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If you’re looking for a simple and delicious pulled pork recipe, this is it! Tender, juicy and full of smoky flavor… this smoked pulled pork is incredibly tasty, and it’s so easy to make!

What is Pulled Pork

Pulled pork is an American “BBQ” dish, consisting of shredded pork butt that has typically been slow-smoked. The meat is shredded and sometimes mixed with a BBQ style sauce. Pulled pork is absolutely delicious and can be served in a number of ways. The two most popular are pulled pork sandwiches and pulled pork tacos, but there are so many creative ways to eat it!

Pulled pork can be made with either pork butt or pork shoulder. Both cuts of meat come from the shoulder of the pig, but pork butt (aka Boston butt or shoulder butt) is higher on the pig’s foreleg and has a more uniform shape and consistent fat marbling throughout the meat. Because of this, pork butt is considered the best cut of meat for making tender and juicy pulled pork that will shred apart easily for sandwiches or tacos, so if you have a choice between the two, pork butt is the way to go!

Why We Love Pulled Pork

Pulled pork is one of our favorite BBQ dishes. We love smoking it on our Traeger grill. Not only is it delicious, it’s also versatile! We love eating it on pulled pork BBQ sandwiches, tacos, baked potatoes and even nachos!

Because pork butt is one of the most inexpensive cuts of meat, it’s perfect for your next Summer BBQ or family gathering. This cut of pork goes a LONG way, so it will feed many people on a budget, which is a plus! It’s also one of the simplest meats to make on the pellet smoker, requiring just a few simple steps of preparation and a bit of patience. Our pulled pork recipe turns out tender and juicy every time!

Now, let’s get to it!

Ingredients for Smoked Pulled Pork

These are simple ingredients you can pick up at your favorite local grocery store. You’ll find a full recipe card with measurements and nutritional information at the bottom of this post but here’s a quick look at what you’re going to need for this easy recipe. 

• Bone-in Pork shoulder butt (10-pound weight recommended)
• Pork seasoning (we used Kev’s Pig Love, but any brown sugar-based pork seasoning or rub will do)
• Yellow mustard
• Deep foil pan
• BBQ sauce

Tip: When selecting your pork shoulder, we recommend going with one that’s symmetrical, so it gets a more even cook. A small fat cap is okay, as it will produce some juicy rendered fat during the cooking process, but make sure it doesn’t have too thick a fat side. Any excess can always be trimmed off, if necessary. As far as selecting the correct size for your pork shoulder, we recommend counting on 2 servings per pound of meat. We used a 10-pound pork butt roast and it easily made 20 servings. Just remember, the larger your pork shoulder, the longer cook time you’ll need overall.

How to Smoke the Best Pulled Pork

Open the pork shoulder and remove all excess moisture with a paper towel.

Place the pork shoulder into a deep foil roasting pan.

Trim extra fat from the pork (if necessary).

Cover all sides of the pork shoulder with a thin layer of yellow mustard as a binder. You can also use a little bit of olive oil, if you prefer.

Season it generously on all sides with your choice of pork rub (we used Kev’s Pig Love Seasoning – link above).

Preheat your pellet grill to 225 degrees f (the low temperature will produce more smoke from the wood chips while cooking).

Place the pulled pork (in the roasting pan) on the grill and insert an internal thermometer into the thickest center part of the pork shoulder. Close the grill lid.

Cook the pork butt until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit (this could take anywhere from 3-5 hours, depending on how thick your pork butt is).

Once it reaches 160 degrees internally, carefully cover the roasting pan with foil, then increase the grill temperature to 250 degrees. Continue cooking your pork butt until the internal temperature reaches 204 degrees (this final cooking time could take another 3-4 hours).

Once the internal temperature is 204 degrees, remove the pan from the grill and let the pulled pork sit (covered in the pan) for about 45 minutes to 1 hour. (tip: you can also wrap the pork shoulder in butcher paper at this point and let it rest, but make sure to keep the fat juices in the foil pan to mix the pulled pork with after shredding).

Remove the bone from the pork shoulder, then use meat forks (or your hands) to shred up the meat, making sure to mix it in with all of the rendered fat juices from the pan.

Add additional seasoning (to taste) and your favorite BBQ sauce and enjoy your juicy and flavorful pulled pork!

Store leftover pulled pork in the refrigerator in an airtight container, aluminum foil or plastic wrap and use it within 3-4 days. It can also be frozen and used within 4-6 months. Be sure to reheat it thoroughly before eating.

What to Expect from this Recipe

This smoked pulled pork is so juicy and tender, you can literally pull it apart with hardly any effort. During the low heat cooking process, the smokiness from the pellet grill adds a depth of flavor that is absolute perfection. The smoking process also creates a perfectly crispy bark on the outer edge of the pork roast, which is absolutely delicious! Mix in some Texas-style BBQ sauce and you’ve got the perfect main course!

You will love the versatility of this dish! Grab some Hawaiian buns and make a delicious pulled pork sandwich with barbecue sauce, pickles and onions. Spoon some of the shredded smoked pork butt onto a fresh, hot flour tortilla for the perfect taco. Add it to a baked potato with all the fixings. However you eat it, this smoked pulled pork will be a hit with your whole family. It’s definitely one of our favorites!

Make it Your Own

We love serving this smoked pulled pork roast in the traditional BBQ recipes we’ve already shared, but if you’re looking for some other fun ways to serve this dish, here are some great ideas!

Make a delicious pulled pork Mac & Cheese (see below for our amazing smoked panko mac & cheese recipe).

Give your pulled pork an Asian flare by mixing it with sweet Chile or teriyaki sauce. Serve it on fried rice or lo mein noodles, or even on tortillas with some pickled onions and sweet chili sauce.

Make a yummy pork quesadilla or some delicious pulled pork queso (we have a great recipe for queso too!).

If you want to keep the seasoning simple on your pulled pork, consider using some of the basics: garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, cayenne pepper, black pepper and kosher salt. One great option is to make your own spice rub, if you’re feeling adventurous!

Another great idea is to use a spray bottle to spritz your pork butt with apple juice or pineapple juice during the cooking process for added juiciness and sweet flavor! Apple cider vinegar is also an option.

The ideas are endless!

What to Serve with Smoked Pulled Pork

Here are some of our favorite dishes that would go perfectly with our smoked pulled pork. Give them a try and let us know what you think!

If you’re looking for the perfect appetizer to go along with this dish, check out this Fresh Strawberry Dip from Miz Helen’s Country Cottage. It looks so tasty and refreshing!

For the perfect side dish, give our Smoked Mac and Cheese with Panko recipe a try. It’s creamy and delicious, and the perfect complement to our pulled pork!

Our Sweet and Savory Southwest Beans are absolutely delish, and they make the best side for pulled pork!

Nothing completes a meal quite like bread! Give our delicious Cheesy Garlic Bread recipe a try for a savory and flavorful side!

Try this yummy Simple Chocolate Pudding recipe from Out of the Box Baking for the perfect dessert!

Thanks for Stopping By!

That’s it for this post, friends! We hope you enjoy this tender and flavorful smoked pulled pork shoulder recipe. It rivals anything you’ll get in a pricey BBQ restaurant, and it’s one of our favorite recipes!

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See this recipe at:

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About the Man Behind the Grill

Zach Morrow was born and raised in Texas and has always had a passion for great barbecue. He’s at home behind the grill and loves to feed his friends and family home-cooked favorites as often as he can. He especially loves trying new things and is excited to produce recipes like this one for Backyard Texas Grill.