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–+ servings
Smoked pork shoulder on a wooden chopping board.
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5 from 1 vote

Smoked Pork Shoulder Recipe

This easy Smoked Pork Shoulder recipe is not only delicious but also perfect for festive holidays, family BBQs, or a simple weekend dinner. With just a few ingredients and some patience, you can bring restaurant-quality smoked pork to your table.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time9 hours
Resting Time1 hour
Total Time10 hours 30 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: easy, holidays, pulled pork, smoked pork butt, smoked pork shoulder, summer
Servings: 28 Servings
Calories: 273kcal
Author: Bethany Galloway

Equipment

  • 1 smoker (I used a Weber Smoky Mountain)
  • 1 spray bottle
  • 1 large baking tray
  • 1 jar

Ingredients

  • 7 tablespoons olive oil more or less, as needed
  • 19 pounds pork shoulder bone-in + skin removed (or pork butt)

Dry Rub

  • 5 tablespoons sea salt
  • 4 tablespoons ground black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons garlic granules not powder
  • 3 tablespoons onion granules not powder
  • 1 tablespoon ground sumac

ACV Spray

  • 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar 75ml, see note 1
  • 1/3 cup water 75ml

Instructions

Prepare the smoker:

  • These instructions are for an egg shaped smoker like a Weber smoky mountain, but will generally work on most good smokers.
    A charcoal grill smoking a pork shoulder on a concrete patio.
  • Separate the smoker into 3 by removing the lid, and then taking the main chamber off of the bottom of the smoker.
  • Fill up your charcoal chimney half way with charcoal and place it over lit kindling to get the fire started in there.
    Charcoal in a chimney.
  • Fill the charcoal chamber with charcoal. Pile the sides of the circle up high leaving the space in the middle a little less full for the lit charcoal to go in.
    Charcoal in a smoker.
  • Once the coal in the chimney turns white, add it into the middle of the charcoal chamber and place one piece of smoking wood on top. Apple, whiskey oak, cherry, or maple are good choices.
    Black and white charcoal in a smoker with wood on top.

Prepare the pork:

  • Line the Water Pan with aluminum foil and place it where it sits in the main smoker chamber.
    Aluminum on water pan in a smoker.
  • Place the grill gates on top, making sure its clean, and then place the pork shoulder on the grill.
    Meat on the grill on the smoker.
  • Add all of the spices to a jar and shake it up.
    Dry rub mixed in a jar.
  • Rub olive oil liberally all over the pork shoulder, turning it over to get underneath as well.
    Rubbing oil on pork shoulder.
  • Take the dry rub and rub the spices liberally all over the pork shoulder, starting underneath and then flipping it over to rub the top. The fat cap should be at the top when finished.
    Dry rub on pork shoulder.
  • Insert a heat-safe internal meat thermometer into the thickest part of the pork shoulder, and also one connected to the grill to read the temperature outside the meat.
    Thermometer in pork shoulder.
  • When the charcoal is ready, place the main smoker chamber back onto the lower charcoal chamber.
  • Fill the water pan up with water, almost to the top.
    Water pan above the charcoal fire.
  • Close the lid and fully open the vent.
    Fully open vent on smoker.
  • Connect the thermometers to the reader and keep an eye on the temperature.

Smoke the pork:

  • Add 1 chunk of wood every hour, until you’ve added 5 total. The meat stays in the smoker for 6 hours, keeping the lid closed.
  • After 6 hours, mix the apple cider vinegar and water together in a spray bottle, open the lid, and spray every 30 minutes. Do this for 2 hours.
    Spraying smoked pork shoulder with apple cider vinegar.

Texas Crutch + Rest:

  • When the meat thermometer reaches 160-170°F, the temperature tends to stall. When it stalls, we do the Texas Crutch: Preheat the oven to 150°C/300°F, give it a very generous spray of the rest of the ACV/water solution, remove the thermometer, and wrap it in aluminum foil.
    Pork shoulder wrapped in aluminum.
  • Re-insert the thermometer, place it on a rack in the middle of the oven, place a large pan underneath, and fill it with water.
    Adding water to a pan in the oven below the aluminum-wrapped pork shoulder.
  • Cook meat for around 3 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 195°F.
  • Allow it to rest for a minimum of 2 hours.
  • Remove the bone and portion it (Don’t shred!).
    Portioning pork shoulder on a wooden chopping board.
  • Store the portions in the fridge or freezer and shred on demand.

Notes

  1. Apple cider vinegar: Feel free to substitute apple juice ot lemon juice.
  2. Wood: Check out my post on The Best Wood For Smoking Pork. I like apple, whiskey oak, maple, and cherry. I'd avoid mesquite as it has a strong flavor which can be overpowering.
  3. Don't open the lid: While it might be tempting to frequently check on your pork or crank up the temperature to speed things up, resist the urge. Constantly opening the smoker can lead to temperature fluctuations, affecting the cooking process.
  4. Storing in the fridge: Once the meat has been portioned and cooled to room temperature, transfer it into airtight containers or resealable plastic bags. Properly stored, your smoked pork can last in the fridge for up to 4 days. Note: any extra juices from cutting the meat should be split between each portion before storing.
  5. Freezing: First, portion your meat into meal-sized amounts. This not only makes it easier to thaw and reheat later but also ensures that the meat retains its flavor and moisture. Wrap the portions (along with any extra meat juices) in aluminum foil and then place them in resealable freezer bags. Be sure to press out as much air as possible to prevent freezer burn. Label your bags with the date, and your smoked pulled pork butt or shoulder can be enjoyed up to 3 months later!
  6. Reheating: Reheat in a cast iron skillet (or non-stick) by adding the meat and any juices to the pan over medium heat. Add a splash of water or some apple juice as needed. Shred the meat as it warms up. You can also warm your pork in a preheated oven at 325°F (163°C) in an aluminum pan or baking tray until it's heated through. 

Nutrition

Serving: 0.3lbs | Calories: 273kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 106mg | Sodium: 1368mg | Potassium: 571mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 0.1g | Vitamin A: 14IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 2mg