Print

Flavorful Smoked Pulled Pork Shoulder Recipe Low and Slow with Perfect Bark

smoked pulled pork shoulder - featured image
Print Recipe

A low and slow smoked pulled pork shoulder recipe that delivers juicy meat with a perfect crispy bark, using simple pantry ingredients and minimal hands-on time.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 5–6 pounds pork shoulder (Boston Butt) with good marbling
  • 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
  • 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar (for spritzing)
  • 1 cup water (for smoker water pan)
  • About 2 cups hickory or apple wood chunks or chips, soaked if using chips

Instructions

  1. Trim the pork shoulder, removing excess fat but leaving about 1/4 inch to keep the meat moist. Pat dry with paper towels.
  2. Rub yellow mustard all over the pork to help the dry rub stick.
  3. Mix brown sugar, smoked paprika, kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper in a bowl until well blended.
  4. Generously coat the pork shoulder with the dry rub, pressing it in to form a thick crust. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, ideally overnight.
  5. Preheat smoker to 225°F (107°C). Add soaked wood chunks or chips to generate smoke. Place a drip pan filled with water under the grate to maintain humidity.
  6. Place pork shoulder fat side up on the smoker grate. Insert meat thermometer probe into the thickest part. Close lid and smoke low and slow.
  7. Maintain smoker temperature at 225°F, adding wood and charcoal as needed. Every hour, spritz pork lightly with apple cider vinegar to keep moist and encourage bark formation.
  8. When internal temperature reaches about 160°F (71°C) and bark looks dark and firm (usually after 6-8 hours), wrap pork tightly in butcher paper or aluminum foil to push through the stall.
  9. Return wrapped pork to smoker and continue cooking until internal temperature reaches 195-205°F (90-96°C), about 3-5 more hours.
  10. Remove pork from smoker and let rest wrapped for at least 1 hour to allow juices to redistribute.
  11. Shred pork using two forks or meat claws, mixing bark into the meat for perfect texture and flavor.

Notes

If bark is too soft after wrapping, unwrap for the last 30 minutes to firm it up. Maintain consistent smoker temperature to avoid drying out meat. Resting the meat after cooking is essential for juicy results. Hickory wood provides strong smoky flavor; apple wood is milder and slightly sweet. Spritz with apple cider vinegar to keep meat moist and enhance bark formation. Oven method can be used as an alternative but flavor differs.

Nutrition

Keywords: smoked pulled pork, pulled pork shoulder, barbecue, low and slow, smoked meat, pork recipe, barbecue pork, smoked pork shoulder

Find it online: https://chrisfeasts.com/flavorful-smoked-pulled-pork-shoulder-recipe-low-and-slow-with-perfect-bark/