Description
Smoked Pork Shoulder – The most amazing recipe for smoked pork shoulder!!
Ingredients
Scale
Pork Rub
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 2 1/2 tablespoons smoked paprika (regular paprika will work!)
- 2 1/2 tablespoons lemon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1 tablespoon smoked garlic powder (regular garlic powder will work!)
- 1/2 tablespoon ground black pepper
Pork Shoulder:
- 4 lb pork shoulder (bone-in recommended)
- yellow mustard (approximately 1/2 cup)
- liquid Smoke (approximately 2-3 Tablespoons) – this one is Whole30 compliant
- worcestershire sauce (approximately 2-3 Tablespoons) (for Whole30 either omit this or use a compliant version)
- plastic wrap
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup apple juice
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 cups hickory smoking chips
- 2 cups mesquite smoking chips
Instructions
- Ensure pork shoulder has come to room temperature. Rinse pork shoulder under water and pat dry and place on a cookie sheet.
- Combine salt, smoked paprika, lemon pepper, cayenne pepper, smoked garlic powder and black pepper in bowl. Set aside.
- Take worcestershire sauce (if using) and pour all over pork shoulder ensuring it is thoroughly covered.
- Repeat with the liquid smoke and then with the yellow mustard.
- Take Pork Rub mixture and start sprinkling/rubbing in generous amounts all over pork shoulder ensuring that a thick layer is created – every nook and cranny.
- Completely and tightly wrap pork shoulder in plastic wrap. Then double bag it in plastic bags and put in fridge for a minimum of 12 hours.
- After a minimum of 12 hours has passed, remove pork shoulder from fridge, unwrap and let come to room temp.
- Start smoker and bring up to 225 degrees.
- Combine apple cider vinegar, apple juice and water and put in spray bottle and set by your smoker.
- Once smoker reaches 225 degrees F. and pork shoulder is at room temp place pork shoulder on your smoker, fat side up (use middle rack if using an electric smoker).
- Spray/spritz every 45-60 minutes with spray bottle
- Add additional smoking chips, as needed.
- Smoke until pork shoulder reaches a minimum of 190 degrees F. internal temp (approximately 60-90 minutes per pound).
- Remove from smoker and place on cookie/baking sheet or large plate. Wrap in aluminum foil and then again in a couple kitchen towels (this helps lock in the moisture). Let rest for one hour.
- Shred with two forks and serve (we love serving it with homemade barbecue sauce).
Notes
- How long does it take to smoke a pork shoulder: it generally takes 60-90 minutes per pound to smoke a pork shoulder, but this timeframe can be impacted by a variety of factors such as the weather, how consistent your smoker holds heat, etc.
- Should I wrap my pork shoulder in foil on the smoker: No, do not wrap your pork shoulder in foil on the smoker. It won’t achieve that “smokey” flavor you are looking for that way!
- How do I know when my pork shoulder is done: Technically your pork shoulder is safely cooked when it reaches an internal temp of 165 degrees, but if you want to be able to shred your pork shoulder easily you will want it to reach an internal temp of 190 degrees.
- Why is my pork shoulder tough or not shredding: You probably didn’t let it cook long enough. It needs to reach an internal temperature of 190-200 to become tender and easy to shred. Make sure you are using an internal thermometer or probe to track the internal temperature of your pork shoulder.
- How long do I let my pork shoulder rest: You should let your pork shoulder rest for an hour. We suggest wrapping it in foil and then again in some kitchen towels as it rests to retain heat.
- My pork shoulder is taking longer than 90 minutes per pound: Make sure you didn’t run out of pellets (we have done that before!). It could also be a result of the weather (windy, cold, humidity, etc) – the most sure way to be able to track the cooking time is to use an internal meat thermometer and go off that. 60-90 minutes per pound is just an estimate – there are too many factors to take into consideration for us to give you a solid timeframe!
- Wood Chips/Pellets: I love using the hickory and mesquite, but maple, oak or cherry work great too.