Simple Smoked Pork Butt Recipes

SMOKED PORK BUTT

Steps:

• If desired, soak the pork butt in a brine solution for at least 4 hours or overnight. There's a recipe for a brine on this site titled 'Basic Brine for Smoking Meat'. You should do this covered and in the refrigerator.
• Preheat an outdoor smoker for 200 to 225 degrees F (95 to 110 degrees C).
• In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, chili powder and any additional seasonings to your taste. Apply this liberally to the meat and rub it in with your fingers. Place a roasting rack in a drip pan and lay the meat on the rack.
• Smoke at 200 to 225 degrees F (95 to 110 degrees C) for 6 to 18 hours, or until internal pork temperature reaches 145 degrees F (63 degrees C).

SIMPLE SMOKED PORK BUTT

Steps:

• Cut a few slashes in a crosshatch pattern across the fat cap of the pork butt. Rub mustard on top. Massage BBQ rub into the meat, getting it into the cuts. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate, 8 hours to overnight.
• Preheat a smoker to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). Add wood chips according to manufacturer's instructions.
• Place pork butt on rack, with a drip pan underneath to minimize the mess. Smoke until internal temperature of meat reaches 200 to 203 degrees F (93 to 95 degrees C), 10 to 16 hours, depending on size of pork butt and outside temperature.
• Remove pork butt from smoker, wrap in foil, and let rest for 1 hour. Remove bone and shred pork.

SLOW-SMOKED PULLED PORK (BOSTON BUTT)

Steps:

• Mix brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, seasoned salt, black pepper, cumin, and cayenne pepper together in a small bowl to make dry rub.
• Coat roast with spicy brown mustard. Sprinkle dry rub all over roast and work it into all the folds and creases.
• Combine pickle juice and olive oil in a small bowl.
• Preheat 5 pounds charcoal in a smoker according to manufacturer's instructions until white and flaming. Distribute 7 to 8 large wood chunks over the coals. Place a drip pan on top; pour in beer and enough water to fill the pan most of the way. Close smoker; bring liquid in the drip pan to a boil. Place roast on top and close smoker.
• Smoke roast, turning every hour, until browned, about 2 hours. Baste roast with pickle juice and olive mixture. Continue smoking, turning and basting every hour, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center reads 175 degrees F (80 degrees C), 2 to 3 hours more.
• Remove roast from smoker and wrap with aluminum foil. Let rest, about 30 minutes.
• Uncover roast and cut into chunks. Shred chunks into small strands; transfer to a large bowl. Squeeze strands with both hands repeatedly, mixing after each squeeze.

SMOKED APPLE PORK BUTT

Steps:

• Combine brown sugar, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic, Italian seasoning, onion powder, chili powder, cayenne pepper, cumin, and sage in a small container. Measure 1 tablespoon of the dry rub mixture into a large container that will fit the pork butt. Refrigerate remaining dry rub.
• Mix apple cider, 1/4 cup apple juice concentrate, 2 tablespoons honey, Worcestershire sauce, and liquid smoke into the large container to make marinade.
• Score top of pork butt in a checkerboard pattern. Inject some of the marinade into the bottom, sides, and top of the pork butt. Place pork in the container with the remaining marinade. Marinate in the refrigerator, 8 hours to overnight.
• Combine whiskey barrel wood chips, apple wood chips, 1/2 cup apple juice concentrate, and water in a large resealable bag. Seal and let soak, about 20 minutes.
• Preheat an electric smoker to 225 degrees F (110 degrees C). Fill smoker box with wood chips according to manufacturer's instructions.
• Remove pork from marinade; rub mustard and 1 tablespoon honey evenly on top. Coat pork butt heavily with dry rub. Place fat-side up on a rack.
• Place the rack in the smoker; cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reads 160 degrees F (71 degrees C) for medium or 170 degrees F (77 degrees C), 4 to 6 hours. Add additional soaked wood chips halfway through cooking time.
• Place pork butt fat-side up on a large platter. Cover with aluminum foil and let rest for 20 minutes, turning over halfway through resting time.