
- 9
Pull apart with bear claws or forks. Discard large fat pieces. Toss the meat with any rendered juices from the wrap.
Why pork shoulder is beginner-friendly
Pork shoulder is forgiving. The fat content protects against overcooking, and the texture target (pull-apart) gives you a wide window between “done” and “overdone.”
Bone-in vs boneless
Bone-in produces slightly better flavor and the bone is a natural probe test (it slides out cleanly when done). Boneless cooks 1–2 hours faster and is easier to pull but loses some of the moisture buffer.
The stall
Pork shoulder stalls around 165°F, often for 2–3 hours. The wrap shortcuts the stall. If you skip the wrap, plan for a longer cook and a thicker bark.
Bark vs juiciness tradeoff
Wrapping in foil produces the juiciest result but softens the bark. Wrapping in butcher paper preserves more bark while still trapping moisture. No wrap = thickest bark, longest cook.
Serving
Pulled pork serves about 1/3 lb per person on sandwiches, 1/2 lb per person as a main. An 8-pound shoulder feeds 12–15 people sandwich-style.
Leftovers
Pulled pork freezes well in vacuum-sealed bags for up to 3 months. Reheat gently in a 300°F oven with a splash of liquid.
Safety: Outdoor cooking involves heat, fire, fuel, smoke, and carbon monoxide risk. Follow the manufacturer's instructions, local fire rules, and safe ventilation practices. Never grill indoors unless the appliance is approved for indoor use.