Published September 27, 2024. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
This Smoked pork butt recipe is well seasoned and slow-cooked in apple wood, making tender, flavorful meat that you won’t be able to stop eating. I’ve smoked hundreds of pork butts, but when it’s simple like this with proper cooking techniques, it’s always incredibly delicious.
I love BBQ and smoking different meats. The final product is always so good whenever I throw something on the smoker. If you want to try new recipes, check out my Smoked Leg of Lamb or Cured and Smoked Ham.
Smoked Pork Butt
Smoked pork butt consists of a cut of pork that is slow cooked in a smoker or a pit for long periods and very low temperatures. During this time, the muscle fibers slowly break down, and the fat renders, resulting in a flavorful, juicy, tender pork butt.
The other important part to ensure it is delicious is the bark that forms on the outside. This chemical reaction takes place, including caramelization and the Maillard reaction. When it is created, it is the most coveted part of the final result because it’s so flavorful.
Due to the lower cooking temperatures, you can expect this to take roughly 1 minute per pound of smoking, regardless of weight. In addition, this cooking method is much more about internal temperature than it is about time. The butt needs to hit certain internal temperatures before it can move to the next stage.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Pork – You will need a bone-in pork butt for this recipe. This is also called a Boston Butt and is a cut of pork that is higher up on the shoulder but separate from the picnic shoulder cut.
- Mustard – Plain yellow mustard is used as a binder to help seasonings stick.
- Seasoning – I only used coarse salt and ground black pepper for this, and I have to say these simple ingredients allow for the most flavors from the pork and smoke to come out. These will not mask the taste at all. However, you can make your own BBQ rub or even add ¼ cup of sugar to this mix if you want a sweeter pork butt.
How to Make a Smoked Pork Butt
Start by coating the pork butt on all sides with the mustard.
Next, generously season it on all sides with salt and pepper. It’s essential that all 6 sides of the butt are seasoned for maximum flavor.
Preheat the smoker to 250°. Once heated, place the seasoned pork butt on the grates and place a thermometer in the center of it. I like putting it on a top grate with a pan below to catch any drippings and avoid “grease” smoking. Smoke until the butt stalls, which is usually between 160° and 165°.
If you notice any spots drying out on the top or sides of the pork, feel free to spray some BBQ spritzer on it. This will help add flavor, tenderize the pork, and prevent that area from crisping up too much.
Remove the pork and place in two sheets over overlapped butcher’s paper roughly 3 feet long.
Fold the bottom part of the paper up to wrap around the pork.
Next, fold the paper right over left.
Then fold it left over right.
Roll the butt forward, making sure it is still fat cap side up, and the paper is underneath.
Place it back on the smoker in the same spot and pierce again in the center with a thermometer.
Smoke the pork until it reaches at least 202° or more. Although pork will technically shred starting at 190°, I find it to be juicier and more tender when pushed to 202° plus. Remove it and let it rest at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes. You can let it rest for even longer. If you decide to do that, keep it well insulated, like in a cooler, to help keep temperatures above the 140° danger zone.
Pull or shred the pork using your hands or two large forks. Serve it with my famous BBQ sauce for Pulled Pork Recipe.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: You can make this up to 8 hours ahead. If you do this, keep it covered and in the oven or warmer at low temperatures (<180°).
How to Store: Cover and keep it in the fridge for up to 5 days. Freeze it covered for up to 6 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator for one day before reheating.
How to Reheat: Add the desired amount of smoked pork butt to a baking dish or pot with a lid, along with 1 cup of chicken stock or water, cover, and bake in the oven at 300° for 25 to 30 minutes or until warm. If you don’t want BBQ, try using it in my Pork Pozole Recipe.
Chef Notes + Tips
- I used a pellet smoker for this recipe. To create this recipe, feel free to use a regular charcoal grill, offset smoker, smoker pit, or even a digital smoker.
- While I wrapped the pork in peach or butcher’s paper, you can also use aluminum foil. The butcher’s paper is porous enough to let smoke in while keeping the bark intact. Rendered pork fat and juices will not cause holes in the paper as it smokes.
- You can brine the meat or inject it with vinegar, juices, and seasonings.
- Try using pork lard instead of the mustard, a binder for the salt and pepper.
- You can dry brine the pork by coating it in salt and pepper, without the mustard, and leaving it on a rack over a tray in the refrigerator uncovered for 8 to 48 hours before smoking.
- Pellet smokers tend to produce on the lighter side of smoke infused into the food. Because of that, I do not pull the pork butt out of the fridge too early before smoking so that the extra time in the smoker can be used to get smokier flavors.
- My favorite woods for this are alder, cherry, apple, oak, pecan, and hickory.
- Temperatures for smoking a pork butt can vary from 200° to 275°.
- The stall refers to a period of time during which the pork stands still at the same temperature for longer than usual. Sometimes, it can go quickly, and sometimes, it can take hours, which is why we wrap it to help move it along.
- Maillard reaction, also known as the browning reaction, is an interaction between sugar and amino acids in the steak when heated to 285°and 350° over high heat, browning the meat to enhance the flavor and add more crispness. This is not the same as caramelizing.
More Smoked Recipes
Smoked Pork Butt Recipe
Ingredients
- 10 to 12 pound bone-in Pork Boston Butt
- ¼ cup yellow mustard
- 2 tablespoons coarse salt, you may need an additional tablespooon
- 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the smoker to 250°. Start by coating the pork butt on all sides with the mustard.
- Next, generously season it on all sides with salt and pepper. It’s important that all 6 sides of the butt are seasoned for maximum flavor.
- Place the seasoned pork butt on the grates and place a thermometer in the center of it. I like to place it on a top grate with a pan below to catch any drippings to avoid any “grease” smoking. Smoke until the butt stalls, which is usually between 160° and 165°.
- If you notice any spots drying out on the top or sides of the pork, feel free to spray some BBQ spritzer on it. This will help add flavor, tenderize it, and stop that area from crisping up too much.
- Remove the pork and place in two sheets over overlapped butcher’s paper that is roughly 3 feet long. Fold the bottom part of the paper up to wrap around the pork. Next, fold the paper right over left. Then fold it left over right. Roll the butt forward making sure it is still fat cap side up and the paper is underneath.
- Place it back on the smoker in the same spot and pierce again in the center with a thermometer.
- Smoke the pork until it reaches at least 202° or more. Pork will technically shred starting at 190°, but I find it to be juicier and more tender when pushed to 202° plus.
- Remove it and let it rest at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes. You can let it rest for even longer. If you do decide to do that keep it well insulated like in a cooler to help keep temperatures above the 140° danger zone.
- Pull or shred the pork using your hands or two large forks.
- Serve it with my famous BBQ sauce for Pulled Pork Recipe.
Smoked Pork Butt Recipe