Best Smoked Pulled Pork Recipe

I love love LOVE my smoker. I often snatch up several pounds of meat at a time and smoke it all up on a lazy Sunday afternoon, then prep and freeze the meat to use for months to come. We enjoy smoking briskets, ribs, turkey breasts, hams, sausages, salmon, you name it.

But one of my absolute favorite meats to smoke is good old pork shoulder. Yes! Smoked Pulled Pork is the best.

Pork shoulder is one of the easiest proteins to prepare. It is so hugely flavorful and filled with delicious fat, it just falls apart so easily when you cook it nice and low and slow.

Low and Slow is Key for the Best Smoked Pulled Pork

Low and slow is the key here for good fall-apart pulled pork, where you can stick in a couple forks and shred the meat as easily as shredding through cotton candy.

As flavorful as pulled pork is, it's even BETTER with a nice level of smoke on it. And that JUICINESS. Come on! I can't get enough of it.

Pulled pork is often juicy simply because of the fat content, but the way I've been making it lately guarantees a high level of that juiciness, and also seasoning.

The key?

Smoke the Meat, then Braise it.

Smoking it first gets that smoky flavor, but the final braise gives it that additional juiciness we're after.

You just can't go wrong with this method. It's the only way I prefer to make it any more.

Let's talk about how to make smoked pulled pork, shall we?

Key Ingredients

• Pork Shoulder. Bone-in is preferable for overall flavor and juiciness.
• Olive Oil.
• Favorite Seasoning Blend.
• Salt.
• Beer or Chicken Stock. Or other braising liquid.

How to Make Smoked Pulled Pork - the Easy Way

Step 1: Smoke the Pork

First, get yourself a good cut of pork shoulder (aka Pork Butt). Bone in or boneless. This works either way. Bone-in will result in more flavor and juiciness.

Season the Pork. Rub the pork shoulder down with a bit of olive oil and your preferred seasoning blend. You can also use yellow mustard to rub down the pork, which is a popular method.

Smoke the pork shoulder at 225 degrees F. for 4 hours, adding wood chips into your smoker at regular enough intervals to give it a nice smoke. I set mine onto a piece of aluminum foil to catch the drippings.

I've seen many recipes that will wrap the pork shoulder in aluminum foil to help the process along. Since we're moving it later to the slow cooker, there is no need to wrap it.

I often smoke for the first hour, then again at the 3 hour mark, but feel free to smoke it the entire 4 hours with enough wood.

The wood used is your choice.

Be sure to keep some moisture in your smoker pan. Beer is good, as is apple cider vinegar or apple juice, but even water will work. You can also add some apple cider vinegar or apple juice to a spray bottle and spritz the pork a few times during smoking.

After 4 hours of smoking, it's time for the braise. At the 4 hour mark, you'll easily have enough smoke penetration with the pork, so there is no benefit to continual smoking.

Of course you can leave the pork shoulder in the smoker on low heat and continue to cook until it done. Figure 2 hours of cook time per pound of pork, until the internal temperature of the pork reaches 195-205 degrees F. This is where the tough tissues breaks down.

However, moving the meat to the slow cooker to braise gives you more control and you can add in more flavorings for a superior, juicier finish every time.

Step 2: Braise the Pork (Slow Cooker/Crock Pot or Instant Pot)

After 4 hours, remove it from the smoker and transfer the pork shoulder to a large pot or slow cooker. Add 1 bottle of flavorful beer (I typically use a wheat beer or an IPA that I enjoy drinking) or chicken stock, along with extra seasonings, if preferred.

The seasonings are optional here. I like the additional flavor. The goal here is not to cover the pork shoulder with liquid, but just give enough liquid to braise it nice and slow.

Slow cook the pork shoulder on low, covered, another 4 hours, or until the pork pulls apart easily with forks. It could take longer - the meat will tell you when it is done. Discard any excess fat.

BOOM! Done! This pulled pork is so tender, it's ridiculous, and SO FULL of SMOKE FLAVOR. I love it.

You now have super juicy, highly flavorful smoked pulled pork - aka smoked pork butt.

Serve it however you'd like! Bust out your favorite bbq sauce, like this Carolina Vinegar BBQ Sauce. Essential!

Best Wood for Smoked Pulled Pork

The wood you choose will shape the overall flavor profile, so it's worth thinking about. Here's what I use and recommend:

• Apple or Cherry. My personal favorites for pulled pork. Both are mild, slightly sweet fruitwoods that give you a nice smoke ring without overpowering the pork.
• Hickory. A classic BBQ choice. Hickory smoke is stronger and more assertive, which works great if you want that traditional smoky punch. It can get heavy if you overdo it, so I'd use it in combination with apple or cherry.
• Oak. A solid all-around option. Oak burns long and clean with a medium smoke flavor, not as bold as hickory but more pronounced than apple.
• Pecan. Somewhere between hickory and fruitwood. Nutty, rich, slightly sweet. One I like to use for pork when I want something a little different.

Best Braising Liquid for Smoked Pulled Pork

The braising liquid keeps the pork nice and moist during the final cook, and it adds another layer of flavor that works its way into every bite. You don't need much, just enough to come about an inch up the sides of the pork shoulder.

Here are some flavor-building options:

• Beer. My first choice. A wheat beer or IPA adds subtle bitterness that works really well with smoked pork. Avoid anything too dark or too hoppy, which can turn bitter during a long braise. A standard lager works fine if that's what you have.
• Chicken Stock. Great for a cleaner, more neutral braise that lets the smoke flavor shine. Use a good-quality stock for the best results.
• Apple Cider + Stock. Half apple cider, half chicken stock. The cider adds sweetness and acidity that lightens everything up.
• Spicy Braising Liquid. Add 2-3 chopped chipotles in adobo sauce directly into the braising liquid along with a splash of apple cider vinegar. You'll get layers of that smoky flavor.

Whatever liquid you use, add the remaining dry rub seasoning directly to the slow cooker as well. That third hit of seasoning makes a big difference.

Spicy Dry Rub for Smoked Pulled Pork

If you want to go the spicy route, and I usually do, here's a blend I keep coming back to. It's got layered heat with earthy, smoky flavor that works perfectly with the smoke-and-braise method.

Spicy Smoked Pulled Pork Rub (for a 6-pound shoulder):

• 1 tablespoon ancho chili powder
• 1 tablespoon chipotle powder
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more, to heat preference)
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

Combine everything and rub it generously over the pork shoulder after coating with olive oil. Save about a tablespoon of the rub to add to the slow cooker during the braise.

For more heat, swap the cayenne for ghost pepper powder or scorpion powder. It sounds extreme, but the long smoke and braise mellows the heat into something complex and addictive rather than just hot. The fat in the pork carries the heat beautifully.

Multiple Rounds of Seasonings

I like to do three rounds of seasoning with this method of making pulled pork. I rub down the pork shoulder first before smoking it, then add more to the slow cooker during the braise. The third round of seasoning comes with the final serving. If I'm making tacos or sandwiches, like this awesome Cuban sandwich, I will heat the pork in a pan with some oil and some extra seasonings. It comes out so AWESOME this way.

How Much Pulled Pork?

My 6 pound pork shoulder gave me just under 3 pounds of finished pulled pork, so plan accordingly. If you're throwing a large party, you may need a couple pork shoulders.

Good thing they're quite inexpensive.

Is it Pork Shoulder? Or Pork Butt?

The terms "pork shoulder", "pork butt", and "Boston butt" all refer to the same cut of pork. They are interchangeable.

With pulled pork, most recipes list pork shoulder to start with. However, you may also see either pork butt or Boston butt.

The pork shoulder (aka pork butt or Boston butt) comes from the upper part of the pig's shoulder, not the butt end of the pig. Because the shoulder is a hard working muscle, low and slow cooking best for it, as it helps to break down all that tough connective tissue.

Low and slow over wood smoke will guarantee a tender, succulent cut of meat and is ideal for making super delicious and juicy pulled pork.

That's it, my friends! Let me know how it turns out for you. I hope you enjoy your juicy smoked pulled pork!

Try This Recipe, Too

• The Juiciest Shredded Chicken

More Pulled Pork Recipes to Try

• Pressure Cooker Pulled Pork
• Carnitas (Mexican Pulled Pork Tacos)
• Pulled Pork Tortas
• Pernil (Puerto Rican Roast Pork)
• Pulled Pork Nachos

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